WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 1: Bianca Belair makes surprising WWE return after nearly a year away, reveals pregnancy

Ahead of the show’s Main Event between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton for the WWE Undisputed Championship, Belair’s music hit to a rousing applause from those in attendance in Las Vegas.

“You know you can’t spell WrestleMania without the EST!” Belair said. “Thank you all so much for the love and all the support, whether it’s me at home or in this ring. Thank you so much. I missed you too. You can’t have WrestleMania without a few surprises. So John, I think we need to have one more.”

That was when Belair removed her robe, revealing her pregnant belly.

Belair suffered a gnarly hand injury in her match against Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley at last year’s WrestleMania 41 event. She has not wrestled in a match since after fracturing her fingers and breaking the joint of her left knuckle. She finally underwent surgery in February, as recovery had not quite gone originally to plan.

Bianca Belair becomes latest WWE Superstar to announce pregnancy

The absence of Belair on WWE television has been felt immensely. Many fans believed that she would be returning at January’s Royal Rumble PLE, and she was even labeled as one of the favorites to win the match. She, however, did not return, as she still hadn’t undergone surgery yet.

BodySlam+ first reported in late March that Belair had begun light training, as she was working towards making her return to the ring. If she were to have been able to compete at this year’s WrestleMania, Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that she was slated to face her former friend (in kayfabe) Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship. That spot, instead, went to Rhea Ripley.

With her pregnancy, however, an in-ring return does not seem to be coming anytime soon for Belair. She joins Naomi as WWE Superstars currently on leave, due to pregnancy.

Across her six-year main roster career, Belair is a two-time WWE Women’s Champion, a one-time WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion, and a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. She also won the Royal Rumble match in 2021, and became the ninth Women’s Triple Crown Champion with her tag title win with Cargill in May 2024.