Bianca Belair’s first WrestleMania victory came on April 10, 2021 — and she hasn’t looked back since. That night, she and her opponent Sasha Banks made history as the first Black women to headline WrestleMania, delivering a moment that was as powerful as it was groundbreaking. But it wasn’t just a milestone — it was the start of something bigger.

Since then, Belair has racked up win after win on WWE’s biggest stage: defeating Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 38, overcoming Asuka at WrestleMania 39, and teaming with Jade Cargill and Naomi in 2024 to take down Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane).

That’s four WrestleMania appearances, four victories, and one undeniable reign in the ring. Being undefeated at WrestleMania carries a lot of weight — just think about one of the most shocking results in WWE history, when The Undertaker’s undefeated streak of 21 straight WrestleMania victories came to a shocking end, leaving the audience in stunned silence. And this year at WrestleMania 41, Belair has a chance to extend her own undefeated WrestleMania streak to five. 

“It feels amazing to be a part of the women's division right now,” she tells Tudum. “It’s still growing, which is a scary thing, because we’ve already accomplished so much. It’s at the point where it’s hard to do any more ‘firsts’ as women. I love that. It’s become the norm for us to go out there and kill it. It’s really cool to be a part of that.”

Belair’s success has come in abundance since her debut on the WWE’s main roster in 2020: She won the 2021 Royal Rumble, the Smackdown Women’s Championship, and the Raw Women’s Championship (which she held for a record-breaking 420 days). But despite her rapid rise, Belair’s path to professional wrestling wasn’t exactly traditional — or expected. Before stepping into the ring, Belair was a collegiate track athlete specializing in hurdles, followed by a stint in CrossFit. It was during that time that WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry came across a video of her —  showcasing not just her athleticism, but also her larger-than-life personality. 

“I was grabbing the microphone and talking to the audience, cutting promos,” Belair says. “I was wearing tutus and really standing out. I was branding myself without even knowing it.”

Henry got her a tryout with WWE. “He said, ‘I can’t get them to hire you, but just go be you. You’ll be fine,’ ” she recalls.Then, she stepped fearlessly into an unfamiliar world.

 “I did two tryouts and I started [with NXT] in 2016. I had no idea this was my dream until it became my reality. Now I can’t imagine not being a WWE superstar. I feel like it was meant to be. It was my soulmate, and I’ve completely fallen in love.”

“I didn’t really watch wrestling growing up,” she says. “I played almost every sport in the book. So when I meet people who say ‘I don’t watch wrestling, I don’t think it's for me,’ I don’t judge them, because that used to be me. I say, ‘Just come watch an episode. Come to a show, and you’re going to fall in love just like me.”

Though she’s been an athlete her entire life, Belair is quick to point out that no sport she’s played compares to the demands of professional wrestling.

“We do not have an off-season,” she says. “No one day looks the same. When people see us in the ring for 10, 15 minutes, they don’t realize we were actually on the road two days before that live event. Then we drive overnight and have a show, then we go home, or we don’t. We might do appearances. We’re hardly ever home. Our family literally shares us with the WWE Universe. It is exhausting, but it’s all worth it.”

Despite the grueling schedule, Belair embraces the grind — and the opportunity to travel the world. Still, she doesn’t sugarcoat the reality.

“Everybody can’t do this,” she says. “You’ve got to be built different, because opportunities come, and you have to be ready. And if you’re not ready, somebody else is going to be.”

That unwavering passion for WWE is evident in every word. While Belair continues to carve out her own legacy, she’s just as focused on the bigger picture — the evolution of women’s wrestling and the future of the industry. When WWE’s flagship show Raw began airing live on Netflix this year, she immediately recognized the move as a game-changer.

“We get to be part of the era that’s going to affect generations to come,” Belair says. “More opportunities for women. I’m excited for everybody to see what we already know. I feel like the Netflix audience is so diverse and WWE’s is too. They’ll see somebody from the same demographic, same culture, same athletic background. Anybody can turn on WWE, and they’ll see somebody or see something that they relate to.”

Click here for more information on WrestleMania 41, where Belair will face Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY for the Women’s World Championship title and a chance to extend her WrestleMania undefeated streak.