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Bianca Belair Explains How WWE WrestleMania Finger Injury Happened

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Jon Alba | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 12:50 PM ET

It has been a long time since WWE fans have seen Bianca Belair compete in a match, and they can thank a fluke hand injury that occurred as WrestleMania 41 as being the reason for her absence.

Belair was involved in a triple-threat match with Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley in Las Vegas this April, a match many believe stole the show altogether. While she didn't walk away with the WWE Women's World Championship, she did leave with a broken finger that has kept her out of action since.

The three-time women's champion appeared on Chris Van Vliet's podcast this week, and revealed when the injury took place in the match.

"So it was when we were doing the triple German spot, when Iyo was on the top rope, and then it was Rhea, then it was me, and I came in German suplexed both of them off, and my hand got stuck underneath Rhea. Also I went to the wrong side of Rhea, but my hand, I thought she was gonna go further over me, we kind of just collapsed together," she said. "So when my hand went back, it got stuck under her, and she literally crashed on my hand."

Belair believed the injury was more severe than it ultimately ended up being at first, and was mentally taken out of the action upon the spot finishing.

"I knew immediately it was broken, because usually in a match, something happens, and you don't feel it until after the match, your adrenaline wears off, and you're like, 'Ow, my finger.' But in the moment, I thought I broke all my fingers. So the ref, you can see the ref if you watch back, the ref comes to me. He's like, 'Are you okay?' I'm like, 'I just broke all of my fingers,'" she said.

The 36-year-old noted she has only seen the match once (at her husband Montez Ford's urging), but said it's visible how much pain she was in and how distracted she was. She credited one of her dance partners for getting her locked back into the match, where she would go on to take the pin from Sky for the finish.

"You just see me rolling around on the ground, and it took Rhea to snap me out of the moment, because I was just rolling around on the ground. And she's like, 'Bianca, Bianca!' And I'm like, 'What?' Oh, we have to finish this match," Belair said.

The SmackDown star has only appeared in one match since, serving as special guest referee for Jade Cargill and Naomi's street fight at WWE Evolution. It is unclear when she will be cleared to return to in-ring action.