How Tessa Blanchard Became One of IMPACT Wrestling's Biggest Stars

There really is no denying that despite her young age of only twenty-three, Tessa Blanchard is one of the best in the world today where the wrestling industry is concerned. Making history, changing the game and forever taking part in fantastic matchups, Blanchard has become one the biggest talking points in the world of women’s wrestling and her career over in IMPACT wrestling has left her becoming one of the key faces on the roster. With all that in mind, however, how did Blanchard become one of IMPACT’s biggest stars and an iconic figure in the Knockouts division?

High Status from the Get-go

When Tessa Blanchard signed with IMPACT wrestling there was an immediate buzz around her arrival. Debuting as the newest member of the Knockouts division a year back Blanchard was pushed as one of the company’s biggest signings in recent memory and has been destined for greatens from the moment, she stepped foot into the spotlight. The buzz, the attention and the high status she arrived to the company with promised great things for Tessa and she felt like a major star and signing from her very first appearance in the IMPACT Zone. This was a buzz we just haven't and don’t see enough when it comes to signings of female talent. A clear example of how big the company made her out to be came from when her loss to multi-time knockouts champion, Madison Rayne was dubbed an upset despite Blanchard’s stance as the “rookie” out of the two. 

Championship Reign

Becoming champion in IMPACT wrestling was simply an inevitable booking decision. Fans knew from the moment Blanchard debuted that it was only a matter of time till she found herself with the knockouts championship on her shoulder and so when she was crowned champ after  picking up the win in a triple threat match involving Allie and Su Yung fans were not left very surprised but the win kick-started something even bigger for Blanchard. She had an excellent performance on the night and her win less than a year into her debut cemented her as a major star on the roster and the new face of the knockout’s division. The reign itself saw Blanchard involved in solid storylines and impressive matches that showed her to be the standout star she is, taking over the division.

Tessa Blanchard vs Gail Kim

One of the biggest storylines this year for both IMPACT and women’s wrestling comes from Gail Kim vs Tessa Blanchard, a dream encounter in the eyes of many and one that did not leave any disappointed! As a legend, an all-time great, and the driving force behind the knockouts division for many years stepping in the ring with Gail Kim is a big deal and a career-changing opportunity for anyone however, the young star in Tessa Blanchard felt like a perfect match for the hall of Famer. Her confidence, arrogance and genuine amazing talent in the ring meant she had all the credentials to give Kim a run for her money and while the storyline was strong and grew personal, their collision at the start of the year has gone down as one of my personal favourite matches of the year so far. There was a passing of the torch element to their angle and their matchup that changed and shaped the career and position of Blanchard in IMPACT. Her win over Gail was huge and yet again cemented her as one of the best knockouts in the history of the company and one of the biggest stars on the roster today. 

Her In-ring Reputation

Since arriving in the Impact zone Tessa has been apart of an array of epic encounters. Whether it be Knockouts division all-time greats such as Madison Rayne and Gail Kim, dominant forces like Jordynne Grace or fellow champions including Su Yung and Taya, Blanchard has stepped up to the plate and created one heck of a reputation when it comes to her in-ring performances. We have seen her take part in stipulation matches including a street fight and whether if she wins or loses Blanchard manages to have fans talking. When Tessa is booked in a contest fans are expecting the best and whether it be five minutes or twenty-five minutes, Blanchard manages to make an impact and get fans talking. She has become such a standout star and created a such a reputation in the ring that win over the former Knockouts champion can now have a major effect on a rising star. 

Making History

Last weekend Tessa Blanchard made history when she and Sami Callihan main evented Slammiversary in an intergender must-see match. As two of IMPACT’s biggest stars I couldn’t think of another match more suited to main event one of the company’s biggest PPV’s of the year and boy did they impress! Blanchard proved once and for all that there is a place for intergender wrestling in the modern world of pro wrestling and when given the right storyline, angle and time in the ring intergender competition can so easily be phenomenal. Main eventing this PPV, taking part in such a major and controversial matchup has only further cemented Blanchard’s position on the roster. She is leaps ahead of others her age and is breaking down the barriers for women in this industry in a way we are not seeing anyone else do so.

There really is no denying the fact that Tessa Blanchard is one of the biggest stars not only in IMPACT wrestling but on the scene as a whole today. This is a woman who stands out as a top talent wherever she goes and the status she has at such an early age is incredibly impressive. Its crazy to believe there is still so much more to come from Blanchard in her career and as we have seen today in this post, there really is no stopping her and no limits to her capabilities. 

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