4 WWE stars who can replace Bianca Belair on SmackDown - Returning star to become top babyface of the blue brand?
WWE put heavy emphasis on the talented women in their company this week. Monday Night RAW was headlined by a bout between Becky Lynch and Zoey Stark, with Trish Stratus involved. NXT was headlined by a match featuring Gigi Dolin, Roxanne Perez, Blair Davenport, and Kiana James.
One star who seemingly won't be getting much screen time in the foreseeable future is Bianca Belair. The EST is one of the best performers in the entire company and has held multiple belts, but was recently written off of television via an attack from Damage CTRL.
According to Fightful Select, the backstage assault was done to allow Belair to take some much-deserved time off. She has been a road warrior for the promotion, regularly making appearances in towns for shows, and constantly did community-based and promotional events.
With Belair away for the time being, however, it allows for somebody else to step up and claim her spot on Friday Night SmackDown. This article will look at a handful of stars who could potentially become the top babyface and star of SmackDown in the women's division.
Below are four WWE stars who can replace Bianca Belair on SmackDown.
#4. Roxanne Perez could join WWE's main roster
Roxanne Perez is one of the brightest stars in all of WWE. She is only 21 years old but has already found a lot of success. Even prior to joining the promotion, she was the first ROH Women's World Champion and trained under the legendary Booker T.
While in WWE, she's achieved even more. Perez held the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles alongside Cora Jade. After the pair broke up, Roxanne went on to hold the NXT Women's Championship. Today, she remains a top star on the white & gold brand.
While filling Bianca Belair's shoes will be nearly impossible for just about anybody, Roxanne Perez has a better shot at it than most. She's extremely likable and talented. Beyond those attributes, Perez is very young, so she has a lot of time to develop, improve, and evolve her game.
#3. Shotzi deserves her time in the sun
Shotzi has been wrestling professionally for around nine years now. She first started her career in 2014, and after being rejected from WWE Tough Enough due to a health issue, she began making a name for herself on the indie scene.
The Ballsy Badass eventually signed with WWE in 2019. She became a regular on NXT, eventually winning the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles alongside Ember Moon. Shotzi then joined the main roster in 2021, where she has remained as a full-time SmackDown star ever since.
While Shotzi may be an out-of-the-box choice for this role, she could absolutely deliver. She is fun and chaotic, which wrestling fans love. Plus, many in the fandom know that Shotzi shaved her head in solidarity with her sister, which only makes her more likable.
#2. IYO SKY's babyface turn is likely coming soon
IYO SKY is one of the most athletic pro wrestlers in the world. She first joined WWE after having plenty of success in Japan and internationally in 2017. This was after already competing for around a decade.
Since making the jump to World Wrestling Entertainment, IYO has achieved a lot. While in NXT, she won the brand's main title for the women's division and the tag team gold. She has since replicated that success on the main roster by winning the Women's Tag Team Titles twice and currently holds the WWE Women's Championship.
While The Genius Of The Sky is a heel, she is regularly growing in popularity. In fact, at Backlash, she was cheered over Bianca Belair. The same happened at SummerSlam when IYO cashed in her Money in the Bank briefcase.
SKY may lack the fluent English promos of Belair, but she could be a very successful babyface nonetheless.
#1. Kairi Sane is reportedly on her way back to the promotion
Kairi Sane is a very talented wrestler who used to perform for WWE. The 34-year-old star first found success in Japan, just like IYO SKY, before coming Stateside. She then returned to her native country in 2020, where she captured the IWGP Women's Championship.
The Pirate Princess had a lot of success while working for WWE. She won the NXT Women's Championship and the Mae Young Classic shortly after signing with the promotion. She and Asuka then won the Women's Tag Team Titles on the main roster.
According to reports, Sane is on her way back to the company. This move is partially due to having faith in Triple H's booking. If Kairi returns to the promotion and is immediately pushed, future stars returning or joining the company will have more faith in the process. Not only is Kairi worth pushing for her talent, but it may also be worth it for the optics.