Impact Wrestling has plenty of gems on their roster ranging from legends like Tommy Dreamer and Rob Van Dam to Sami Callihan and Ace Austin. With all their talent, there’s one name that’s been standing out above the others, and that’s Tessa Blanchard.
A third generation professional wrestler, she’s the granddaughter of Joe Blanchard, daughter of the Four Horseman legend Tully Blanchard, and stepdaughter of Magnum TA. After entering professional wrestling in 2014, Tessa Blanchard has developed a reputation among the professional wrestling community as a workhorse. This became even more apparent when the former Impact Knockout champion entered into competition with her male counterparts in the X Division of Impact.
Training and competing in the men’s division as helped raise her skill to another level, according to some fellow wrestlers. Her feud with Sami Callihan for the number one contender for the Impact heavyweight championship led to her and Sami Callihan being the first headlining intergender match at Slammiversary XVII.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Caq0lwiZlGY&t=31s
These losses, the last due to interference by Jake Crist, led to her storyline of wanting to destroy Sami Callihan’s faction, oVe (Ohio Versus Everything). Along the way, she teamed with Tommy Dreamer in several matches leading to Bound for Glory, where she took part in a Intergender ladder match with Ace Austin, Jake Crist (c), Daga, and Acey Romero for the Impact X Division Championship.
In what may consider the best match of the Bound for Glory pay-per-view, Tessa Blanchard more than held her own as she’s considered the best performer of the match and the glue that held it together and moved it forward. She would’ve won had the Monster of oVe not interfered and allowed Ace Austin to get back into the match.
With her move into Intergender matches, she’s often compared to WWE Legend Chyna.
Tessa Blanchard on being compared to Chyna
“It’s not something that’s really been done since Chyna and that wasn’t even the world title. A lot of people compare me to her, a lot. I don’t know, I think if that were to ever happen, if that were ever to be reality, that would be another way that I can make history in my own way.”
While Tessa Blanchard and Chyna have vastly different styles, there’s no doubt that she’ll make history her own way and become the next big thing while grabbing a top title or two in Impact. Her attitude and drive are what make wrestlers legendary, and it’s only a matter of time before she takes her place among the other legends.
