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Big Swole, Several Other Wrestlers Call Out Tessa Blanchard Over Racial Slur and Bullying, Kiera Hogan Defends Her
UPDATEx2: Tessa Blanchard has some more backup in the form of fellow Impact star Kiera Hogan. This came after former Impact wrestler Diamante seemed to criticize the people attacking Blanchard for airing dirty laundry on Twitter.
Diamante wrote: “Remember that time in the movie mean girls where everyone rallied up their personal stories about Regina George? Yeah that was a movie made about girls In high school. But here we are on Twitter in 2020. I think everyone can do a little better than this.”
Hogan replied: “Im saying though, we are all adults and we all make mistakes. It’s our job as humans to learn, grow up and evolve. I’m not speaking on any certain situation. I’m not speaking on any singular person. US AS PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN AND GROW. EVERYONE NEEDS TO EVOLVE. Just some words of wisdom is all. Just some advice. Hell im talking to myself too.”
Remember that time in the movie mean girls where everyone rallied up their personal stories about Regina George? Yeah that was a movie made about girls In high school. But here we are on Twitter in 2020. I think everyone can do a little better than this.
— The 🇨🇺💎 (@DiamanteLAX) January 11, 2020
Im saying though, we are all adults and we all make mistakes. It’s our job as humans to learn, grow up and evolve. https://t.co/VJGAYbAw6L
— Kiera Hogan (@HoganKnowsBest3) January 11, 2020
I’m not speaking on any certain situation. I’m not speaking on any singular person. US AS PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN AND GROW. EVERYONE NEEDS TO EVOLVE. Just some words of wisdom is all. Just some advice. Hell im talking to myself too.
— Kiera Hogan (@HoganKnowsBest3) January 11, 2020
UPDATE: AEW’s Big Swole is the latest to chime in on Tessa Blanchard’s alleged use of a racial slur against Black Rose, confirming the story in Japan that Allysin Kay claimed happened in 2017. Rose herself also confirmed it took place.
Swole wrote: “So since we telling stories….Big Swole’s turn. I won’t speak on all the other stories but the one about La Rosa I know personally. This past year at Wrestlecade I spoke to her about this and about hashing it out with Tessa. I’ve spoken to Tessa as well, after talking with La Rosa and I decided it needed to be dealt with. A conversation needed to happen because this was getting intense over the years. As a black woman this sickened me that this happened to a friend of mine. We have been dealing with this since it happened, it’s just now finding light on social media. People are entitled to deal with this how they want. I just want the world to know the last part of the story.”
https://twitter.com/SwoleWorld/status/1216109022216146944
https://twitter.com/SwoleWorld/status/1216109023407300608
https://twitter.com/SwoleWorld/status/1216109024451661824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1216109024451661824&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrestlinginc.com%2Fnews%2F2020%2F01%2Fbig-swole-comments-on-tessa-blanchard-controversy-664712%2F
Original: As Impact Wrestling prepares to feature their big Tessa Blanchard vs. Sami Callihan match for the Impact World title at Hard to Kill tomorrow, Blanchard is now fighting a very different battle. Several female wrestlers have called out the third-generation star for accusations of bullying and using racial slurs. It all started when Blanchard sent out a message on Twitter.
She wrote: “Hey women, try supporting one another. Cool things happen.”
NXT’s Chelsea Green replied: “You’ve consistently put down, bullied, and belittled countless female coworkers, including me. Is that support?”
NWA Women’s Champion Allysin Kay added: “Remember when you spat in a black woman’s face and called her the N-word in Japan? Was that you “supporting women”? The AUDACITY of this tweet. The reason I’ve never said anything until now is because it wasn’t my story to tell. I made it clear to La Rosa that I had her back, and today was the day she gave me permission. You can’t force someone to come forward, but you can be there for them. THAT is ‘supporting women.”
That tweet was followed by Green saying she remembered the incident in question. Puerto Rican wrestler Black Rose then thanked Green and Kay and said the incident Kay was referring to happened in 2017. Rose worked for Stardom in 2015 and 2017. Blanchard also worked for Stardom in 2016 and 2017.
She wrote: “@Sienna & @ImChelseaGreen Thank you so much!…That story!…Yes, that’s happens on Japan 2017! If Tessa Blanchard do not Remember it…Can I! I am not a mean girl with any coworkers around the world. Be kind of #racist is not ridiculous is a #sickness.”
