This WWE Star Was Originally Meant To Win Women's Royal Rumble 2021

Rather than Bianca Belair, this star was originally scheduled to win the 2021 women's Rumble.

by Andrew Pollard
Charlotte Flair Bianca Belair
WWE

While Bianca Belair emerged victorious in the 2021 women's Royal Rumble match, Charlotte Flair was originally set to be the winner of that over-the-top-rope offering.

This news was revealed by former WWE writer Chris Dunn during an appearance on the Public Enemies Podcast (via Wrestling Inc.), with Dunn detailing how Vince McMahon had initially intended to have the Queen win that Rumble bout before he was eventually persuaded to go with the E.S.T.

"Charlotte was going to go over. They rehearsed Charlotte going over, and Bianca was going to get eliminated midway through the match."

Dunn noted how Daniel Bryan, Adam Pearce, Bayley and a writer tasked with overseeing Bayley's storylines all played a role in convincing McMahon to change course.

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As Dunn explained:

"I went to Bayley's writer and I was, like, 'I think we have something here'. Luckily, Adam Pearce and Daniel Bryan got heavily involved."

It was also noted that the Ultimate Athlete Obstacle Course segment between Belair and Bayley on the 22 January 2021 episode of SmackDown was developed from an idea previously planned for Bobby Lashley and Sami Zayn.

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Chris Dunn mentioned how it was that segment that really swayed Vince into going with Bianca Belair as that year's women's Royal Rumble winner, with Bianca lifting Otis during the obstacle course said to have "really blew Vince away".

Even though it was decided that Belair was to get her big Royal Rumble moment, Dunn also added how there was also concern heading into the Rumble that, as ever, McMahon may make a last-minute change and revert to his initial idea of Charlotte Flair winning the Royal Rumble.

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Thankfully, it was Bianca Belair who would get the win on that January '21 night, setting her up to put on a barn-burner of a match at WrestleMania 37 as she toppled Sasha Banks to win the SmackDown Women's Title. As for Charlotte Flair, many were left shocked to see the Queen completely off that year's Showcase of the Immortals.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks/Saints, Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.