Bianca Belair Bio
Bianca Nicole Crawford (née Blair; born April 9, 1989) is an American professional wrestler and fitness and figure competitor. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Bianca Belair. Belair is one of two women to win at a WrestleMania main event, and her 420-day reign as Raw Women’s Champion stands as the longest in the championship’s history.
Before stepping into the squared circle, Belair built a strong athletic foundation in track and field, CrossFit, and powerlifting. That competitive background helped shape the strength-based, high-energy style that has made her one of the most recognizable stars in modern professional wrestling.
Early Life and Background
Bianca Nicole Blair was born on April 9, 1989, in Knoxville, Tennessee. She attended Austin-East Magnet High School in Knoxville, where she competed in a wide range of sports, including track and field. An ESPN writer later described her college track career as “a volatile six-year” journey that saw her attend three different universities.
Blair first attended the University of South Carolina and then transferred to Texas A&M University. After a year away from competition, she returned to Knoxville to finish her career at the University of Tennessee, where she was named All-SEC and All-American. She also earned spots on the SEC’s academic honor roll in 2011 and 2012, balancing high-level athletics with strong academic work.
Outside of track, Blair became a dedicated CrossFit competitor and powerlifter, appearing in RX magazine, Femme Rouge magazine, and on CrossFit.com. An intercostal chondritis diagnosis, also known as shifting rib syndrome, forced her to step away from CrossFit, opening the door for a new athletic chapter.
Path to Professional Wrestling
After the premature end of her CrossFit career, Blair entered her information into the WWE prospects database. Less than two weeks later, while working phone sales at a flavoring company in Atlanta, she received a message from Mark Henry saying he could get her a tryout. After two official tryouts, she signed a contract with WWE on April 12, 2016, and was assigned to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
Blair made her first in-ring appearance during a segment at an NXT live event on June 25, 2016, under the name Binky Blair. She adopted the ring name Bianca Belair for her televised NXT debut on May 3, 2017, entering a battle royal to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship.
Bianca Belair Career
Early Career (2016-2018)
Blair made her formal in-ring debut on September 29, 2016, losing to Aliyah. Over the next year, she competed in the 2017 Mae Young Classic, defeating Sage Beckett in the first round before being eliminated by the eventual tournament winner, Kairi Sane. Her early NXT run was defined by a memorable introduction as the “EST of NXT.”
In January 2018, Belair launched an undefeated streak that lasted 367 days. She defeated notable opponents including Lacey Evans, Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, and Deonna Purrazzo along the way. The streak came to an end at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix in January 2019, when she challenged Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship.
NXT Championship Picture (2019-2020)
Belair received two more NXT Women’s Championship opportunities in 2019, including a fatal four-way at NXT TakeOver: New York. She also competed in the first-ever women’s WarGames match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, teaming with Shayna Baszler, Io Shirai, and Kay Lee Ray in a losing effort against Team Ripley.
At the 2020 Royal Rumble, Belair entered the women’s Royal Rumble match at number 2 and eliminated a record-tying eight superstars before being eliminated by Charlotte Flair. Her final NXT match aired on February 26, 2020, a loss to Flair, setting the stage for her main roster move.
WrestleMania Breakthrough (2020-2021)
Belair made her main roster debut at WrestleMania 36, aligning with fellow Raw talents The Street Profits. She was later drafted to the SmackDown brand as part of the 2020 WWE Draft. On the October 30 episode of SmackDown, she qualified for Team SmackDown at Survivor Series by defeating Billie Kay and Natalya in a triple threat match.
At the 2021 Royal Rumble, Belair won the women’s Royal Rumble match by last eliminating Rhea Ripley, becoming the second Black wrestler to win a Royal Rumble after The Rock. She spent over 56 minutes in the match, a record at the time for a Women’s Royal Rumble participant. On Night 1 of WrestleMania 37, she defeated Sasha Banks to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship, marking only the second time women main-evented WrestleMania and the first time two African-Americans headlined WWE’s flagship event.
Raw Women’s Championship Era (2021-2023)
Belair successfully defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Bayley at WrestleMania Backlash and inside Hell in a Cell, before losing the title to Becky Lynch at SummerSlam 2021 in just 26 seconds. After a 2021 WWE Draft moved her to Raw, she continued her pursuit of championship gold.
