Bianca Belair Has Learned To Embrace The Nervousness That WWE WrestleMania Brings

WrestleMania has long been called the pinnacle of sports entertainment. For the men and women who have the opportunity to compete on the annual card, there's an added level of pressure to deliver with so many extra eyes on the product. This year will be no different as WrestleMania emanates from Hollywood at the SoFi Stadium where over 90,000 tickets have been sold.

For Bianca Belair, she will be tasked with defending her "Raw" Women's Championship against Elimination Chamber winner Asuka. The two have only faced off on a few occasions, but this bout has even more intrigue thanks to Asuka's revitalized mystique. It will also mark the third WrestleMania championship match in a row for Belair, who is feeling the nerves now more than ever.

"Coming off WrestleMania 37, I thought I would walk into 38 being more confident, but I was more nervous for 38 then I was for 37," Belair told The Athletic in a recent interview. "I know I'll be more nervous this year than I was the previous two years... I've been an athlete my whole life, so I've learned how to embrace the nervousness and let it fuel me instead of scare me."

Although WrestleMania 34 technically marked Belair's debut as she competed in a battle royal, she officially earned her spot on the card in 2021 by winning the Royal Rumble. The 33-year-old went on to beat Sasha Banks for the "SmackDown" Women's Championship in the WrestleMania 37 Night 1 main event. At WrestleMania 38, Belair defeated Becky Lynch to win her first "Raw" Women's title, which she still holds to this day.