As noted before, Tessa Blanchard made her surprise return to TNA Wrestling at last week’s Final Resolution 2024 event in Atlanta, Georgia. The online reaction towards Blanchard’s return was mostly negative.
Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Blanchard’s current storyline feud with Jordynne Grace is expected to be a short program due to Grace currently expected to be leaving for WWE once he contract expires in early 2025.
Meltzer reported that most TNA talent were not aware of the plans to bring Blanchard back to the company. Meltzer also reported that there had been speculation after Blanchard had disappeared from CMLL and was pulled from their December 13th Super Viernes event that she was heading to either TNA or WWE.
Meltzer reported that several sources spoken to stated that Blanchard’s goal is to eventually work for WWE and there are several people within the company who wants her. Meltzer reported that the idea would be Blanchard’s return to wrestling in the United States is meant to be normalized in TNA and depending on how it goes, WWE officials would then make a decision to sign her or not.
Meltzer also reported that many within TNA including their creative team were not aware of the decision to bring back Blanchard ahead of time.
Anthem executive Ariel Shnerer, who oversees TNA creative, reportedly was the person who made the decision to bring back Blanchard.
In regards to CMLL, Meltzer reported that it is currently not known if CMLL officials had wanted Blanchard to drop the CMLL Women’s Tag Team titles on her way out of the company and she had refused or TNA officials wouldn’t let her do so.
Meltzer reported that prior to her departure, Blanchard had hoped that she could work for TNA and continue working in CMLL but the current belief is that CMLL officials decided against it a few weeks ago and stopped booking her for shows.