Tiffany Stratton defeats Kiana James on SmackDown

Tonight, WWE celebrated the last edition of SmackDown before their next big event, Backlash. In one of the most outstanding moments of the evening, Tiffany Stratton defeated Kiana James in an intense match, thus retaining her reign as United States Champion.

The match began with an exchange of headlocks from which Stratton managed to break free using her agility to connect a clothesline. However, Kiana's strategy quickly came into play in the ropes area, where she knocked down the champion and slammed her right leg against one of the ring posts. Back in the center of the ring, James executed a suplex and focused all her punishment on Tiffany's injured leg.

Tiffany tried to react, but James stopped her with constant kicks to the affected area and trapped her in a Single Boston Crab, forcing Stratton to reach the ropes. After expelling the champion from the ring, Kiana distracted the referee hoping for an intervention from Giulia, but "The Beautiful Madness" decided not to strike Stratton. This caused James to complain to her ally, a moment that Tiffany took advantage of by returning to the ring to connect a Tiffy Stomp that almost gave her the victory.

The match continued as James executed a Death Valley Driver and several corner spears, although Stratton dodged the last one, causing the challenger to impact against the post. In the final moments, Giulia distracted the referee just as James was about to perform a roll-up, preventing the count from taking place. Stratton took the opportunity to knock Giulia down with a punch, executed a rolling senton on Kiana, and sealed the deal with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to retain the title. At the end, the champion left while James and Giulia silently observed each other in the ring.