During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Bianca Belair commented on working with Sasha Banks and Bayley, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On the upcoming Royal Rumble: “I’m preparing physically, I’m preparing mentally, and I am looking to go out and prove myself even more than I did last year. I am definitely excited about the Royal Rumble.”
On taking part in 2020’s Rumble: “The night before the Rumble, I was actually in the audience watching Rhea Ripley and Toni Storm have a title match [at War of the Worlds]. I thought I was only traveling to sit in the crowd because I was facing whoever won the match. That’s all I was thinking … I’m backstage and I hear, ‘Bianca, you’re going to be in the Royal Rumble tomorrow, and you’re going to be No. 2. Go show us what you got,’” Belair recalls. “I was trying to stay all cool, calm and collected, but at that moment, I was so full of emotion. I always ask for the spotlight, so this was a moment where I needed to go out and do what I do. I remember walking into the arena the day of the Rumble, looking at all the empty seats, and I was already ready for my music to hit. That day took so long. I was ready for seven o’clock as soon as I woke up.”
On looking ahead to next year: “I’m really excited for 2021, and I’m calling it right now—it’s going to be a special year for Bianca Belair to stand out and shine, starting with the Royal Rumble. I didn’t find out I was going to be part of it last year until the night before, and I was still able to go out there and last over 30 minutes. It will be even better this year. Every time I step in the ring, my goal is to show everyone who I am and what I do. I want to win the Royal Rumble and use that as my path straight into WrestleMania.”
On working with Bayley and Sasha Banks: “Bayley and Sasha are more than just vital to the women’s division, they’re vital to WWE. They’ve done so many monumental things, starting in NXT. They set the bar at TakeOver, then they set the bar again on Raw, SmackDown and on pay-per-view. That Hell in a Cell match was amazing. They continually set the bar in wrestling, and I’m excited to be in the same locker room as both of them. Sasha sets the standard. She’s the champion. Bayley is so versatile. Look at the way she went from protagonist to antagonist. She always comes up with something new, and she has the ability to make people around her stars, too. I am looking forward to working with Bayley.”
On Banks and Bayley helping other women in WWE: “They don’t just bring themselves to the table, they also pull up seats for the other women, too. They don’t just elevate themselves, they elevate every single person they come into contact with. That’s why I want to be in the ring with Bayley. That’s why I want to get in the ring with Sasha. If I can get into the ring with people of that caliber, I’m only going to get better.”
