Bianca Belair Wins, Iyo Cashes In Amid Likely Belair Heel Turn

Iyo Sky cashed in the Money in the Bank briefcase on a hobbled Bianca after Belair regained the WWE Women’s World Heavyweight Championship. Belair’s heroic win was quickly followed by yet another injustice as the seeds for a Bianca Belair heel turn continue to be planted.

Late in an excellent Triple Threat match, Belair sold an injury to her left knee and was escorted from the ring. She heroically returned to the match to break up a Figure 8.

Asuka, Charlotte and Bianca’s feud was sparked by bitterness, and growing resentment, from a justified Bianca Belair. Following a shady loss at WWE Night of Champions, Belair’s character was given the runaround by management, prompting Bianca to cynically ask “am I trippin’?” as she was dealt one injustice after another.

Bianca Belair’s strife with management mirrored that of Bret Hart’s storyline issues with Vince McMahon at the onset of the Attitude Era, where Bret Hart would ultimately turn heel. Hart’s unique heel turn saw him cheered as a hero in his home country of Canada, while booed in the states. The Belair character has certainly gained an edge throughout her feud with a Charlotte—who leapfrogged Belair as a contender—and Asuka. But a heel turn for Belair seems out of the question.

Belair cited John Cena as an example of a WWE Superstar who never turned heel after his babyface turn in the early 2000’s as WWE prioritized Cena’s status as a role model.

“It’s a feeling that sticks with you outside the ring,” Bianca told the Daily Mail (h/t Cagesideseats.com) “We can’t be inside the ring every hour of the day. Those are the things that mean the most to me, the impact I have outside. I have the same feeling that [Cena] felt. I hear everybody like turn heel and I’m like, hmmm.”

Similar to how Bret Hart was unwaveringly cheered in Canada as its favorite son, Bianca’s fanbase is bigger than any wrestling storyline. It’s difficult to imagine a Black fanbase, which is among the most loyal and forgiving, turning Biacna Belair over a scripted wrestling storyline.

Rather than a Belair heel turn, WWE opted to go the safe route of building up two challengers who each feel they have a claim to be No. 1 contender. In the process, WWE seemed to be building up a feud between Charlotte and Belair. Coming off recent reigns as world champions on Raw and SmackDown, Belair and Flair, respectively, didn’t need a world title. But after Bianca Belair’s latest misstep, a Belair vs. Iyo Sky feud seems on the horizon. Coupled with her husband Montez Ford’s recent heel turn, a transition to the dark side for Belair seems nearly inevitable.