Tessa Blanchard’s TNA exit may have come down to more than just a simple scheduling issue.
Blanchard already said TNA eventually asked her to choose between staying with the company or continuing her run with CMLL in Mexico. Now, Dave Meltzer added a much bigger accusation to the situation in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, noting that the ultimatum may have been tied to the growing battle in Mexico involving CMLL, AAA, and WWE.
That is the real wrinkle here. TNA has been working with WWE, while WWE now owns AAA, which is one of CMLL’s biggest rivals in Mexico. Blanchard was working CMLL dates, and according to Meltzer, that put her right in the middle of a political mess she didn’t create. Meltzer wrote that Blanchard asked for and received her release after TNA no longer wanted her working CMLL matches.
“Tessa Blanchard asked for and got her release. As noted two weeks ago, she was told the company didn’t want her doing CMLL matches any longer. This came at the same time WWE booked those three Mexico City dates the week before the CMLL Anniversary show. She was caught in the fallout of the CMLL war with AAA owned by WWE and thus either TNA or WWE advising TNA made the decision that they didn’t want anyone in TNA who works for CMLL. She was offered a new deal by TNA which would not allow her to work CMLL any longer, and she then asked for her release. It should be noted that if she was doing something of note in TNA that the decision could have been different according to those who know the situation well.”
That makes the ultimatum feel a lot bigger than just Tessa picking one locker room over another. If this was tied to WWE’s AAA business and TNA’s relationship with WWE, then Blanchard may have been forced into a decision because her CMLL work suddenly became a problem. Blanchard previously explained that her original TNA deal allowed her to keep wrestling in Mexico while also being part of TNA. For a while, that arrangement worked exactly how it was supposed to.
“When I signed with TNA, the understanding was that I’d be able to continue wrestling here in Mexico with CMLL while also being a part of TNA.”
Then things changed. Blanchard said business, leadership, partnerships, and network deals shifted before TNA asked her to choose between TNA and CMLL.
“For a while, that worked exactly as planned and it felt like a dream come true, like an absolute blessing. But as time went on and business evolved, leadership changed, partnerships changed, network deals changed, uh you know, the direction of the company just shifted and eventually I was asked to make a decision to either continue with TNA or continue with CMLL.”
Blanchard also made it clear that she does not have bad blood with TNA over the decision. She said she understood the company’s position, even if it meant walking away.
“And I want to be very clear that I completely understand TNA’s position. This is business and companies have to make decisions that they believe are best for their future. I have absolutely no resentment or ill feelings toward anyone there.”
She also said TNA wanted her to stay and made her an offer to continue with the company. The issue was that staying with TNA would have meant giving up CMLL, and Blanchard ultimately chose Mexico.
This latest update changes the way her exit looks. Tessa may have been given the ultimatum because of a much larger fight between promotions in Mexico, with WWE’s ownership of AAA and TNA’s working agreement with WWE potentially putting pressure on anyone connected to CMLL. At the end of the day, Blanchard says she has no resentment toward TNA, but the timing makes this situation hard to ignore.
Do you think TNA had no choice because of its WWE relationship, or should Tessa Blanchard have been allowed to keep working CMLL? Let us know what you think in the comments.
