Do you smell what the Black women are cooking?!
Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks made history as the first Black women to headline Wrestlemania, The Root reports.
Belair has made a name for herself in the ring, winning a triple threat match last October against pro wrestlers Billie Kay and Natalya that lasted over 56 minutes in the Royal Rumble. She made history as the second Black person to ever win, the first being The Rock. Her prize, in addition to the title, was choosing her opponent for Wrestlemania 37 – Belair picking fellow pro wrestler and Black woman, Sasha Banks.
“This is the first time ever that two African-American women will be headlining at WrestleMania. So this is crazy because it’s bigger than me and I think that’s what the beautiful thing is. Everything that I’ve done in the WWE, not only has it been for me, but it’s been bigger than me,” Banks told reporters in preparation for the fight
The two women put on a full show in front of a sold out crowd of more than 25,000 in Tampa, Florida in WWE’s first live audience show since the pandemic hit. Banks and Belair both defended their title with powerbombs, vertical suplexes, and lots of stunts, with 32-year-old Belair emerging victorious. While the crowd went wild and Belair was happy to take home the SmackDown Women’s Championship belt, both women agreed that the moment meant so much more for them.
“I love the fact that this is not just something that’s just about me and it’s not just about making history. It’s about going out and representing for women and for Black women,” Belair said.
Congratulations Bianca and Sasha! Because of you, we can!
(l to r) Bianca Belair, Sasha Banks. Photo Courtesy of SportsKeeda.com