Tessa Blanchard Reveals Impact on Wrestling Career After Racism and Bullying Scandal

Tessa Blanchard made history as TNA’s first female World champion in 2020. However, her amazing tenure came to a halt after she left the company abruptly in June of that year amidst serious allegations of bullying and racism.

Blanchard’s departure was marred by accusations from multiple female wrestlers, including WWE’s Chelsea Green, who alleged that Blanchard had engaged in bullying behavior. Additionally, Blanchard was accused of using a racial slur against La Rosa Negra during an incident in Japan in 2017—a claim she has consistently denied. Despite publicly reconciling with La Rosa Negra, these controversies significantly impacted her career, leading to her distancing from major U.S. wrestling promotions.

Since her exit from TNA, Tessa Blanchard has remained active on the independent wrestling circuit, particularly in Mexico with promotions like CMLL and AAA. However, she has not been affiliated with any major U.S. wrestling organization.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the controversies in an interview with George McKay for Straight Talk Wrestling, Blanchard revealed that she faced a severe backlash, including having offers from major wrestling companies withdrawn. Blanchard shared that the challenges she faced during that period left her feeling lost, as her identity was so closely tied to her wrestling career.

“I remember I was living in Tijuana at the time, and there were days when I would wake up without the strength to live that day.” Tessa Blanchard said. “I would just go back to bed and stay there all day long. There were times when I was just tired of life because my identity was tied so closely to wrestling. I didn’t know who I was without it. In less than 24 hours, it went from contract offers from the biggest companies—more money than I’d ever seen in my life—to nothing.”

The potential return of Blanchard to TNA, given her past, remains a contentious topic, despite a past development stating that TNA had internal talks about bringing her back. So Tessa Blanchard returning or joining any major promotion in the future remains to be seen.

What are your thoughts on the impact that happened on Tessa Blanchard’s career after multiple controversies? Do you think she would return to any major promotion? Sound off in the comments!