"I'm really excited" - Bianca Belair shares her thoughts on WWE’s NIL program (Exclusive)

Former SmackDown Women's Champion Bianca Belair says she hopes she can be a good representation of what collegiate athletes can bring to WWE through the NIL program.

The EST of WWE is one of the company's homegrown talents. She signed with WWE in 2016 and competed in the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament. Prior to pursuing a career in professional wrestling, she did CrossFit, powerlifting, and track and field.

During a recent interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling, Bianca Belair revealed that she's excited about the new NIL program, noting that collegiate athletes are coachable and hard working individuals.

“You know, when I first started in 2016, I used to always say, ‘Man, I wish I found this a lot earlier.’ I got a late start. But you know, I think my path is unique and I love the path that I took. I think that you know if I would have started right after college, I would have never gotten to CrossFit and I would’ve never gotten to go into powerlifting which I use, I pull a lot of things from CrossFit and powerlifting and I use it in the ring and even it even molded me into the person I am and a lot of that goes into the academic area. So I love the journey that I had," said Bianca Belair.

“I do think it’s amazing. There’s a lot of collegiate athletes that are getting this opportunity and opportunity you know getting a head start and I have to say, being a collegiate athlete. I hope that I’m a representation and I’ve proved that it can work. I’m not the only one in WWE that’s a collegiate athlete being successful right now. You know, we have that grit, we’re coachable, we know how to work hard, we know how to have downfalls but still be able to bounce back. So I’m really excited about this program,” she added. (H/T Fightful)

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Bianca Belair says she's always trying to prove that she's the EST of WWE

Bianca Belair has had an incredible year. She won the women's Royal Rumble match, main evented WrestleMania with Sasha Banks, was #1 in the PWI 150 and won an ESPY award. She proved that she is indeed the EST of WWE.

Bianca Belair stated that she's always trying to reinvent things to prove that nobody else can do what she can inside the squared circle.

“The thing about me is there's always something where, you know, every single time I step into the ring, I try to prove that I am the EST and I'm showing that I'm the strongest or the fastest, quickest or the flyest, by doing some top rope move. I'm always trying to pull things out of my pocket and reinvent things and show that can't nobody do it like me or do it better than me, you know?" said Bianca Belair.

With the Royal Rumble coming up next month, Bianca Belair will be looking to win the match a second time and go on to WrestleMania to reclaim her title. Alternatively, she could look to capture her first RAW Women's Championship in WWE.