Bianca Belair cemented herself as one of the top stars in WWE with a career-defining performance at WrestleMania 37.
Her match with Sasha Banks for the SmackDown Women's Championship headlined the first night of WrestleMania and it went down as an instant classic.
Belair would come out on top and begin her first championship reign in WWE as a result. The EST of WWE has looked totally at home as a champion and her very obvious potential has been realised.
talkSPORT had the chance to speak to Belair ahead of her title defence against Bayley at WrestleMania Backlash on Sunday and the 32 year old spoke of the importance of her match with Banks playing its part.
"For me, me going into that match, I knew it was my time to showcase myself, but this is also Sasha Banks’ legacy," Belair said.
"She’s done so much up to this moment and I just want to contribute to this legacy and leave a good stamp on this legacy as well. This is the beginning of my legacy. But that moment is so much bigger than the both of us."
Belair and Banks were not only the first-ever women's singles match to headline a WrestleMania, but it was the first to feature two black women, too.
Even with the historic nature of the match, the ladies knocked it out of the park. Banks, portraying a villain in character, was captured by fans at ringside smiling when she saw Belair celebrating.
Sasha banks smiling for Bianca winning the Smackdown women’s championship. This is why she’s one of the best in the world ❤️ #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/DWEayCgQxU
— 👑𝔸𝕕𝕒𝕞 𝔾𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕘👑 (@AdamGoldberg28) April 11, 2021"I think she was able to smile and be happy at the end of the match because at the end of the day, I walked out SmackDown Women’s champion, but no one lost that night.
"That night was so much bigger than me, bigger than Sasha - it was even bigger than becoming champion because we were the main event. We made history. So no one really lost that night when you really think about it and I think that’s why she was really able to just be happy, be fulfilled and accomplished a huge goal by main eventing WrestleMania.
"But also, she did it by making history. You couldn’t ask for a better moment and a better stamp on your legacy than that moment that we shared in the ring.
"We were both just happy about being the two women that were in the ring to main event and make history because it could have been anybody, so we were just blessed that it was us and we showed up and we showed up! For women, for black women, for women of colour and anyone that sees inspiration in us. We were just super happy about that."
Moving forward, Bayley is her first challenger. Starting with the longest reigning SmackDown Women's Champion ever is a hell of a start and Belair wants to take that mantle from Bayley.
"I’m very excited to get back in the ring with Bayley. I actually pinned Bayley right before the Royal Rumble, so I feel like she gave me my momentum that carried me through towards the Royal Rumble and then into the feud with Sasha.
"That pin over Bayley gave me the confidence to pick Sasha Banks for WrestleMania. I had confidence to say ‘I want to face Sasha Banks who is the best!’ It carried me through to WrestleMania.
"So to come full circle and come back to Bayley I think is an amazing first defence. We have history and she was the longest reigning SmackDown Women’s champion. So I would love for it to be my first stepping stone to becoming the new longest reigning SmackDown Women’s champion, I want to take that title from her.
"You know, it’s the long-est… I’m the EST! I want everything that ends in EST to belong to me! [laughs]."
In the future, Belair after conquering Bayley, Belair would like another dance with Banks before targeting their fellow Four Horsewomen Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.
And if there is a dream match down the road, Beth Phoenix is at the top of her list.
"Like I said with WrestleMania, no one really lost that night. So I would love to get back around to Sasha where it’s just about me, Sasha and the title. Really see who is going to come out on top since no one really lost at WrestleMania.
"And down the line, I’ve put out there I would love to eventually the other two horsewomen [Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch] so I can be the first woman of this new era of women coming through that has faced all Four Horsewomen.
"But whenever I’m asked about dream matches, the person always at the top of my list is Beth Phoenix. She’s one of the first women I related to and got me into watching WWE.
"She was so captivating like her muscles, her beauty, her strength; she was picking up two girls at the same time and slamming them down! There’s so much inspiration in Beth Phoenix.
"When I picked up two girls at NXT TakeOver: New York, I just remembered Beth Phoenix picking up two girls. I would love to get in the ring with her," Belair said.
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