Tiffany Stratton has firmly denied a long-running fan rumor that former WWE wrestler Giovanni Vinci was released by WWE for flirting with her, calling the speculation the craziest internet claim she has ever heard during a Twitch livestream Sunday night.
The rumor emerged after Vinci’s February 8, 2025 WWE release. Speculation built online that Vinci had been removed from Imperium and eventually let go because he had flirted with Stratton, who was at the time dating Vinci’s then-Imperium teammate Ludwig Kaiser.
“You guys, that may be the craziest one I’ve ever heard. That did not happen, that is not true. There is no truth to that. I hope he’s doing amazing. I heard he just signed with TNA, and I think he’s gonna kill it. So absolutely no truth to that. That’s a complete false accusation.”
Stratton did not name Vinci directly, but the reference is clearly to him. Vinci made his TNA Wrestling debut on Thursday’s episode of Impact under his real name, Fabian Aichner, the name he used in WWE’s developmental before his Vinci rebrand.
Vinci spent eight years with WWE between 2017 and 2025, working as Fabian Aichner in NXT and as part of the Imperium faction on the main roster with GUNTHER, Ludwig Kaiser, and at points Marcel Barthel. He held the NXT Tag Team Championship as half of Imperium with Marcel Barthel and worked in tag team programs across the main roster.
He appeared at the end of Impact to confront new X-Division Champion Cedric Alexander, who had just defeated Leon Slater for the title. Stratton, the current Women’s United States Champion, previously ended her relationship with Ludwig Kaiser. She is now dating NXT wrestler Shido Ash (Shady Elnahas).