It also prompted responses from former Impact star Rebel and AEW’s Shanna.
Rebel wrote: “I like to think people change over time. But I can confirm the bad behavior & non supportive attitude in Japan, I was there.”
Shanna added: “She did more nasty stuff in Japan…Never forget. Practice what you preach sweetheart. I standby @LaAbusadoradePR, she’s a fun loving person who would never disrespect anyone. Much love to you Rosa”
This was followed by Priscilla Kelly, who wrote: “Remember publicly putting me down on Twitter last year for something that didn’t involve you whatsoever, then continuing to drag my name to other people for it? Pepperidge Farm Remembers. You should probably delete this tweet.”
Casey Michael, who runs the website Squared Circle Sirens, then chimed in with a story about Blanchard and Renee Michelle, writing: “She bullied Renee Michelle at an indie show and they had a tussle of some sort. I figured people involved in it would know more details.”
NXT UK’s Isla Dawn wrote: “As someone who experienced your bullying firsthand, received regular verbal abuse, was spat on, had rumours spread about me, dealt with multiple attempts by you to blacklist me from other companies, (plus more), I just pray you now follow your own advice.”
Blanchard has since replied to several of the accusations. To Green’s claims of bullying, she wrote: “I’ve never been anything but kind to u. I’ve dealt with mean girls since I started…not saying I’m a saint, hell I’ve had my ups & downs & I’ve made silly decisions…Such is life. u have ZERO merit in your comments…Instead putting me down here for a little clout…you’ve got my #!”
In response to Kay, she said: “Not true. That’s my statement and the most attention I’ll give it because of how actually ridiculous it is.”
She did have some support in the form of fellow Impact wrestler Moose, who said: “I guess you and @ImChelseaGreen are absolute angels with a clean past. The timing of these tweets from you guys shows a lot about your characters.”
We’ll have more on this story as it develops.
https://twitter.com/Tess_Blanchard/status/1216038823932649473
You’ve consistently put down, bullied, and belittled countless female coworkers, including me. Is that support? https://t.co/MrOOksiijk
— CHELSEA GREEN (@ImChelseaGreen) January 11, 2020
Remember when you spat in a black woman’s face and called her the N-word in Japan? Was that you “supporting women“? The AUDACITY of this tweet https://t.co/P49uNWsqIH
— Allysin Kay (@TheAllysinKay) January 11, 2020
— CHELSEA GREEN (@ImChelseaGreen) January 11, 2020
Remember publicly putting me down on twitter last year for something that didn’t involve you whatsoever, then continuing to drag my name to other people for it?
Pepperidge Farm Remembers.
You should probably delete this tweet. https://t.co/MnsHVnwavU
— Gigi Dolin (@gigidolin_wwe) January 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/ifyouseekcasey/status/1216069508743360512
https://twitter.com/Tess_Blanchard/status/1216078836212944897
https://twitter.com/Tess_Blanchard/status/1216082844277182464
https://twitter.com/LaAbusadoradePR/status/1216086657268580353
As someone who experienced your bullying firsthand, received regular verbal abuse, was spat on, had rumours spread about me, dealt with multiple attempts by you to blacklist me from other companies, (plus more), I just pray you now follow your own advice. https://t.co/MWtmUKLOyf
— Isla Dawn (@IslaDawn) January 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/TheMooseNation/status/1216076275430969344
I like to think people change over time. But I can confirm the bad behavior & non supportive attitude in Japan, I was there https://t.co/u1e60bgdE6
— REBEL (@RebelTanea) January 11, 2020
She did more nasty stuff in Japan… Never forget. Practice what you preach sweetheart. I standby @LaAbusadoradePR, she's a fun loving person who would never disrespect anyone. Much love to you Rosa. ❤️ https://t.co/gldMcAzwJD
— Shanna シャナ (@Shannanjii) January 11, 2020
The reason I’ve never said anything until now is because it wasn’t my story to tell. I made it clear to La Rosa that I had her back, and today was the day she gave me permission. You can’t force someone to come forward, but you can be there for them. THAT is “supporting women”.
— Allysin Kay (@TheAllysinKay) January 11, 2020
