On Friday, it was revealed that Bayley would challenge Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania Backlash. This came one week after Bayley threw down the challenge following WrestleMania 37. Sasha Banks would have been the reasonable name for that spot considering she just lost the championship and was owed a rematch, but Banks stormed off from her interview and hasn’t been heard from since. The bout between Bayley and Belair will not be the first, but it is the perfect match to help establish Belair as champion.
As you know by now, Bayley is the longest-reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion in history. She held the championship for 380 days before dropping it to Banks at Hell in a Cell in 2020. Following that loss, Bayley helped Belair elevate to main event status and eventually the main event of WrestleMania. Bayley even took credit for that on the most recent episode of SmackDown, stating that because of her, she is now the champion. And while Bayley was the perfect woman to be there for Bayley then, she is that much more now as a challenger for gold.
It’s important for Belair to face the best of the best, something that other champions in recent history have no always had the chance to do. After defeating Banks for the title, Belair can only begin to grow as a performer with Bayley taking her on. Whether it be the build-up or the match itself — it’s a great position for both. Bayley missing WrestleMania and only being placed in segments with Hulk Hogan and Titus O’Neil angered fans everywhere. So being in a title match after missing WrestleMania is certainly a great thing for her.
Now, the reason Bayley is also the perfect first opponent for Belair’s reign as champion is that she happens to be the last person to defeat Belair in singles action. That win came back on Dec. 18, 2020, when she got the best of the so-called “rookie” due to her veteran ways. They have yet to recognize that win, but when they do it will only add more weight to why this match is necessary.
For Bayley, it’s a chance to try and not only get back on track but to win back the championship that she has been seemingly lost without. And of course for Belair, this is her chance to make up for the only real singles blemish on her record over the past six months. It’s a win-win and the perfect match to continue the launch of Belair into superstardom.
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