A WWE Hall of Famer gave his honest views on the Tessa Blanchard and Rhea Ripley comparisons.
Last year at TNA Final Resolution, controversial star Tessa Blanchard made her long-awaited return. Blanchard was arguably one of the top names in the industry almost five years ago when she defeated Sami Callihan at Hard To Kill to win the Impact World Championship. However, her relationship with the promotion soon turned sour.
During the COVID-19 travel restrictions, TNA stripped Blanchard of her title and terminated her contract after she repeatedly failed to appear at her scheduled events. She also became hard to work with after allegations of backstage bullying and racism, including a serious claim by La Rosa Negra emerged. Although the former World Champion denied the allegations, it damaged her reputation, despite her family’s legacy.
Notwithstanding the controversies, Tessa Blanchard stands tall as one of the most dominant women in the industry. She has often been pitted in a rivalry against Rhea Ripley during TNA’s ongoing partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment. Recently, during an episode of his Kliq This podcast, Hall of Famer Kevin Nash responded to a fan’s pitch to see Ripley and Blanchard in a best-of-three “Iron Woman” series.
Calling Blanchard not at Ripley’s level, Nash said:
If Tessa Blanchard was somebody that should be in an Iron Man or Iron Woman Match against Rhea Ripley, don’t you think she’d at least be on the NXT roster?
I doubt somebody from the double A squad is the person you want to go best of… best of three with.”
Blanchard and La Rosa Negra have reconciled since then, and Blanchard made her way back into Total Nonstop Action Wrestling last year. Unfortunately, earlier this year, the 29-year-old suffered a concussion at TNA Under Siege in May and is currently recovering.
On the other hand, Rhea Ripley is arguably the biggest name in WWE’s entire women’s roster and is scheduled to face IYO SKY at Evolution II for the Women’s World Championship.
WWE Legend Kevin Nash And His Wife Both Suffering From Physical Setbacks
At 65 years old, both Kevin Nash and his wife, Tamara Nash, are currently suffering health issues.
During a recent episode of his Kliq This podcast, the former World Champion shared an emotional update about his family:
She didn’t have a hip replacement. She had that fu**ng procedure done first to see if they could fix the top of the fu**ng femur… and it didn’t hold. So she was non-weight-bearing for three fu**ing months, and then they did the surgery. Her muscles had all atrophied… the rehab is just brutal.”
“It was one thing after another. Then it was like, I got the herniated disc in my back, and then I tore my fu**ing shoulder. I came in fu**ed up. I was injured physically to the point where I couldn’t run before I got in the business. My right knee was gone.”
In other news: An NJPW legend has announced their retirement date.