Bianca Belair Closing In On WWE Return, SummerSlam 2025 Status Update (WWE News)

WrestleVotes has heard from various WWE sources that Bianca Belair is "closing in on her return" to action. For reference, the 'EST' has been benched since getting injured during her celebrated Triple Threat with both Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY at WrestleMania 41. Obviously, a talent as top tier as Belair has been missed, but she'll be a welcome boost for Triple H and his creative team post-SummerSlam.

That last bit is key. "Post-SummerSlam". An internal source told WrestleVotes that Bianca "won’t be cleared ahead of this weekend", but she could appear on the 8 August episode of SmackDown after the PLE. That, in theory, rules Belair out of a run-in on any of the women's matches scheduled for SummerSlam weekend, including old pal-turned-rival Naomi's own Triple Threat with Rhea and IYO.

Doctors will clear Belair ASAP though, and WWE will be able to count on her for programming shortly. That's good news, and it'll be interesting to see what the company does with Bianca creatively. She remains a popular babyface despite previously toying with a few heel dynamics before launching into a successful tag-team with Jade Cargill.

The fallout story from that union involving Naomi also led to some critically lauded segments on SmackDown that greatly helped Naomi's own heel turn soar.

Opinion: Belair vs. Jade Cargill Is A Must

There's a solid chance that Queen Of The Ring winner Jade Cargill becomes the brand new WWE Women's Champion by beating Tiffany Stratton at SummerSlam. Stratton has held that belt since January and has enjoyed several banner moments as champ, but Hunter could reason that this is Jade's time.

She's been on the ascent since returning from her own injury layoff, and there's no doubt one Bianca Belair would be an excellent opponent for Cargill if she wins the title. Belair did a bang up job of masking Jade's limitations during their tag bouts together, and she'd excel at that again if cast as a championship rival.

This, if handled properly, could be one of the best feuds of 2025. Jade going heel might make more sense than Bianca going rogue though - it's unlikely that WWE fans would cheer Cargill over the 'EST', because there's something so immediately likeable about Belair that hooks people.

Either way (whether WWE goes with Jade or Bianca as heel), the rivalry should still work and would be a credit to episodes of SmackDown for the rest of 2025. That can begin once Belair returns post-SummerSlam.

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