TNA: Tessa Blanchard on Her Current Contract Status, AJ Francis Contract Reportedly Expiring Soon, More on Recent Talent Departures

Dec 17, 2024

Tessa Blanchard Comments on Not Currently Being Under TNA Contract

As noted before, this past Friday’s Final Resolution 2024 event for TNA Wrestling in Atlanta, Georgia featured Tessa Blanchard making her surprise return to TNA.

Contralona held a recent interview with Blanchard. One of the topics discussed included Blanchard revealing that she is currently not signed to a contract with TNA nor with any other company.

“That was a tough decision for me because I have a lot of respect for CMLL and I love everything about that company. They helped me a lot in helping getting in touch with other companies so I’m grateful for that. I am not signed with anyone, including TNA and CMLL. My eyes are now in Jordynne Grace because her locker room in TNA previously had my name on it with a lot of stories I had there. I see Grace’s career being in the up and up but I feel that if I was in TNA of all the past year, she would not have this success. That is why I wanted to return, because I wanted to prove this was still my locker room.”

Blanchard also gave her thoughts about her current career goals for her return to TNA.

“Right now, my goal is to get a singles match with Grace to prove who is the best wrestler in the world. I had a lot of matches against men, women and have always won multiple championships and tourneys so. I have a lot of confidence in my wrestling that I can say I am the best in the world.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

AJ Francis’ TNA Contract Reportedly Expiring at End of 2024

AJ Francis’ contract with TNA Wrestling reportedly is currently set to expire soon, according to Fightful Select.

Sean Ross Sapp reported that his sources stated that Francis’ contract with TNA is currently set to expire at the end of 2024. Sapp reported that Francis has worked his last contracted dates so far and unless the two sides reach a new deal, he will become a free agent.

Sapp reported that those spoken to stated that Francis and TNA officials have enjoyed working together and an extension deal was possible between the two sides. TNA official Tommy Dreamer reportedly was the person who had pushed for TNA to give Francis an opportunity in the company.

Sapp also reported that Francis had received a lot of praise backstage for his match with Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Championship at this past Friday’s Final Resolution 2024 event.

More on Recent Talent Departures from TNA

TNA Wrestling talents Rhino, Trent Seven, and KUSHIDA and TNA ring announcer Jade Chung all recently departed from the company following this past weekend’s Final Resolution 2024 event and Impact! tapings in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that his sources stated that the reason for some of the departures was due to TNA officials had asked them to take pay cuts for potential new deals and they rejected it in return.

Meltzer reported that it is currently not known if all of the recent departures were related to this issue.