It’s finally happened. A new report from Ringside News claims that the Women of Wrestling (WOW) promotion has released Tessa Blanchard.
According to Brad Shepard at Ringside News, WOW relieved Blanchard of her duties, citing her being hard to work with. The report said that an argument took place between Blanchard and Executive Producer AJ Mendez, as well as accusations of the former IMPACT World Champion bullying some of the younger talent.
After those affected went directly to owner Jeanie Buss with these allegations, an internal investigation was launched – ultimately leading to the suspension of Blanchard.
CBS, the broadcaster in charge of airing the relaunch of the promotion, stated their unhappiness with Blanchard’s removal, asking that she be brought back.
This development led to many talents stating their frustrations, with some claiming that they would not work with WOW as long as Blanchard was involved.
If the report is to be believed, this could very well be the end of Tessa Blanchard’s career in wrestling. If it isn’t the end, I believe the only promotion to hire her would be Control Your Narrative (CYN). CYN has a staunch history of standing up for the first amendment, as well as making and promoting controversial decisions.
Not only could Blanchard’s release be bad for the performer, but the promotion itself.
CBS wanting Blanchard involved could have been a major deciding factor to air the promotion. With an unconfirmed, now dwindling roster, David McLane’s Women of Wrestling reboot could be nothing more than a fever dream in three months’ time.
With iconic women’s promotion SHIMMER’s future in question, and Pro Wrestling: EVE coming under fire due to the owner’s recent transphobic remarks, the world of women’s wrestling is feeble at best.
WOW was supposed to be the promotion that spat in the face of traditional wrestling laurels. It was meant to give wrestling fans an honest, all-women’s promotion, spearheaded by the mastermind behind the cult sensation Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.
While it was undoubtedly a smart decision to release Blanchard, WOW now faces an extremely tough uphill battle to prove that its brand can exist without a problematic top star.
While I despise Blanchard’s actions, I am always the first person to scream Blanchard’s accolades. She is an exceptional talent, with a drive unlike no other. I want to see Tessa Blanchard get her act together, own up to her actions and return to a sport that she is phenomenal at.
But as history shows us, I know that Tessa Blanchard is going to do what is best for Tessa Blanchard. As much as I thoroughly enjoy her body of work, and have high hopes for the WOW promotion, I feel uneasy about both parties’ futures and hope for the best, because women’s wrestling matters.
It is due time that Mendez, McLane, and Buss dig their feet into the sand, hire deserving talent, and push forward into a sport that has a history of telling women no. In fact, I wouldn’t be mad at WOW if they replaced Blanchard with someone who adamantly pushed for women’s wrestling progress. Someone who went toe to toe with an entire government, and forced them to allow women to wrestle alongside men. Someone like LuFisto.
