WWE Hall of Famer Booker T has weighed in on Tessa Blanchard’s return to TNA Wrestling, urging the wrestling community to offer her a chance at redemption. Speaking on his “Hall of Fame” podcast, Booker T addressed the criticism surrounding Blanchard’s return, acknowledging the reports of support for her within WWE and the contrasting opinions of those hesitant to work with her.
Booker T passionately defended the concept of second chances, stating, “Tessa Blanchard is back in TNA, and the thing is, I’ve already seen criticism of Tessa Blanchard being back, and people still wanting to try to cancel her. Get off of it, man. Get off of it. The thing is, if something was said, if an apology was made and fences were mended, we should be able to move on. One thing about certain things, for instance, that get out there on the social media sphere, everybody knows about it, but nobody knows what’s really going on. Everybody knows about the story, but nobody knows what’s going on. I would just like to say, for instance, I had two girls at Reality of Wrestling that had beef. I said, ‘You need to straighten this out. You need to squash that beef.’ On social media, perhaps on social media, they picked it up, but social media doesn’t know that these two have mended that fence, they have been down the road working together, they have tagged together, and everything is all good. So my thing is, guys, get off of all of this hate and let Tessa Blanchard hopefully try to resurrect her career and go out there and re-do this thing all over again. Let’s look at it as that, as a re-do.”
He further emphasized his point by drawing from his own personal experience, adding, “I was one that made a hell of a mistake in my life, and somebody gave me a second chance. The reason I’m here right now is because of that second chance. I can’t be the one who just casts someone out and throws them away like trash without giving them a second chance.”
Booker T’s comments come in the wake of Blanchard’s return to the national wrestling scene in the United States after a period of absence following various controversies.
Background on Tessa Blanchard’s Controversies
One of the most prominent incidents involves allegations of mistreatment by Blanchard towards fellow wrestler La Rosa Negra. In 2020, Negra accused Blanchard of using a racial slur towards her during a tour in Japan several years prior. This accusation was supported by other wrestlers, leading to widespread criticism of Blanchard. While Blanchard denied the allegations, the incident significantly impacted her public image. Despite the controversy, a photo later surfaced of Blanchard and La Rosa Negra together, suggesting some form of reconciliation, though the specifics of their interaction remain private.
Beyond the incident with La Rosa Negra, Blanchard has faced other reports of unprofessional behavior within the wrestling industry, including accusations of bullying and creating a toxic work environment. These reports have contributed to the divided opinions on her return to professional wrestling. While some believe in second chances and the potential for personal growth, others remain hesitant to support her return given the past allegations
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Hall of Fame with Booker T & Brad Gilmore with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
