WWE NXT Crossover Match Results In TNA Rule Change (TNA News)
Tessa Blanchard vs. Arianna Grace match leads to memo from TNA management.
TNA's Under Siege event on 23 May included an inter-promotional match pitting WWE NXT's Arianna Grace vs. TNA star Tess Blanchard. On paper, it was just a rudimentary 8-minute bout, but the pair's scrap actually had some backstage fallout worth exploring.
Fightful Select noted that "a series of slaps" during the match contributed to a quick rule change handed down by TNA management the very next day. At one point, Blanchard cuffed Grace. There was a receipt with that, because Arianna returned the favour. Apparently, this didn't go down too well with those in the office looking on backstage.
Following that scuffle, a memo was fired out to TNA's roster alerting them that any slap spots included in matches had to be cleared with an agent first. This suggests that Grace and Blanchard didn't get the green light, but Fightful didn't confirm that in their write-up. They also don't know for sure whether or not the Under Siege spot was exclusively responsible for the aforementioned directive, but it was something from that match so it'd make sense.
Interestingly, Fightful Select also said: "We’re sure this story will be denied by at least one party involved, but it’s the story as relayed by numerous people within the company".
The plot thickens.
WWE and TNA have had a solid working relationship for a while now. Both promotions officially announced a talent sharing partnership this past January. Then-TNA World Champ and viral sensation Joe Hendry appeared in the Royal Rumble match and vs. Randy Orton at WrestleMania before dropping the belt to NXT's Trick Williams on 25 May at Battleground.
That didn't go down well with TNA star and ex-WWE man Nic Nemeth, but it happened.
Stay tuned for more on the Tessa and Arianna slapping story when/if it breaks.