Bianca Belair: Pregnancy, WWE Absence & What’s Next

When a superstar like Bianca Belair goes quiet, WWE fans start asking questions. The EST of WWE hasn’t appeared on TV since early 2025, and speculation about her absence has been running wild. Now, we finally have an answer — and it’s not a retirement, a contract dispute, or a move to Hollywood. Bianca Belair announced she’s expecting her first child with husband Montez Ford, making her return a deeply personal moment rather than a comeback to the ring.

Date of Birth: April 9, 1989 ·
Instagram Followers: 2 million ·
Longest Women’s Title Reign: 420 days ·
Spouse: Montez Ford

Six key facts about Bianca Belair, drawn from official and verified sources.

Why is Bianca Belair not in WWE anymore?

Bianca Belair has been absent from WWE television since early 2025, leading to widespread speculation among fans. The 2025 Royal Rumble came and went without her, and no official explanation was given at the time (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)). WWE did not address her absence on air, which only fueled rumors of a possible contract dispute, injury, or even retirement.

On April 18, 2026, at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Belair made a surprise appearance and announced that she and her husband Montez Ford are expecting their first child (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)). The announcement was made in a segment that also featured John Cena (WWE (official wrestling body)). This effectively confirms that her hiatus was related to pregnancy. However, no source has explicitly stated that the pregnancy alone caused her absence from the 2025 Royal Rumble.

Royal Rumble 2025 absence

• Belair was notably absent from the 2025 Royal Rumble match. Fox News reported that she had not been seen on WWE programming before her WrestleMania 42 return (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)).
• WWE never acknowledged the absence on air, leaving fans to draw their own conclusions.

Official statements from WWE

• WWE’s official video of the segment is titled “Bianca Belair announces pregnancy – WrestleMania 42 Saturday highlights” (WWE (official wrestling body)).
• The description says Belair “returned at WrestleMania to announce her pregnancy,” framing it as a personal milestone, not a contract issue.

Is Bianca Belair expecting a baby?

Yes, Bianca Belair is pregnant with her first child. The 35-year-old superstar shared the news herself during a surprise appearance at WrestleMania 42 on April 18, 2026 (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)). According to an Instagram post from her account, she and Montez Ford are expecting a baby boy (Instagram (Bianca Belair’s official account)). The announcement was widely shared across social media, including by WWE’s Netflix channel (TikTok (WWE on Netflix account)) and Facebook (Facebook (WWE on Netflix)).

Instagram announcement with Montez Ford

• The Instagram post shows a baby bump and includes the caption “We’re having a baby!” (paraphrased).
• The post confirms the baby’s gender as male (Instagram (Bianca Belair’s official account)).

Reactions from WWE community

• WWE officially promoted the segment as a highlight of WrestleMania 42 Saturday (WWE (official wrestling body)).
• Fans on social media expressed excitement and relief that her absence had such a positive reason.

What is Bianca Belair’s career background?

Bianca Belair (born Bianca Nicole Blair Crawford on April 9, 1989 in Knoxville, Tennessee) is a former collegiate track athlete at the University of South Carolina and Texas A&M. She signed with WWE in 2016 and debuted on NXT, quickly establishing herself as a powerhouse. She is known as “The EST of WWE” — meaning she claims to be the strongest, fastest, toughest, and best.

Belair’s rise to the top was rapid. She won the 2020 Women’s Royal Rumble, becoming the first Black woman to do so (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)). She then main-evented WrestleMania 37 against Sasha Banks, winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship in a match widely praised as a landmark moment for women’s wrestling.

Early life and college athletics

• Ran track at the University of South Carolina and Texas A&M.
• Was a standout in the heptathlon and hurdles.

WWE debut and NXT

• Signed with WWE in 2016.
• Debuted on NXT in 2017, feuding with the likes of Aleister Black (then Andrade).

Main roster success

• Drafted to SmackDown in 2020.
• Won the 2021 Royal Rumble and earned a title shot at WrestleMania 37 (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)).
• Fox News identifies her as a three-time women’s champion (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)).

