The Best of Bianca Belair So Far

 Since arriving on the scene Bianca Belair has been stealing the spotlight and going from strength to strength, making history and having career highlights it could several years to see others achieve. A WWE homegrown talent Belair performs as though she has been wrestling for many more years than her actual status and has earned her spot as one of the best and most popular stars in the WWE women’s division. As Bianca moves towards her second straight Wrestlemania title match in today’s blog post I’m going to be taking a look back at some of Belair’s best matches including bouts seen during her time in NXT.

Io Shirai vs Shayna Baszler vs Kairi Sane vs Bianca Belair

I have to admit that I’m not someone who typically enjoys a fatal four-way match. A lot of the time it can feel as though someone doesn’t have a place in the match or it’s just messy and not needed, however, this is one that really sticks out as a must-see for me and an early career highlight for Belair. At the time these four women really did stand tall at the top of the women’s division and this match highlight the differences they all shared. Now, the end result didn’t see Bianca walk out as champion however, her career shifted drastically after the encounter and put Belair in an entirely different conversation. From the character work portrayed through facial expressions and the use of her hair as a whip to the power and strength, she demonstrated throughout this fatal four-way. The match itself was incredibly exciting and fun to watch and for me Belair really did standout against the champion and two women who possessed much more experience than she did. This was the first time we truly saw just how far her strength goes and how effortless spots such as holding two women above her head appear to be and despite tapping out, the loss didn’t affect her at all.

 

Shayna Baszler vs Bianca Belair (NXT Takeover phoenix)

Honestly, I don’t think this match is spoken about enough! Belair vs Baszler at Takeover Phoenix is truly the encounter that put Bianca on the map. We had a strong but simple story being told with Belair walking in undefeated and Baszler one of the most dominant champions in NXT history. Weeks had been spent with Bianca gaining momentum and when the time came she really took advantage of the opportunity being put in front of her. We saw more of her character, her abilities, and her heart and she really did win over the NXT universe on this night. The crowd reaction, how close she came from scoring the win, and her overall performance made this one of Belair’s best and most important matches so far.

Bianca Belair vs Sasha Banks (Wrestlemania)

I don't think I have been more proud of a wrestling moment than last year's night one Main event. To see two black women's main event the biggest wrestling show of the year was so special for me and so many other fans. After a dominant year, Bianca had more than earned this title shot on such a big stage, and boy did she take full advantage! One of my personal favorites bouts of the year, both Belair and Banks stood in that ring and gave fans a historic match-up we won't be forgetting any time soon. The contest had it all and from start to finish fans were hooked and completely entertained. The WWE Universe was already aware of the star power the Boss possessed and what she was capable of but the multi-time champion stepped up her game once again in the main event of Wrestlemania and worked incredibly well with Belair. We saw the two women bounce off one another with the skills complementing each other and as a result providing one heck of a title contest. Belair stood out as a top star here, her emotions were on show, her power displayed, her athleticism clear for all to see, there could be no denying she is a top WWE superstar after this match and I believe this one on one will be the one in which every other is compared to for quite some time.

 

Rhea Ripley vs Bianca Belair

It's not often we see someone match Belair’s strength however, in 2020 we saw her step in the ring with then NXT Champion  Rhea Ripley in the build to Wrestlemania and we finally saw Bianca go toe to toe with a woman who could match her power, making for an exciting title contest. Throughout the match, we witnessed a true contest of strength with both women matching each other so well! The spots performed showcased how effortless their power was and we got a title contest quite different from what we typically see within the women’s division. A split crowd highlighted how far Belair had come in her journey to becoming a top star on the roster and as the match progressed it was evident that Bianca and Ripley were very similar and well-matched to the point where the outcome could have gone either way. This was a fast-paced contest that showed Belair can go one on one with a competitor so close to her power and abilities and again, I believe this is a match we don’t see spoken about enough especially considering the amount of athleticism shown.

 

Charlotte Flair vs Bianca Belair

Another time in which we saw Belair step in the ring with a woman who matched her power and athleticism was in the RAW main event of October 18 last year. I don’t often tune into RAW but when doing my research for this blog post I rewatched this match and honestly, I’m surprised at how little this match is spoken about. A true highlight of the women’s division last year, these two powerhouses tore the house down in a fantastic title bout. Flair was pushed to her limits against an opponent who despite not having much experience was able to match her strength and agility like no other and give the multi-time champion a run for her money. It’s a fun match to watch with some great spots and fantastic wrestling that shows how brilliant both women are in the ring and is without a doubt the best performance we have seen from Belair during her time on RAW.

 

Sasha Banks vs Becky Lynch vs Bianca Belair

And finally, we have the triple threat match in which we saw Belair challenge for the Smackdown women’s championship against Sasha Banks and of course, Becky Lynch. Bouncing back from SummerSlam, Belair showed why she deserved to have that title for longer than what we actually saw. Proving herself yet again against two much more experienced women, Bianca had a fantastic showing on a huge stage once again. The powerhouse of the trio, we saw her hold Banks above her head with one hand as well as several other fantastic spots that highlighted her strength. We got a throwback to Wrestlemania throughout with collisions with the Boss standing out. In a contest where her weakness’ could have been on display Bianca instead stood tall and proved she can hang with the best taking part in one of the best triple threat matches, I have seen in some time!

 

Of course, there were a few other matches I could have mentioned in this post today including the hell in a cell collision with Bayley but the six bouts above are certainly my personal favorites. We are sure to see more incredible matches from Belair and I cannot wait to see what she and Lynch present us with at Wrestlemania this year!