Bianca Blair (April 9, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under the ring name Bianca Belair on WWE's SmackDown brand. She is the winner of the 2021 Women's Royal Rumble.
Early life & career
Blair was born in 1989 in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was an All-American and All-SEC track-and-field performer in hurdles at the University of Tennessee, and was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2011 and 2012. A CrossFit competitor and powerlifter, Blair has been featured in RX Magazine, Femme Rouge Magazine and CrossFit.com.
Professional wrestling career
World Wrestling Entertainment
NXT (2016-2020)
Belair wrestled her debut match on September 29, 2016 on NXT Live where she was defeated by Aliyah. On October 20, she joined a Battle Royal to determine a Number One Contender for the NXT Women's Championship, but the match was won by Ember Moon. Seven days later on October 27, Belair scored her first NXT victory, defeating Vanessa Borne. She wrestled Nikki Cross twice, suffering defeats on October 29 and lastly on November 11. The next day on November 12, she teamed with Billie Kay in a tag match won by Aliyah and Liv Morgan. On December 2, she won her first tag match, teaming with Daria Berenato to defeat Macey Estrella & Mandy Rose. On April 19, 2017, Belair joined the NXT Women's Title hunt once again, wrestling a Number One Contender Battle Royal match that was won by Aliyah. She won the Number One Contender Battle Royal held on May 13, qualifying to challenge for the title held by Asuka. On that same date, she was unsuccessful in her title match against Asuka. On June 23 in a dark match, Belair defeated Aliyah in a Mae Young Classic Qualifying match. During the following month on July 13, Belair advanced in the first round of Mae Young Classic after eliminating Sage Beckett. The day after on July 14, Belair was eliminated in the second round by Kairi Sane. During the remainder of the month, Belair wrestled in tag team matches or singles matches against opponents including Rhea Ripley, Dakota Kai, Lacey Evans, Ember Moon and Zeda. On October 4 Belair entered a NXT Women's Championship Qualifying Battle Royal that was eventually won by Nikki Cross. Three days later on October 7, Belair entered a battle royal won by Vanessa Borne. During the final month of 2017, Belair competed in a series of title matches, beginning on December 1, challenging Ember Moon for the NXT Women's title. Her final title match was on December 16, where she was unsuccessful in winning the title from Moon.
Returning in 2018, Belair lost two more title rematches against Ember Moon during the February 3 and February 4 house shows. On April 5, during the first day of the 2018 WrestleMania Axxess weekend event, Belair entered a NXT Women's Championship Invitational match where she was eliminated in the first round by Kairi Sane. Three days later on April 8 during the WrestleMania 34 Kickoff show, she entered a battle royal won by Naomi. On April 14, she returned to Number One Contender matches for the NXT Women's title, beginning with a Fatal Four-Way match won by Dakota Kai involving Nikki Cross and Vanessa Borne. On April 26, Belair competed in a Number One Contender triple threat match involving Dakota Kai and Vanessa Borne but was once more defeated by Dakota Kai. Between her title hunts, Belair wrestled in matches often against Candice LeRae and Kairi Sane. During the course of May, Belair competed in singles matches against opponents including Steffanie Newell, Aliyah, Kacy Catanzaro and Dakota Kai. She also would join forces with Vanessa Borne and Aliyah on different occasions in tag team matches. The following month during June 8-June 10, Belair joined the NXT At Download house shows in Leicestershire, England, beginning with a singles match on June 8, losing to Candice LeRae. On the second night's house show, Belair teamed with Lacey Evans and British wrestler Nina Samuels in a tag match lost to Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai and Welsh wrestler Tegan Nox. On the third and final house show, Belair wrestled and lost to British NXT wrestler Nikki Cross. During the June 11 and June 12 house shows held in Paris, France and Antwerp, Belgium, Belair teamed with Lacey Evans in two consecutive tag matches lost to Candice LeRae & Dakota Kai. By the weekend, NXT returned stateside and Belair appeared during the June 16 episode of NXT (aired June 20), where she defeated Dakota Kai. She returned during the July 13 house show, teaming with Lacey Evans & Vanessa Borne in a tag match lost to Candice LeRae, Jessie Elaban & Xia Li. During the course of August, Belair wrestled in both singles and tag matches against opponents including Nikki Cross, Dakota Kai, Jessie Elaban, Kairi Sane and Deonna Purrazzo. She finished the month on August 24 teaming with Lacey Evans in defeating Jessie Elaban & MJ Jenkins in a tag match. Belair made her televised return during the October 17 episode of NXT, wrestling Nikki Cross to a no-contest finish. She returned the next month on the November 14 episode of NXT, during which she defeated recent NXT recruit Mia Yim. She finished the year with her final televised appearance on the December 26 episode of NXT, competing in a Fatal Four-Way Number One Contender match for the NXT Women's Championship. She succeeded in defeating opponents Io Shirai, Lacey Evans and Mia Yim to become the next contender.
