MLW had plans for Tessa Blanchard to win the MLW World Women’s Featherweight Championship, according to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Blanchard was scheduled to debut at the September 12 tapings in Charleston, South Carolina, against Lady Frost. The appearance was scrapped after CMLL clarified it had only approved her for one date and no title match, and she ended up wrestling Starlight Kid in Mexico that same day.
According to Meltzer, the title situation wasn’t what caused the issues between the two sides.
“Regarding Tessa Blanchard, some thought that MLW was going to put its title—the Women’s Featherweight Championship, as they call it—on her at the 9/12 show. CMLL noted that they had only approved her going there for one date. I was told that the title situation was not the reason for the issues, which to this point nobody involved is talking about.”
Despite that, Meltzer noted that Blanchard was in fact expected to become champion eventually.
“Blanchard was expected to end up with the title if they could have put it on her, but Masha Slamovich debuting and winning the title from Shotzi Blackheart on 9/12 at the tapings in Charleston, South Carolina, was always planned.”
Slamovich signed with MLW in early July, with plans to join the Contra Unit and feud with Shotzi. At the Charleston tapings, she defeated Lady Frost and then won the title from Blackheart.
Blanchard gets another crack at a world title this Friday (September 18) at CMLL’s 93rd Aniversario. She challenges Persephone for the CMLL Women’s World Championship in a four-way that also includes Mina Shirakawa and Starlight Kid. Blanchard challenged Stephanie Vaquer for the same title in December 2023 and lost.