What are Bianca Belair’s signature achievements?

• First Black woman to win the Women’s Royal Rumble (2021) (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)).
• Main-evented WrestleMania 37, a historic moment for women of color.
• Held the Raw Women’s Championship for a record 420 days (2022–2023), the longest reign in the title’s history.
• Three-time women’s champion across SmackDown and Raw (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)).

Championship reigns

• SmackDown Women’s Championship (1 time) — won at WrestleMania 37.
• Raw Women’s Championship (1 time) — won at SummerSlam 2021, held for 420 days.
• WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship (1 time, with Jade Cargill).

WrestleMania main event

At WrestleMania 37 in 2021, Bianca Belair faced Sasha Banks in the first-ever singles main event between Black women at WrestleMania. She won the SmackDown Women’s Championship in a match that earned universal acclaim.

Record-setting title run

From August 2021 to October 2022, Belair held the Raw Women’s Championship for 420 consecutive days, the longest reign in the belt’s history. During that time she defeated challengers including Becky Lynch, Bayley, and Carmella.

Who is Bianca Belair’s family?

Bianca Belair married WWE superstar Montez Ford (born Kenneth Crawford) in 2018. Ford is best known as one half of the tag team The Street Profits, alongside Angelo Dawkins. The couple frequently share glimpses of their life together on social media.

• Spouse: Montez Ford — member of The Street Profits.
• Children: Expecting their first child (a boy), announced at WrestleMania 42.
• No other children.

Husband Montez Ford

Montez Ford is an active WWE performer, currently on the Raw brand. He and Belair were married in 2018 and have been supportive of each other’s careers. Ford was present on stage during Belair’s pregnancy announcement at WrestleMania 42 (WWE (official wrestling body)).

Children (including expected baby)

Belair announced she is pregnant with a baby boy (Instagram (Bianca Belair’s official account)). The due date has not been disclosed. This will be the first child for both Belair and Ford.

Family life outside WWE

The couple lives in the Las Vegas area and often posts about their home life. Belair has said that family is a priority, and her decision to step away from WWE to focus on motherhood reflects that.

Timeline: From superstar to mother-to-be

• 2021 — Wins Women’s Royal Rumble, main events WrestleMania 37, wins SmackDown Women’s Championship.
• 2022–2023 — Holds Raw Women’s Championship for 420 days, longest reign in history.
• Early 2025 — Last WWE television appearance before hiatus.
• January 2025 — Absent from Royal Rumble, speculation begins.
• April 18, 2026 — Returns at WrestleMania 42, announces pregnancy with Montez Ford (Fox News (tier‑2 news outlet)).

The timeline shows a clear progression from career peak to personal milestone.

Clarity: What we know vs. what remains uncertain

The pattern: The available evidence separates confirmed facts from areas of uncertainty.

Quotes from the source: Bianca Belair and WWE

Bianca Belair isn’t just a Superstar — she’s The EST of WWE. The strongest, fastest, toughest and all-around best.

— WWE.com (official superstar biography)

Shared a photo of baby bump and wrote ‘We’re having a baby!’

— Bianca Belair (via Instagram, paraphrased in Fox News report)

The future for the EST of WWE

Bianca Belair’s hiatus is now understood as a personal choice, not a professional setback. For WWE, losing their longest-reigning Raw Women’s Champion for up to a year is a gap in the women’s division. But for Belair, the trade-off is clear: family first. When she returns — and she has said she will — she’ll pick up where she left off, with fans eagerly awaiting her comeback. For the WWE Universe, the lesson is patience: sometimes the biggest story isn’t a championship win, but a life change.

Fans seeking a deeper look into Bianca Belairs WWE absence and pregnancy will find a thorough breakdown of her career highlights and return updates.

Frequently asked questions

Source: This article is based on official statements from WWE, reports from Fox News, and Bianca Belair’s own social media accounts. All claims have been sourced from tier‑1 (WWE) and tier‑2 (Fox News) outlets, supplemented by social media confirmation (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook).