Impact Wrestling has released a statement confirming they have terminated the contract of Tessa Blanchard:
“IMPACT Wrestling has confirmed that it has terminated its relationship with Tessa Blanchard and stripped her of the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship.”
PW Insider is reporting the following details surrounding this breaking news:
“Blanchard had not competed for the promotion since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. She had been slated to return to the company at the 7/18 Slammiversary PPV in Nashville...
Relations between Blanchard and Impact had become increasingly icy in recent weeks, especially after Blanchard did not send promos from Mexico (where she has been residing) for the 6/1 episode of Impact on AXS. That footage was slated to have been edited into a sit-down interview conducted by Josh Mathews “via satellite.” When that material was not received, Impact had to re-edit the episode with other content and have host segments of the show changed and new voiceovers cut.
Impact sources cite that there were attempts made to get Blanchard to return and drop the title but that the two sides were not able to come to terms. Blanchard’s deal was slated to expire before the PPV but Impact was hoping that she would return for a final appearance. When it became increasingly obvious that wasn’t going to happen, Impact opted to cut bait and move forward.”
Insider’s report doesn’t include anything about past accusations of bullying and racist remarks, so it looks like that had nothing to do with Blanchard’s termination.
Impact is already trying to find a way to write Michael Elgin out of the main event match at Slammiversary, and now Tessa Blanchard will also be missing from that bout, which was originally advertised as a 5-way match for the Impact Wrestling World Championship.