WWE Writer Says Bianca Belair Was Not Originally Supposed To Win Royal Rumble

"Raw" Women's Champion Bianca Belair has found great success since her call-up in April 2020. But her historic 2021 run, which included headlining Night One of WrestleMania 37 and defeating Sasha Banks (now known as Mercedes Mone) for the "SmackDown" Women's Championship, all began with a Royal Rumble win that wasn't originally meant to be.

"Charlotte was going to go over," former WWE writer Chris Dunn said on a recent episode of the "Public Enemies Podcast." "They rehearsed Charlotte going over, and Bianca was going to get eliminated midway through the match."

Vince McMahon's mind was ultimately changed, however, as a result of diligent pitching from both Dunn and Bayley, with whom Belair was feuding at the time. An idea was developed around a previous obstacle course segment involving Bobby Lashley and Sami Zayn, which greatly appealed to the Chairman. From there, it was all about putting the correct pieces together.

"I went to Bayley's writer, and I was like, 'I think we have something here,'" Dunn continued. "Luckily Adam Pearce and Daniel Bryan got heavily involved."

Soon after conquering the obstacle course, which included lifting Otis — a pitch that "really blew Vince away" — Belair lost her singles match with Bayley, leading to an emotional promo days before the Rumble that Dunn not only gave her free reign on, but also definitively won McMahon over. Even so, Dunn was worried going into Rumble weekend that Belair wouldn't be going over. One potential alternative, a riff on the "Rock N' Sock Connection" with Belair and Billie Kay, was set to be pitched, but in the end Belair got her big win, and the rest was, quite literally, history.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Public Enemies Podcast" with an h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.