by One of the biggest stories surrounding WRESTLEMANIA 37, was Night One’s history making main event, which saw Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair go head to head for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. WRESTLEMANIA is always a time where emotions run high for WWE superstars, but this time, it was even more significant as these incredibly talented women took center stage at American wrestling’s biggest event of the year. For the first time ever, two women of color were about to headline WRESTLEMANIA.
Credit: WWE
It was especially clear as both competitors made their way to the ring. Fans could instantly see how significant this match was to them. That night, Bianca Belair would complete her ascent to the top of the Smackdown brand’s women’s division while Sasha Banks would cement her status as one of WWE’s most respected female champions.
Credit: WWE
The set up in the weeks leading up to the match was pretty solid, with the two going from friends to rivals in a feud that also involved Carmella at one point. Sasha Banks played an amazing heel champion all the way through. Having gained huge momentum after winning the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble, Bianca Belair did a great job as a tenacious babyface challenger who wasn’t afraid to stand up to her rival.
WWE fans were thrilled when they learned that the Smackdown Women’s Championship match would be the main event for night one of WRESTLEMANIA. Now one question was left to be answered. Could the EST of WWE unseat the Boss and win the ultimate prize?
Banks and Belair did not disappoint as they delivered one of WWE’s most critically acclaimed matches of the year. The match was filled with great moments from start to finish, but what truly made this match was the story being told, that of two gifted black women fighting for the top prize on the grandest stage of them all. From the in ring action to the emotion surrounding it, this match truly delivered in spades.
Another great thing about this match was the support shown to both women by their peers. While the match was taking place, some of WWE’s top female stars gathered near the production areda to watch their friends make history. They, too, were emotional over what was taking place. Bianca Belair’s husband, Montez Ford of the Street Prophets, even came out to celebrate with her when she won the match.
Credit: WWE
Bianca Belair would win the match and title, but in the end, the real winners were everyone who watched the match. Some fans may have been able to see it coming, but ultimately that doesn’t matter, especially when considering the significance of the match. The Night One main event for WRESTLEMANIA 37 also stands as an example of the importance of representation. That in itself, cannot be understated. There isn’t enough of it in the world today especially for young women of color.
The main event of night one of WRESTLEMANIA 37 is a landmark moment for women’s wrestling that showed fans that even something once thought impossible can be achieved when one is not afraid to carve out their own path and break new ground. Sasha Banks and Bianca made the most of the opportunity in front of them, and each gave an unforgettable performance. For all those who witnessed it, the best part was getting to watch them shine on the grandest stage of them all, WRESTLEMANIA.
