Bianca Belair to be stripped of her title; Jade Cargill's attacker revealed? 4 directions for The EST of WWE after SmackDown
Bianca Belair is one of WWE's top stars. She started her career through the Performance Center, NXT, and the Mae Young Classic. Belair then joined the main roster in 2020 and has had a ton of success since then.
The EST has held multiple tag team titles, the RAW Women's Championship, the SmackDown Women's Championship, and the WWE Women's Title. She is also a Royal Rumble winner. With that being said, her current direction isn't entirely clear following SmackDown.
The talented performer had a backstage skirmish with Piper Niven and Chelsea Green. This led to Belair taking on Piper one-on-one and the two had a fantastic and competitive bout, but in the end, Bianca won by hitting the KOD.
Now, what is next for the incredible athlete? This article will take a look at a handful of possible directions for The EST, which includes finding a new partner, revealing a mysterious attacker, and losing her prestigious Women's Tag Team Championship.
Below are four directions for Bianca Belair after SmackDown.
#4. She could team up with Naomi as the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions
Naomi is one of WWE's most popular performers. She is a former SmackDown Women's Champion who returned to the company in the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble Match. She is a top contender for both singles titles on SmackDown.
With that being said, Naomi may be needed by Bianca Belair. Bianca is one of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions alongside Jade Cargill, but The Storm was brutally attacked and injured. This means Bianca doesn't have a partner.
Naomi could step up and fill the spot. Just like Piper Niven took over for Sonya Deville last year, Naomi could replace Jade as the Women's Tag Team Champion. In turn, this means The Big Three still keep the gold. Who knows, they could even call it Freebird Rules, so Jade remains a champion too.
#3. Bianca Belair could be stripped of the tag team belts
As noted, Jade Cargill is out of action. Several weeks ago, the WWE Women's Tag Team Champion was seen brutally destroyed on the top of a car hood and windshield backstage on SmackDown.
This was shocking, as she was clearly battered. Now, it isn't clear when Jade will be returning to the ring. If the diagnosis ends up being that a comeback won't happen for months, there is a chance that a different route than the previous entry could be taken.
Instead of allowing Naomi to pick up from where Jade left off, WWE management might insist that Bianca simply relinquish the gold. Belair could be stripped of her coveted championship title and thus, will have to return to the singles division, at least until Jade is back and physically fit to compete again.
#2. She could feud with Bayley if The Role Model was Jade's attacker
With Jade Cargill's assault comes the question of who is responsible. There are many possibilities, but a few names have seemingly been cleared. For example, Chelsea Green was in the ring on WWE SmackDown when Jade was found. Additionally, Piper Niven was allegedly outside of gorilla, so she isn't likely responsible.
One person who is a major potential suspect is Bayley. The Role Model is a long-time rival of Bianca Belair, so The EST likely immediately assumed the worst from the former WWE Women's Champion. Bayley is in the tournament, so her plan could have been to take Jade out and distract Bianca so she couldn't win her tournament bout.
If Bayley is responsible for the attack, Bianca could feud with The Role Model moving forward. The two have had issues many times since The EST joined the main roster, so this would add a new spark to what has become one of the key rivalries in women's wrestling for the 2020s. Belair could even reveal Bayley was the one behind it.
#1. Bianca could team up with The Street Profits to take on DIY and Candice LeRae
Bianca Belair is married to WWE Superstar Montez Ford. Unfortunately, both Ford and his partner Angelo Dawkins had a rough night at the office on SmackDown. They were found attacked backstage.
As a result of the attack, the two couldn't challenge Motor City Machine Guns for the WWE Tag Team Titles. Instead, DIY stepped up and took their spot. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa went on to turn heel and win the gold. Many believe they're likely behind the attack on Ford and Dawkins too.
Candice LeRae, Johnny's wife, celebrated with the two backstage. As a result, Bianca could stand up for her husband and unite with The Street Profits to take on DIY and Candice. The latter three could form a new version of The Way, making for an exciting mixed-stable feud. Which alliance is better? Fans would love to find out.