Vince McMahon almost changed the main event of WrestleMania 37 in a strange way. He planned to add Reginald to the SmackDown Women’s Championship match between Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks. The idea did not happen, and Belair and Banks instead delivered a classic singles match.
Bad build, bigger idea
The road to WrestleMania 37 in early 2021 had weak creative moments. Bianca Belair won the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble and chose Sasha Banks as her opponent for WrestleMania. At the same time, Reginald (Sidney Akeem) had become part of the storyline around Banks. Many weekly segments felt overbooked and confusing.
Vince McMahon’s plan
Sidney Akeem said he, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair were called into Vince McMahon’s office. McMahon told them he wanted Reginald added to the WrestleMania title match. He described Reginald and Banks as having “chemistry” and wanted a triple threat match with Reginald in the middle.
The idea surprised everyone. Akeem said neither Banks nor Belair liked the plan. Sasha asked what the chemistry was, and McMahon could not explain it clearly. After talk, WWE decided not to add Reginald to the match.
The match and its meaning
Instead of a triple threat, Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks had a one-on-one match at WrestleMania 37. The match was historic. It was the first WrestleMania main event to feature two Black women. It was also WWE’s first show with fans in attendance in over a year. The match ended with Belair winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship for the first time.
Why it matters
Adding Reginald would have made the main event very different. Many people felt the idea would have taken away from the significance of a singles match between two top women stars. Sasha Banks reportedly spoke against the creative plan, and that may have helped keep the match as a singles title bout.
The match is now remembered as a high point for the women’s division. What could have been an odd intergender triple threat instead became a simple, strong match that crowned a new champion.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Bianca Belair | Won – beat Sasha Banks to win the SmackDown Women’s Title (WrestleMania 37) |
| Sasha Banks | Lost – dropped the SmackDown Women’s Title to Bianca Belair (WrestleMania 37) |
This story about the near change to WrestleMania 37 was shared in interviews and reported by UFCcoverage, using comments from Sidney Akeem and others involved in the build.
