At WWE Backlash in Puerto Rico, Bianca Belair retained the Raw Women’s Championship in a classic against IYO SKY. In the process, the star also made history.
With a hot Puerto Rican crowd firmly behind SKY, the two women threw everything they had at one another. After going back and forth with reversals, SKY took control and began attacking Belair with forearm shots.
However, a missed Meteora in the corner allowed The EST to get back in the match. After a struggle, she hit a Backbreaker and a huge delayed Vertical Suplex. After being dominated for some time, the Genius of the Sky was finally able to hit the Meteora and later a Moonsault to the outside.
Towards the end of the bout SKY’s Damage CTRL teammates made their way to the ring, distracting Belair. The referee caught Bayley trying to keep Belair down by pulling her ponytail, this allowed the star to take advantage and hit the KOD for the pinfall victory and retain her title.
Bianca Belair makes history at Backlash
With this victory, Belair tied Becky Lynch for the longest-reigning Women’s Champion of the modern era at 398 days, and come Sunday she had surpassed even that to take the top spot with no sign of slowing down.
Belair acknowledged the accomplishment on social media while also praising SKY as “one of the best”.
“Tonight, I faced one of the best of the best @Iyo_SkyWWE!!! Whew!
“Tonight, I tied @BeckyLynchWWE’s record for longest title reign… 398 DAYS!
“And Tomorrow, I will become the longest Reigning Women’s Champion of the modern era!”
Tonight, I faced one of the best of the best @Iyo_SkyWWE!!! Whew!
Tonight, I tied @BeckyLynchWWE’s record for longest title reign… 398 DAYS!
And Tomorrow, I will become the longest Reigning Women’s Champion of the modern era!
🙏🏾 https://t.co/cx6f0jXVOr— Bianca Belair (@BiancaBelairWWE) May 7, 2023
During the 2023 draft, Belair was moved to SmackDown while the blue brand’s Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley went to Raw. It is likely that we will see the pair switch their titles to the appropriate brand in the same way that Lynch and Charlotte Flair did in a similar situation following the 2021 draft.
However, it isn’t likely that we’ll see the same chaotic situation as back then when Flair and Lynch had real-life animosity leading to The Queen throwing her belt to the ground instead of handing it over.