At WrestleMania 38, Belair defeated Becky Lynch to capture the Raw Women’s Championship, beginning a reign that would become legendary. She retained the title against Asuka, Lynch, Carmella, Bayley, Alexa Bliss, and Iyo Sky across multiple premium live events. On October 19, 2022, she reached 200 days as champion, becoming the longest-reigning Black world champion in WWE history. Her reign ultimately reached a record-setting 420 days, surpassing Becky Lynch’s previous mark of 398 days and becoming the longest reign of any WWE women’s championship since 2006.
SmackDown Return and Recent Run (2023-2025)
Belair lost the Raw Women’s Championship to Asuka at Night of Champions in May 2023, ending her historic reign. Later that summer, she regained a women’s championship at SummerSlam by defeating Asuka and Charlotte Flair in a triple threat match, though she lost the title to Iyo Sky 1 minute and 35 seconds later after a Money in the Bank cash-in, the shortest reign in the title’s history.
In 2024, Belair won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship with Jade Cargill at Backlash, becoming the ninth WWE Women’s Triple Crown Champion. The duo held the titles through several defenses, including regaining them at Bash in Berlin, before losing them on the February 24, 2025 episode of Raw. Belair bounced back at Elimination Chamber, winning the match for the second time in her career and earning a shot at Iyo Sky’s Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 41, where she lost a triple threat match also involving Rhea Ripley. That match earned a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the first women’s match in WWE history to receive that mark. Belair returned to action at WWE Evolution after recovering from broken fingers suffered at WrestleMania 41.
Style and Strengths
Belair wrestles in a powerhouse style and is widely noted for her raw strength, a product of her track and CrossFit background. She performs a torture rack into an Argentine facebuster known as the Kiss of Death, or K.O.D. Her signature braided ponytail is often used as a weapon, and she is known for designing and repairing her own ring gear.
Notable Events and Milestones
Belair’s defining moments include her Royal Rumble 2021 win, her WrestleMania 37 main event victory over Sasha Banks, and her record-setting 420-day reign as Raw Women’s Champion. Her triple threat match with Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 41 became the first women’s match in WWE history to earn a five-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Bianca Belair Career Wins
Bianca Belair has captured multiple championships across WWE, including the SmackDown Women’s Championship, the Raw Women’s Championship, and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. She has also earned major match victories at Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and Survivor Series, cementing her status as one of the top female competitors of her era.
Championship Highlights
Belair is a one-time SmackDown Women’s Champion, a two-time Raw Women’s Champion, and a one-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion with Jade Cargill. Her 420-day reign as Raw Women’s Champion is the longest in the title’s history and the longest reign of any WWE women’s championship since 2006. She became the ninth WWE Women’s Triple Crown Champion after winning the tag titles in May 2024.
Other Wins & Performances
Outside the ring, Belair made her fitness and figure competition debut in December 2022 at the WBFF Atlantic City ProAm, taking first place in the Wellness category and second place in Fitness while earning a WBFF pro card. She also signed with Hollywood agency WME in August 2022 and released a Mattel action figure in early 2020.
Bianca Belair Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Belair’s father performed in a band called the Blair Brothers, and her brother played football. Her grandfather, Edward G. High, was a professor and chairman of biochemistry at Meharry Medical College. Her great-grandfather, Edward N. Toole, was the first licensed African American electrician in Durham, North Carolina, and her aunt, Miranda Hunt, was one of the first African Americans to integrate St. Cecilia High School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Personal Life
On June 9, 2017, Belair announced her engagement to fellow professional wrestler Kenneth Crawford, known in WWE as Montez Ford of The Street Profits. The couple married on June 23, 2018. Belair has spoken publicly about her past struggles with an eating disorder, crediting a former track coach at Texas A&M University with helping her prioritize her mental health and recovery.
2025 Season Performance
Bianca Belair’s 2025 began on a high note, as she and Jade Cargill defended the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship through premium live events including Crown Jewel. Their reign ended on the February 24, 2025 episode of Raw, when Belair and Naomi lost the titles to The Judgment Day’s Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, ending Belair’s individual tag title reign at 177 days.
Five days later at Elimination Chamber, Belair won the namesake match for the second time in her career, last eliminating Morgan to earn a Women’s World Championship opportunity at WrestleMania 41. Her triple threat loss to Iyo Sky, which also featured Rhea Ripley, ended an undefeated WrestleMania streak but produced a critically acclaimed five-star match, the first in WWE women’s wrestling history.
After revealing broken fingers in her left hand, Belair took time off to heal and returned at WWE Evolution as guest referee for a match between Jade Cargill and Naomi. With her recovery complete, Belair is expected back in active competition on SmackDown as the 2025 calendar continues, with championship pursuits and tag team storylines likely to define the rest of her year.
