10 Wrestlers Who Refused To Drop Titles
8. Tessa Blanchard Refused To Lose The TNA World Championship Without A New Contract
Tessa Blanchard began her pro wrestling career in 2014 and worked her way up from the indies before she found her big break in TNA in 2018. She had a couple of matches in NXT in 2016, and was even part of the 2017 Mae Young Classic Tournament, but WWE didn't sign her to a developmental contract.
However, she had the looks and skills to make it big in the business, and her career started going on an upward trajectory during her time at TNA. She made history by becoming the first female wrestler to capture the TNA World Heavyweight Championship when she defeated Sami Callihan for the title at the 2020 Hard To Kill PPV.
She successfully defended the title against Taya Valkyrie the following month before the pandemic hit. She took a leave of absence during the pandemic and no-showed events in favor of staying in Mexico with her then-husband, Miguel Olivo, who wrestled in Mexico under the name Daga.
TNA gave her the option to lose the championship at the Slammiversary PPV in July 2020. However, since her contract was set to expire in June 2020, Blanchard refused to drop the title until the company negotiated a new contract with enhanced financial remuneration.
Coupled with other backstage controversies, TNA per PWInsider chose not to give in to her demands and ended up terminating her contract and stripping her of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on June 25, 2020.