Tessa Blanchard’s recent return to TNA Wrestling has reignited discussions surrounding her controversial past and the complexities of forgiveness within the professional wrestling industry. Blanchard’s initial departure from TNA a few years ago was mired in controversy, stemming from allegations of toxic backstage behavior and a perceived lack of public apology.
The allegations against Blanchard first surfaced in January 2020, when several female wrestlers, including Allysin Kay and Chelsea Green, accused her of bullying and using racial slurs, specifically the N-word towards La Rosa Negra during a 2017 tour in Japan. Blanchard denied the accusations, but the damage was done. She was subsequently stripped of the Impact World Championship and released from her contract while she was champion in June 2020, amid reports of her failing to submit required video content during the COVID-19 pandemic and difficulties surrounding her contract status. These incidents led to a widespread perception of Blanchard as a difficult and problematic personality within the industry, significantly impacting her career trajectory. Many felt that a proper public apology should be made to La Rosa Negra as a show of good faith and owning up to her past behavior.
On a recent episode of his podcast, “The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy,” Matt Hardy weighed in on Blanchard’s return, revealing the mixed reactions within the TNA locker room. “There were a few people that I was sitting in the room with. They’re like, ‘Oh, man. She was here at one time and she didn’t do things right’, or whatever else,” Hardy shared.
However, Hardy also indicated that TNA management had taken steps to ensure a smoother integration this time around. “One thing I have heard is that everyone that she was going to be working with, they were given the heads up, and they knew that was gonna be happening,” he said. “But also, apparently, they’ve been following her pretty closely and just seeing how she’s been as a performer, and how professional she’s been, and whatnot. It seems so far so good.”
Hardy further revealed that Blanchard was made “available to speak with anyone who may have had any kind of grievances with her at the end of the night.”
Ultimately, Hardy advocated for giving Blanchard a second chance, drawing parallels to his own experiences. “I think as a society, if someone is actually trying to right their wrongs and get their life back on course, we still have to be able to give second chances or third chances. I mean, if I hadn’t got second chances, I’d have been f**ked,” he stated. “There’s a lot of people, especially in pro wrestling, that sometimes if they are trying to prove themselves, and they seem like they are worthy of being given another opportunity, you gotta let them have it.”
Matt Hardy’s podcast drops every Friday at ExtremeHardy.com. If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit ExtremeHardy.com with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
