TNA Wrestling is bringing back a former world champion.
Multiple sources reported on Friday that Tessa Blanchard is returning to the company. She is believed to be in Atlanta for TNA Final Resolution. However, it is unknown if she will appear on tonight’s show.
Dave Meltzer reported on today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that he was told Blanchard’s signing with TNA Wrestling is confirmed.
Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp later posted to X, “Regarding Tessa Blanchard, there was a lot of talent that got word she was signing with TNA this week. When I asked higher ups and others, they claimed they didn’t know. I’m told Jordynne Grace had pushed back on working with her.”
Regarding Tessa Blanchard, there was a lot of talent that got word she was signing with TNA this week. When I asked higher ups and others, they claimed they didn't know.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) December 13, 2024
I'm told Jordynne Grace had pushed back on working with her.
PWInisder would later report that Blanchard is in Atlanta for Final Resolution.
CMLL confirmed this afternoon that Blanchard has vacated half of the women’s tag team titles and departed the promotion.
“Official Announcement: The CMLL Women’s World Tg Team Championship has been vacated following the departure of Tessa Blanchard from the company. The title will be contested next year in a playoff,” the promotion wrote on X.
In January 2020, just days before she won the Impact World Championship at Hard to Kill, several wrestlers accused Blanchard of being a bully and calling another wrestler a racial slur in the locker room.
Blanchard continued with TNA Wrestling for the next couple of months until the COVID-19 global pandemic shut down live wrestling shows. On June 25, 2020, following a dispute between her and company management, TNA Wrestling announced that Blanchard had been stripped of the world title and would not be returning to the company.
Blanchard has been wrestling in CMLL for the last year. In August, she won the promotion’s women’s tag titles with Lluvia.
She also took part in an interview with Straight Talk Wrestling this summer and detailed her mental health struggles following the backlash from other wrestlers and fans in January 2020.
“When everything happened to me, it was even a tough topic to even talk about. I remember I was living in Tijuana at the time and I remember some days I would wake up, I didn’t even have the strength to live that day so I would just go back to bed and I would be in my bed all day long. There were days where I was tired about life just because my identity was wrestling, I didn’t know who I was without it and in a matter of less than 24 hours, it was like from here to (nothing). From contract offers from the biggest companies, more money than I’d ever seen in my life to nothing.”
Chelsea Green, who had previously criticized Blanchard as a bully, responded to a Fightful article about Blanchard’s comments.
“I don’t wish self-harm or thoughts of suicide on anyone and hope she has found peace. However, a simple ‘I am sorry’ goes a long way. We haven’t heard that yet. Accountability matters, and a redemption tour of interviews won’t erase the actions of an egotistical bully.”
Tessa Blanchard Details Personal Struggles After TNA Title Win And TNA Release https://t.co/iDzFckc7pb
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) August 26, 2024
TNA Wrestling Final Resolution 2024 LIneup:
- TNA World Title Match
Nic Nemeth (c) vs. AJ Francis (w/KC Navarro) - TNA World Tag Team Title Tables Match
The Hardys (Jeff Hardy & Matt Hardy) (c) vs. The System (Brian Myers & Eddie Edwards) (w/Alisha Edwards) - TNA Knockouts World Title Match
Masha Slamovich (c) vs. Tasha Steelz - TNA X-Division Title Match
Moose (c) vs. KUSHIDA - TNA World Title #1 Contendership Four Way Match
Josh Alexander vs. Steve Maclin vs. Joe Hendry vs. Mike Santana - Trent Seven vs. Ace Austin
- Rosemary vs. Jordynne Grace
- PCO & Sami Callihan vs. Hammerstone & Jake Something vs. The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz)