TNA Wrestling is going through a transition period.
It was announced on Wednesday that Tommy Dreamer had departed the company’s creative and talent relations teams, while former TNA World Champion Sami Callihan and Tessa Blanchard had been released from their contracts.
Blanchard, who was also working for CMLL at the time of her TNA Wrestling departure, appeared on the latest edition of CMLL Informa to provide more insight on why she decided to be a one-company woman moving forward.
“I want to sort things out and set the record straight today,” Blanchard said in Spanish, which was translated by Fightful’s Luis Pulido. “Here, I have a life, and I feel very happy. The U.S. company (TNA) asked me, ‘Tessa, you need to decide whether you’re a CMLL wrestler or a TNA wrestler.’ I took my time to think it over with my dad, whom I trust very much. My life is here. I’m not just another foreigner… I’m the most Mexican Gringa.”
Word of Blanchard’s departure first surfaced on Tuesday, and was confirmed by TNA on Wednesday, ending her second tenure with the company.
Tessa returned to TNA Wrestling in late 2024 to begin a program with the soon-to-be departing Jordynne Grace. She’d later challenge Masha Slamovich for the Knockouts World Title, but failed to capture the gold for the second time in her career.
Having already held the top two championships in TNA before, Blanchard told CMLL Informa that her success there played a factor in her decision to focus on her career in Mexico.
“I have many goals to achieve here, and I already reached the top of the mountain (in TNA). I won everything over there, but here I have many dreams and goals to pursue. I needed to focus my career and my life here in Mexico, and from this moment on, I’m 100% with CMLL.”
Tessa’s final match in TNA took place back on May 15. She defeated Harley Hudson in a match that was filmed for the May 28 edition of Thursday Night iMPACT!
Blanchard, Sami Callihan and Tommy Dreamer are among the publicly known TNA departures, as of this writing, with potentially more on the way. Mike Johnson with PWInsider is reporting that Delirious will be the point person for the TNA creative team moving forward. Although someone else could potentially be coming in to help out in the near future.
It was reported Wednesday afternoon that WWE Hall of Famer and former SmackDown lead writer Brian “Road Dogg” James was being discussed for a creative role in TNA Wrestling. Road Dogg decided on his own to leave the WWE creative team earlier this year.
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