The Highway to WrestleMania is commonly romanticized. It is a journey to the land of giants. A map to sports activities leisure’s Mecca. It is also a high-stakes pursuit the place most superstars spin out. For Bianca Belair and Montez Ford, their partnership is a driving power to maintain calm and stick with it.
“It is the busiest time of the 12 months. It is essentially the most hectic time of the 12 months,” Belair instructed CBS Sports activities whereas selling Hulu’s “Love & WWE: Bianca and Montez” actuality sequence. “It’s totally tense since you’re attempting to determine the way you’re going to get to WrestleMania. You wish to be on that stage. So that you’re very susceptible. You are going by means of quite a lot of feelings.”
Try the complete interview with Bianca Belair and Montez Ford beneath.
Belair and Ford met in 2016 in WWE’s developmental program. They’ve efficiently navigated most of their skilled wrestling careers collectively. Belair is a three-time ladies’s champion. Ford and his teammate Angelo Dawkins, identified collectively because the Road Income, are the second Triple Crown tag staff champs in WWE historical past. Nevertheless, not all types of success are weighted equally.
Belair was a tour de power instantly after becoming a member of the principle roster at WrestleMania 36. She hasn’t missed or misplaced at a WrestleMania since. That features a milestone match with Sasha Banks in 2021, the primary time two Black superstars headlined WrestleMania and solely the second tentpole predominant occasion helmed by ladies. Ford’s success, whereas substantial, has been a shared endeavor with Dawkins. Ford wishes a predominant occasion singles run. He is admittedly had ideas of, “I am not simply Bianca Belair’s husband.” It may be powerful to see your associate reaching your goals. It is a fixed reminder of unfulfilled ambitions. However Ford is aware of to not let intrusive ideas shift to envy. He as an alternative celebrates Belair’s achievements and makes use of them for motivation.
“I’m her husband so anytime she’s profitable or does one thing groundbreaking or landmark, that is my success too basically,” Ford stated. “However there’s additionally the a part of me, the child that is cherished this since a baby, that all the time desires to do one thing for myself. I do not wish to be the one one bragging, I need her bragging too. What I do is use these ideas to inspire myself. I am very, very affected person. I know the enterprise has other ways of issues taking place. I really feel like endurance, onerous work and endurance will all the time push you thru.
“I bear in mind one in all my favorites of all time, Macho Man [Randy Savage], would all the time discuss about how, ‘The cream rises to the highest, brother.’ It is form of the identical factor whereas being on this journey. And the issues she’s doing at the moment are motivating me when it is my time. I simply use these ideas to higher put together myself. I see the issues she’s doing and know that when it’s my time, not solely will I do the identical issues however push the bar even larger.”
A singular type of assist is offered to companions who work collectively in a specialised area. It is a non-verbal understanding of the opposite’s wants. Ford grounds Belair and makes her chuckle. Belair reminds Ford that his humor — a present higher than his outstanding athleticism — shouldn’t invalidate his frustrations.
“Wrestling is such an enormous a part of our lives,” Belair stated. “To me, that is my secure area. My husband all the time says, ‘That is my peace right here.’ If I must vent or I must bounce concepts off of somebody, it is going to be my husband.”
“With this enterprise and the whole lot altering on a regular basis — and even life — feelings do not have an appointment time. They simply present up,” Ford added. “You’ll be able to’t put a restrict on what she’s in a position to talk about. That is perhaps the time when it is time for her to discuss. It’s important to understand you are a husband, you are a employee, you are a associate, you are a good friend. All these issues at any given time all on the similar time.”
There’s an emphasis placed on asking necessary questions throughout interviews. However foolish prompts typically result in insightful solutions. Even when requested one thing as innocent as, “Who has the higher eyebrows: Ford or Dwayne Johnson,” Belair’s devotion to her husband is unwavering.
“I gotta go along with my husband. He is my husband!” Belair exclaimed. “He is bought some good ones.”
“My eyebrows are thick too,” Ford added. “The Rock’s are good and formed up although.”
Love and laughter are ample when talking with the couple. These qualities will likely be essential as Belair and Ford hope to succeed on the Royal Rumble this Saturday. The Highway to WrestleMania 40 is not clear however slicing by means of the fog is less complicated collectively.
Hulu’s “Love & WWE: Bianca and Montez” premieres on Feb. 2 with all eight episodes obtainable to stream.
