During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair gave some high praise to Bayley, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On her feud with Bayley: “It meant everything for me to work with Bayley. She’s been there every step of the way for me until now. She gave me momentum going into the Royal Rumble, we came full circle after WrestleMania, and she helped show the SmackDown universe who I am. She brought out a whole new side of me at Hell in a Cell.”
On her Hell in the Cell match with Bayley: “We found out for sure that we were having that match in the cell on the Friday two days before the show. We were still able to make something special, and that shows how great Bayley is and how great we are together. When you’re in the ring with Bayley, it’s different. You have this full confidence that things are always going to go well.”
On Bayley being her first feud after winning the title: “Fighting Bayley after winning the title at WrestleMania was perfect. I’ve been very fortunate to work with her. She has contributed to so much of my success. She’s made me better, and I’m going to carry that forward and carry that through. Bayley is a locker room leader, and an amazing person inside and out. I’ve watched and learned from her, the way she handles situations and adapts so easily and quickly. She has the ability to make things look so easy. We’re going to miss her so much while she’s out. She’s a legend in the making, but she does so much more than just make it about herself. She gives and contributes so much to the locker room.”
On her and Sasha Banks’ win at the ESPYs for Moment of the Year: “It’s still surreal to me. Getting to go, being on the same stage and getting recognized on the same level as the NFL and NBA and tennis and Olympic sports, it’s amazing. It’s a prestigious award, and to win it with Sasha shows what we provide and represent in WWE. To be recognized for something I love doing, it’s just a feeling. I’m so blessed and grateful. I’m still trying to soak it in.”