Belair returned the following year in 2019 and received several title match opportunities during the month of January. During a January 5 house show, Belair competed for the NXT UK Women's Championship in a Fatal Four-Way match against Aliyah, Kairi Sane and the reigning UK Women's Champion Rhea Ripley. Unsuccessful in capturing the UK Women's title, Belair went to compete in two title matches for the NXT's American Women's title held by Shayna Baszler during later January house events. At NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, Belair met Baszler in their first televised encounter for the Women's Championship. However, Belair's match was ended by referee's decision, resulting in Baszler retaining the title. The following month, Belair returned to television during the February 6 episode of NXT, in which she teamed with Io Shirai and Kairi Sane in a six-woman tag match defeating Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir and Shayna Baszler. During the month of February, Belair received further opportunities to capture the Women's title against Baszler, all held in a succession of house events. Belair met Baszler the following month in March in further house events, all involving title matches. At NXT TakeOver: New York, Belair once more competed in a Fatal Four-Way match against Io Shirai, Kairi Sane and the reigning NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler. She returned to television the following month during the May 8 episode of NXT, during which she defeated Mia Yim in a singles rematch. During the May 29 episode of NXT however, Yim redeemed her 0-2 win-loss record by defeating Belair in a rematch. The following month during the June 5 episode of NXT, Yim compiled a 2-2 win-loss record, once more defeating Belair in a singles rematch. The following month, Belair returned to television on the July 3 episode of NXT, defeating guest opponent Priscilla Zuniga. She returned on the July 24 episode of NXT, in which she defeated Xia Li. During the month of July, Belair teamed with Karen Q in a series of tag matches defeating Reina Gonzalez & Rhea Ripley during the house events.
Main roster (2020 - present)
At WrestleMania 36 Night 2, Bianca would make her main roster debut to help the Street Profits fend off Angel Garza, Austin Theory and Zelina Vega. She would later on compete in a handful of matches and engaging in a feud with Zelina to the point where she would attack her during a Q&A on Twitch. As part of the WWE Draft, she would be drafted to SmackDown, where she would begin to feud with Bayley.
In 2021, at the Royal Rumble, she would win the Women's Royal Rumble match, entering at Number 3 and last eliminating Rhea Ripley.
Personal life
Blair studied business at Texas A&M. In June 9, 2017, Blair announced her engagement to fellow wrestler Kenneth Crawford, better known as Montez Ford of the Street Profits. The couple married on June 23, 2018.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- K.O.D. (Kiss of Death)
- Spear
- 450 splash
- Delayed Vertical Suplex
- Military press slam
- Powerslam
- Nicknames
- "The EST of NXT"
- "The EST of WWE"
- Entrance music
- "Way You Love Me" (WWE; 2016)
- "We Do It Better" (WWE; 2017-2018)
- "Watch Me Shine" by CFO$ (WWE; 2018-present)
Championships and accomplishments
- PWI ranked her #85 in the 2018 PWI Top 100 Females
- PWI ranked her #36 in the 2019 PWI Top 100 Females
- PWI ranked her #1 in the 2021 PWI Top 150 Females
- PWI ranked her #2 in the 2022 PWI Top 150 Females
- PWI ranked her #3 in the 2023 PWI Top 250 Females
- Ranked #3 Rookie Of The Year in 2017
External links
| WWE Mae Young Classic 2017 contestants |
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Abbey Laith • Ayesha Ray • Bianca Belair • Candice LeRae • Dakota Kai • Jazzy Gabert • Kairi Sane • Kavita Devi • Kay Lee Ray • Lacey Evans • Marti Belle • Mercedes Martinez • Mia Yim • Miranda Salinas • Nicole Savoy • Piper Niven • Princesa Sugehit • Rachel Evers • Reina Gonzalez • Renee Michelle • Rhea Ripley • Sage Beckett • Santana Garrett • Sarah Logan • Serena Deeb • Shayna Baszler • Taynara Conti • Tessa Blanchard • Toni Storm • Vanessa Borne • Xia Li • Zeda |
