Why Tessa Blanchard Turned Down TNA’s Offer for Hard to Kill Pay-Per-View

Tessa Blanchard saw great success in TNA Wrestling back in 2020 but she was released the same year for various reasons. While Blanchard came back during TNA’s Final Resolution pay-per-view last year, it appears she was in talks with TNA for a potential return long before that and rejected the same.

While speaking to The Battleground podcast, Tessa Blanchard revealed that she had talks with TNA about a possible return for the Hard to Kill pay-per-view in January 2024. However, she felt it wasn’t the right time to go back, as she was happy in Mexico and had rediscovered her passion for wrestling.

Blanchard acknowledged dealing with anxiety over the past few years and appreciated that in Mexico, she wasn’t judged or burdened by preconceived notions. Wanting to continue wrestling in an environment where she felt comfortable, she ultimately decided not to return. Despite conversations with Scott D’Amore and Gail Kim, she felt it wasn’t the right moment, so the move didn’t happen.

“TNA and I had talks like way back in January for Hard To Kill, and for me, it just didn’t seem like the right time to go back. I was happy in Mexico, and I was like, I finally found my happiness again. I know how much anxiety I acquired over the past few years. I was like, I’m happy in Mexico—these people don’t judge me, these people don’t think something about me, these people don’t have any preconceived notions, and I can just wrestle and do what I love.

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And I was like, I don’t want to give that up, so it didn’t seem like the right time. I had talked to Scott and Gail at the time, and it just didn’t seem right, so we didn’t do it.”

As for Blanchard now, she is set to face Jordynne Grace at TNA Genesis on January 19th in what will be her TNA in-ring return in over four years. We’ll have to see how she’ll fare against The Juggernaut, but fans do wonder how different TNA would have been had Blanchard made her return at Hard to Kill last year.

Do you think Tessa Blanchard made the right call in waiting for her return, or should she have come back sooner? How do you think her match with Jordynne Grace will unfold? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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