Booker T Defends Tessa Blanchard’s TNA Comeback: “Let’s Give Her a Second Chance”

Tessa Blanchard officially made her return to TNA during the 2024 Final Resolution event, sparking discussions among fans and critics alike. WWE Hall of Famer Booker T weighed in on the subject during a recent episode of his podcast, addressing criticisms surrounding Blanchard's comeback and emphasizing the importance of forgiveness and second chances.

“Tessa Blanchard is back in TNA, and the thing is, I’ve already seen criticism of Tessa Blanchard being back, and people still wanting to try to cancel her. Get off of it, man. Get off of it,” Booker T stated. “The thing is, if something was said, if an apology was made and fences were mended, we should be able to move on."

Booker T used his own experiences to highlight the complexities of public perception and the challenges of moving forward after controversy. He recounted a situation involving wrestlers in his Reality of Wrestling promotion:

“I had two girls at Reality of Wrestling that had beef. I said, ‘You need to straighten this out. You need to squash that beef.’ On social media, they picked it up, but social media doesn’t know that these two have mended that fence... So my thing is, guys, get off of all of this hate and let Tessa Blanchard hopefully try to resurrect her career and go out there and re-do this thing all over again. Let’s look at it as that, as a re-do.”

Booker T also spoke candidly about his personal journey and how a second chance changed his life:
“I was one that made a hell of a mistake in my life, and somebody gave me a second chance. The reason I’m here right now is because of that second chance. I can’t be the one who just casts someone out and throws them away like trash without giving them a second chance.”

Blanchard’s return marks a pivotal moment for TNA and her career, and Booker T's comments have added further depth to the ongoing debate about redemption and professional wrestling.