In the new year, the lights could shine even brighter for “The Diamond”.

IMPACT Wrestling has announced that on January 12 2020, Tessa Blanchard, aka “The Diamond”, aka the daughter of legendary WWE horsemen Tully Blanchard, will be the first woman in professional wrestling to fight for the world title.

“In her short career, Tessa Blanchard has already demonstrated that she is not only one of the best female professional wrestlers in the world, but one of the very best, period”, said Scott D’Amore, executive vice president of IMPACT Wrestling. In fact Blachard was ranked at number 5 in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated annual women 100 list.

This isn’t the first time Blachard has mixed it up in the ring with men or with Callihan in particular. Nor is it her first time getting an opportunity to battle for the Impact World Championship. For the past 6 months she has solely been competing in the men’s division. She started her intergender journey against Glenn Gillbertti.

Afterwards she officially started feuding with OVE (Ohio Versus Everything) in June. She has squared off against all 4 members, sometimes with some help along the way, but the most notable match being against Cahillan at Slammiversary this past July. She was unsuccessful at Slammiversary and she was unsuccessful against Callihan once again at their Unbreakable special which would determine the number one contendership to the world title.

Besides the world title, Blanchard also had the opportunity to become the X-Division champion in a 4-way ladder match at last months Bound For Glory pay-per-view. She was unsuccessful at that attempt as well. She refuses to accept defeat however. When Callihan won the world title against the now former champion Brian Cage, she marched right out to the ring and got in Callihan’s face. She sent the message, “I am coming for you”. Now, they will battle for the third time. The only difference this time is that a title will be on the line.

“This isn’t just about our rivalry, and this goes far beyond the IMPACT World Championship. This is about showing everyone that Tessa Blanchard is the real deal, and I’m here to stay. I can go toe-to-toe with any man or woman in the world, and in any type of match”, said Blanchard.

“I’ll give Tessa credit for one thing: she’s not afraid to make herself look like a fool on national television,” said Callihan “I’ve already proven that she is not on my level and I intend to do it again. No one will be making history at my expense, so I plan on destroying Tessa and establishing my legacy as the greatest World Champion in IMPACT Wrestling history.”

Not since the late Chyna, there has not been a woman who has been so heavily featured with the men in a major promotion. Tessa does not take that lightly.

“A lot of people compare me to her… if that were to ever happen, that would be another way that I could make history in my own way” said Blanchard in an interview with Chris Van Vliet.