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Bianca Belair is set to star in WWE in 2021.
The Royal Rumble represents a huge opportunity for Belair. She starred in last January’s event, recording eight eliminations, and is currently one of the favorites to win this year. If she emerged victorious from the Rumble, it would put her on a collision course at WrestleMania 37 with Sasha Banks, who is the reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Along with the potential of a program with Banks, another huge opportunity actively presents itself for Belair in his screenplay with Bayley, who is one of the best performers in the entire industry.
Belair spoke with Illustrated sports Wednesday, discussing his schedule with Bayley, the opportunity to win the Royal Rumble and challenge Sasha Banks to WrestleMania, and his next the Chronicle which is broadcast on the WWE Network.
Sports illustrated: Every day during the pandemic feels a bit like a Wednesday. Today is actually a Wednesday, but this day felt so uplifting, especially after listening to the poem read by Amanda Gorman during the presidential inauguration.
Bianca Belair: My husband [Montez Ford] and I were watching. I played it again on my phone; it was amazing.
AND: Looking at your WWE career, there is so much optimism for a breakthrough year in 2021. But before we discuss your work, I was hoping we could start with a few words about Bayley. She did such a masterful job reinventing herself completely from “the Hugger” to “role model”. What do you respect most about Bayley’s job and about her as a person?
BB: When I first came to NXT, Bayley was still there. I was there when the first draft arrived [in 2016] and people spread among the brands. We came to the Performance Center for this event so it could be televised. Bayley was not drafted for Gross or Smack down. Everyone she worked with at the Performance Center had moved Gross or Smack down, but it was as if she had been left behind. But she always finds a way to make it all work. She pushes and adapts, just like she did with the shift from “the Hugger” to “role model”. She always teaches me lessons just by watching her.
I am very lucky and happy to work with Bayley. She just left that huge, long title reign, and I’m still the new girl in the neighborhood. Being on this big stage, learning every step of the way, I couldn’t ask for someone better to work with than Bayley. I admire Bayley so much. She’s a great performer, a great wrestler, and she always has good matches. She also uplifts everyone she comes in contact with. She doesn’t just walk into the ring and rise up. She goes to the table to eat, but she also pulls a chair next to her. This is where I am right now, learning from everything she does.
AND: Bayley is also a talented storyteller. I enjoyed your appearance on her new talk show last week on Smack down. Instead of attacking you, like she did to Sasha Banks a few months ago or Asuka before that, she challenges you to an obstacle course on the Friday Night show. There are a few different directions it can take to get to the next point in the story, but what was the most significant part of history mapping with Bayley?
BB: It was so much fun. I haven’t watched the wrestling grow up so I feel like my perspective is unique. I have sailed my own way and am very grateful to work with someone as creative as Bayley. We want to bring something new, new and fun to what we’re doing, and Bayley is so easy to play. I think it’s happening on screen, and we plan to go beyond that to do some magic together.
SI: You operate in new territory, climbing the map and becoming one of the iconic stars of the Smack down Mark. What helped you manage the transition with such confidence?
BB: I have been an athlete my whole life. I have been playing sports since I was five. Competition has been part of who I am and I have always wanted to rise to the occasion. My dad always taught me to never be afraid of anything, so whenever there is a challenge I am excited to face it and conquer it.
When I entered NXT, I was the girl who arrived with no experience. I wasn’t from India, so I felt like I was constantly trying to prove myself. I had a different trip than everyone else, but still worked my ass to make it happen. And the work has not changed. I introduced myself and I showed myself, and now the opportunity arises. This is what I am working towards.
I prove myself everywhere Smack down. I am ready to seize any opportunity that presents itself and make the most of it.
AND: When we spoke a month ago, you described in great detail your debut at the Royal Rumble in 2020. Even though you didn’t know until this weekend that you would be in the Rumble, you had one of the defining performances. of the night. There are huge expectations in this year’s Rumble, especially given the growing desire to see you fight Sasha Banks at WrestleMania 37. What is your state of mind when entering Rumble this year?
BB: My whole frame of mind last year was, “You might not know who I’m from, but surely you will by the time I leave.” A lot more people know me this year. I am excited about this. There are also so many different angles. I’m here to win and take on Sasha Banks at WrestleMania, but I’m also focused on Bayley. There’s also the story with Shayna Baszler – we’re both tied for the eight-elimination record. We will both try to eliminate each other. There are so many different elements in play, which really turns me on.
SI: You had so much fun knowing the WWE audience, and that feeling was mutual. Your new the Chronicle on the WWE Network, which airs this Sunday, offers viewers a chance to really get to know you as a person and performer. What can we expect?
BB: I’m excited, but I’m also nervous. I’m pretty much an open book, so get to know exactly who the person behind Bianca Belair is. You go back to my childhood, my parents were interviewed, and there is a glimpse of my house. There have been some intimate conversations and moments with my husband, and it all revolves around my trip to WWE and what I’m looking to do with this opportunity.
It was filmed for a few weeks, and it was almost therapeutic. I would talk for five hours straight and recount memories of my childhood. It brought me even closer to my parents, and it brought out some very intimate moments. It was weird that the camera was there to capture it, but I’m glad the camera was there to capture it.
AND: Looking ahead, what’s the next big goal for you?
BB: I try to focus on what I can control. My next goal is to have a singles match at WrestleMania. I would love to win the Royal Rumble and take on Sasha Banks at WrestleMania. My goal is always to have good matches, that’s what I intend to do every time I step in the ring.
Justin Barrasso can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Justinbarrasso.
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