Entering at #3, the EST of WWE Bianca Belair outlasted everyone in the women’s Royal Rumble and booked a ticket to WrestleMania to take on a champion of her choosing.
Belair made history by becoming the first African-American WWE Superstar to win the Royal Rumble and showed genuine emotion in the post-match comments with Kayla Braxton. “I did it! Now I’m gonna put the EST in WrestleMania,” a crying Belair said. Belair also had a shout-out to her mom and dad in what was probably the real-est post-match interview in several years.
The final four involved Belair, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Natalya who entered in at #30. Natalya was eliminated and then Belair and Ripley took out Flair. It was a back-and-forth affair between the final two former NXT stars but Belair had Ripley’s number this time around.
The 31-year-old started her wrestling career with WWE and signed a deal with the company in 2016. She remained in NXT until 2020 and was called up to the main roster at last year’s WrestleMania.
Belair was the favorite to win the match in betting odds leading up to the Royal Rumble.