Bianca Belair’s dominance over WWE Raw is unquestionable, and the EST recently passed another milestone in her incredible championship reign.
Belair has reigned as Raw Women’s Champion since defeating Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 38 in April of 2022, and during her reign she’s defended against such talent as Bayley, Carmella, and Alexa Bliss.
After successfully defeating Alexa Bliss at the Royal Rumble January 28th, Belair was able to surpass 300 days as champion. Not only is this a historic accomplishment on its own, but she is also the first Black world champion in the company’s history – male or female – to accomplish the incredible feat.
Bianca Belair‘s next contender for the Raw Women’s Championship will be determined at the upcoming Elimination Chamber premium live event on February 18th. So far, four of the six women vying to face the EST of WWE have been announced for the match, including:
- Raquel Rodriguez
- Asuka
- Liv Morgan
- Nikki Cross
Another participant in the Elimination Chamber match will be determined in a fatal-four-way qualifying match on next week’s episode of Raw. The participants in that match will be:
- Mia Yim
- Piper Niven
- Candice LeRae
- Carmella
Who will qualify for the Women's #WWEChamber Match?
NEXT WEEK on #WWERaw: @CandiceLeRae vs. #PiperNiven vs. @MiaYim vs. the returning @CarmellaWWE! pic.twitter.com/qYXhilKPny
— WWE (@WWE) January 31, 2023
Bianca Belair Faced Alexa Bliss At The Royal Rumble
The EST of WWE’s most recent defense of her Raw Women’s Championship came at the Royal Rumble on January 28th in San Antonio, TX. Bliss won the chance to face Belair by defeating Bayley back in December, and for weeks, she and Belair seemed to be headed toward a friendly competition inside the Alamodome.
However, Bliss’ mood seemed to shift as she was plagued with teases that she would once again turn to the dark side as she was confronted by Bray Wyatt’s foe Uncle Howdy on multiple occasions. During a backstage interview segment with Byron Saxton, Little Miss Bliss finally snapped, hitting the Raw Women’s Champion over the head with a vase.
Ahead of the Royal Rumble, Bliss launched a major attack on Belair, sending her into the ring steps multiple times and causing the champion to suffer a nasty wound on her face. Belair eventually triumphed, however, pinning Bliss inside the Alamodome to retain her championship and achieve her historic milestone.