The recent accusations against Tessa Blanchard being a real life mean girl (or worse, depending on our sliding scale) have opened the door into the life behind the curtain. As has been a regular occurrence over the last twenty years, we’ve gotten a glimpse into a wrestler that has been posting positive messages on social media, who is about to enter the history books, and one that has a history of being a mean girl at the very least. So, of course, contrasting Tessa Blanchard and Charlotte Flair comes naturally.
Comparing our favorites is a regular thing, and it’s something we take seriously as fans. Seriously, even watch a conversation between a Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair fans when the question of who was the best comes up? Or those that love Roman Reigns and those that love Baron Corbin (Yes, there are people who like him)?
It can be dangerous if you don’t know where to step — backwards and out of the conversation is usually the safest.
Common ties
We can’t do a contrasting Tessa Blanchard and Charlotte Flair article without pointing out their commonalities. The biggest of which if their ties to perhaps the greatest stable in professional wrestling history — the Four Horsemen.
Both are daughters of original members of the quartet (Tessa is Tully Blanchard’s daughter and Charlotte is Ric Flair’s, for those not in the know). Each has followed in their father’s footsteps with different levels of success.
Flair has gone on to become a ten-time women’s champion in the WWE, while Blanchard has carved her own path (“My way,” as she likes to say) in the Indies. Both started their WWE careers in NXT, but Blanchard was sent packing while Flair was moved to the main brands. Both have been champions at one point or another.
In fact, I’m a firm believer in Charlotte Flair being the best female wrestler in the WWE and Tessa Blanchard is the best female wrestler in the world. The two locking horns at some point would lead to some awesomely epic matches that would rival anything their fathers had been in.
Their athleticism is as high as anyone’s, and they both have a desire to be the absolute best. How they go about that is what separates them.
Out of the ring matters
In the ring (or in character, if you prefer), Charlotte Flair is just as obnoxious, demanding, and spoiled as her father was. There’s no denying she’s modeled herself after him, and why not? Ric Flair was awesome and can still promo circles around 95% (conservative estimate) of the current talent. Like him, she’s worked hard to get to where she is and she’s not above saying so.
Out of the ring, she’s the complete opposite. Stories from fans and other wrestlers attest to this, as Alexa Bliss recently stated on WWE Backstage that Flair had her back from the beginning. Any questions needing and answer, Flair was there. She’s helped a good number of her fellow competitors to figure things out and become a force to be reckoned with.
That’s something to be proud of, which I’m sure she is, and will ensure she’s remembered years from now by fans and fellow wrestlers alike.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS46QnwZq4c
Tessa Blanchard enters the ring with a chip on her shoulder. She’s aggressive, in your face, hurls insults as well as beatings, and doesn’t back down from anyone no matter their size or gender. Tonight, January 12, 2020, she has the opportunity to become the first woman to win the heavyweight championship of a major promotion (Impact).
Out of the ring appears to be a different story. As I reported here, she’s been accused by several female wrestlers for being a bully, belittling others, and even a racial slur. There’s more we can add here, but I think we all get the picture.
While there’s no proof she ever said or did those things (she’s denied it), she’s already suffered from the cancellation society that’s become the norm. Heavy Metal Wrestling has pulled her from their upcoming January 24, 2020 event upcoming date, and it’s likely she’ll lose to Sami Callihan tonight. Promotions are in PR mode, and public opinion often has no bearing on facts.
While she may (probably) is guilty of at least some of these accusations, it makes sense to a degree. The WWE passed on her, and she had to fight her way into relevance. Professional wrestling has long been compared to a sea of sharks where everyone is after your spot and relationships can’t always be trusted.
That’s not an excuse, just a possible reason for why she may have done what she’s accused of. It doesn’t excuse her of those incidents if guilty, and I hope she learns from this going forward.
The fact is, like in any sport, how one carries themselves outside the ring is just as important as how they carry themselves in it, especially in today’s world where accusations and truth can spread like wildfire.
Contrasting Tessa Blanchard and Charlotte Flair is fun, but it’s disturbing when seeing how different they appear to be outside of the ring. It may work short term, but people’s memories and pain can last a lifetime, and how we treat one another can mean the difference between success or being a footnote.
