Trish Stratus Reveals the Real Story Behind Her Match With Tiffany Stratton While Her Mom Was Dying

Trish Stratus didn’t just return for one more big match — she did it during the darkest, most emotionally devastating period of her life.

During a conversation with Bill Apter, the WWE icon opened up about what was really happening behind the scenes leading up to her Evolution match with Tiffany Stratton, and how her mother’s terminal cancer battle shaped every decision she made.

Trish explained that her 25th anniversary year kicked off strong with Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber, but everything came to a halt when her mother was suddenly diagnosed with cancer in March. The diagnosis hit right as WWE reached out about having her return at Evolution to face Tiffany Stratton. And even though fans were excited, Trish felt her world collapsing behind the curtain.

She admitted she was unsure about committing to the match, especially because WWE hadn’t given the event much promotion and her personal life had become overwhelming.

“I remember even talking to my friend Lita… because I had to cancel one of my appearances. It started to happen where I made the decision not to go to Wales, for example — just too far in case something happened.”

She went on to explain that the uncertainty made her hesitant to jump into a match with no major storyline behind it.

“They asked me to come back, and I was like… I don’t really have a big storyline. And, you know, I don’t know, maybe I’ll just do it another time.”

But then came the moment that changed everything. Trish’s mother — fully aware of her condition and realizing her time was limited — pushed her to take the match anyway.

“My mom said to me — and I said this in my speech — she goes, ‘Do it.’ Like, she was so… not even a question, Bill. She was like, ‘Oh my god, do it.’ Like, of course.”

Her mother didn’t just encourage her to wrestle — she gave her a message that Trish now holds onto tightly.

“And then she said, ‘Do what you can while you can.’”

That single sentence reframed everything. Trish explained that her mom tied the advice back to a spontaneous family trip to Greece they took the year before — a decision that became even more meaningful after the diagnosis.

“That was the last big trip we took, thank God… So, you know, do what you can while you can because you never know what’s going to happen. You never know what’s going to change. Situations can change. Health can change. Anything can change in your life, right?”

With that push, Trish committed to the match and began juggling wrestling preparation with caring for her mother during treatment. It wasn’t easy — she was barely sleeping and training deep into the night just to make it work.

“I was seeing my mom… I was running out to the ring… my midnight training crew, I would wrestle from like 10 to midnight… I was not sleeping for months on end, but I got it all in. I did what I had to do.”

And the meaning behind the match only grew as her mother’s condition worsened.

“If that was my last time in the ring, I would be happy if it was. If it isn’t, sure, there’s more story to be told… but she was right. She got to see me wrestle one last time, you know.”

For Trish Stratus, Evolution wasn’t just another match — it was a final memory shared with the most important person in her life. A match wrestled through pain, exhaustion, fear, and love — all at once.

Do you think Trish should return for one more match, or was Evolution the perfect final chapter? Share your thoughts below — we want to hear your feedback.