wrestling / News
More Backstage Details on MLW & Tessa Blanchard Situation (SPOILERS)
Image Credit: CMLL
As previously reported, CMLL wrestler Tessa Blanchard appeared to be ready to make her MLW debut last weekend at Fightland. However, CMLL later issued a statement stating that Blanchard would only make one appearance and that “there is no deal between Tessa Blanchard, MLW, and CMLL besides this booking.”
Blanchard was later pulled from the MLW show. She instead ended up facing STARDOM’s Starlight Kid at last weekend’s CMLL Sabados De Coliseo. Dave Meltzer discussed the Blanchard situation on today’s Wrestling Observer Radio.
As noted, last weekend’s MLW Fightland and Fusion TV tapings featured Masha Slamovich making her MLW debut. Later during the Fusion TV tapings, Slamovich beat Shotzi Blackheart to win the MLW Women’s World Title. According to Meltzer, Blanchard was originally planned for that slot against Blackheart, suspecting that Blanchard was going to beat Blackheart for the title at the show “or very soon after.”
Meltzer also stated that Masha Slamovich was already planned to be coming into MLW anyway, which lines up with an earlier report by PWInsider. According to that report, Slamovich signed with MLW earlier in July.
According to Meltzer, the issue between CMLL and MLW was that CMLL only approved her for one date with MLW. Meltzer thinks that MLW possibly booking Blanchard to win the belt would pressure CMLL to allow the wrestler to appear on more MLW shows.
However, Meltzer said he’s been informed that Blanchard winning the MLW Women’s World Title was not what caused the issue with CMLL. He explained, “I was told that the championship was not the holdup. I don’t know what the holdup is, but obviously, I don’t think there is any movement of her going to MLW.”
Speaking on Masha Slamovich joining MLW, he said that while her debut is not because of Blanchard getting pulled, he speculated that her title win is likely the result of that last-minute change.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit The Wrestling Observer Radio with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.
