Championship unification match, major character shift - 5 possible directions for WWE's Bianca Belair in 2023
Bianca Belair is the reigning WWE RAW Women's Champion walking into 2023. While it is always an impressive feat to be a titleholder, her reign is especially impressive given how long she's held the title, who she defeated for the belt, and her caliber of opposition since.
The EST of WWE won the RAW Women's Championship at WrestleMania 38. Belair clashed with the-then champion Becky Lynch in what was an epic bout between two of the best wrestlers on the planet.
Belair has managed to hold onto the title since facing a variety of opponents in various different match types. In short, Bianca had an incredible 2022. Inevitably, the athletic and charismatic star would like to duplicate that success heading into the new year
What will 2023 look like for the current RAW Women's Champion? Will she stay successful throughout the year, or might her stock plummet? Could Belair follow in the footsteps of The Bloodline and unify titles?
Below are five possible directions for WWE's Bianca Belair in 2023.
#5. Belair could hold on to the RAW Women's Championship all year
As noted, Bianca Belair has had an incredibly impressive reign as WWE RAW Women's Champion. She first won the title all the way back in April at WrestleMania 38. Eight months later, she still holds the gold.
She hasn't exactly avoided competition in those eight months, either. Belair has battled Bayley, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Sonya Deville, and Asuka in an assortment of matches, including a Ladder Match and a Last Woman Standing Match.
Given her success rate, Belair may continue to have an impressive RAW Women's Championship reign throughout 2023. If Becky Lynch, Bayley, and Asuka can't dethrone The EST Of WWE, who can?
#4. She could unify the RAW and SmackDown Women's Championships
A common theme in WWE throughout 2022 was title unification. The trend started on NXT when Carmelo Hayes unified the North American and Cruiserweight Championship. The brand also unified the NXT UK titles with the NXT variations thanks to the British brand shutting down.
The most notable example of titles being unified came courtesy of Roman Reigns, who won the WWE Championship while still holding the Universal Title. The Usos then did the same with the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Titles. The difference between the NXT unification and The Bloodline's is that, for now, the four titles held by the stable are all still considered active.
Regardless of the specifics, Bianca Belair may choose to follow a similar path in 2023. With such an impressive reign as RAW Women's Champion, she could further establish her dominance by challenging the SmackDown Women's Champion for a unification match. Could fans see Charlotte Flair and Bianca Belair clash in a title-for-title bout? Only time will tell.
#3. Bianca Belair could be pushed down the card in 2023
Bianca Belair's main roster run has been incredible. She's held both the SmackDown Women's Championship and the RAW Women's Championship. She's been victorious in big-time WrestleMania matches two years in a row. Bianca is even a former Women's Royal Rumble Match winner.
While her reign on top is almost unprecedented, there's no guarantee that it can last forever. Almost every great champion eventually moves down the card, as there are only so many high-profile matches somebody can have.
Belair may lose the RAW Women's Championship this year and then slide down the card. While her talent means she's unlikely to fade into obscurity, her reign as the top female star in the company could end. With so many great wrestlers returning to the company and many in NXT, there's plenty of competition for the top spot.
#2. She could move to WWE Friday Night SmackDown
Bianca Belair has spent a lot of time with different brands throughout her WWE career. She started on NXT before being called up to the main roster in 2020, where she competed on RAW. Belair was then drafted to SmackDown, where she captured the brand's title and later returned to the red brand.
2023 could see her career take another shift. The EST could go back to Friday Night SmackDown to mix it up with a different crop of talent, many of whom she's never or only rarely worked with.
The blue brand is host to Shotzi, Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan, Emma, Charlotte Flair, Ronda Rousey, and Shayna Baszler. Bianca could mix it up with any of those stars and put it on entertaining television. Regardless of which brand Belair ends up on, she's sure to deliver to the highest possible degree.
#1. Bianca Belair could turn heel for the first time on the main roster
The EST of WWE is beloved by fans. Her two-and-a-half-year run on the main roster has seen her evolve in the ring and on the microphone, earning the rest of fans all around the world. Some members of the WWE Universe may be surprised to learn that Belair wasn't always so heroic.
Throughout most of Bianca's time on the NXT brand, she served as a self-obsessed and, at times dastardly heel. She did a fantastic job at it, although her talent ultimately made fans want to root for her.
2023 may see Belair channel that heel edge once again. After two and a half years on the main roster, Bianca may have a major character change at some point in the next twelve months. If she does, it will open up numerous new feuds and even interesting twists on renewed rivalries from her past.