Various: “Blackheart” Lio Rush Wins ROH World TV Title at ROH x CMLL x Stardom Global Wars Cincinnati, Tessa Blanchard Explains Her Reason for Choosing CMLL Over Staying in TNA, Indies/Misc.

Jun 18, 2026

“Blackheart” Lio Rush Wins ROH World TV Title at ROH x CMLL x Stardom Global Wars Cincinnati

Thursday’s ROH x CMLL x Stardom Global Wars Cincinnati show on HonorClub featured “Blackheart” Lio Rush defeating Action Andretti and AR Fox in a Three-way match to become the new ROH World Television Champion.

LIO RUSH HAS DONE IT!@IamLioRush is now the NEW #ROH World TV Champion!

📺 Watch Global Wars: Cincinnati on #HonorClub at https://t.co/8dcdtxqvDf pic.twitter.com/HK7FWO2C8p
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) June 19, 2026

#ANDNEW #ROH World TV Champion @IamLioRush!

📺 Watch Global Wars: Cincinnati on #HonorClub at https://t.co/8dcdtxr3sN pic.twitter.com/BNcDtJh5m2
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) June 19, 2026

This was Rush’s first-ever ROH World Television Championship victory in his ROH career.

Tessa Blanchard Explains Her Reason for Choosing CMLL Over Staying in TNA & Asking Her Release from TNA

As noted before, Tessa Blanchard departed from TNA Wrestling earlier this week after being granted her release. Blanchard revealed in a recent episode of the CMLL Informa show that TNA had asked her to decide on if she wanted to continue working for them or CMLL and not both. Blanchard’s decision was believed to be influenced by CMLL paying her better and booking her more for shows.

Tessa released a new video on her official YouTube channel discussing her reasons why she had asked for her release from TNA and why she chose CMLL over containing working for TNA.

“I just wanted to sit down and talk to you guys directly because I know there’s been a lot of questions about my future and why I made the decision that I did. When I signed with TNA, the understanding was that I’d be able to continue wrestling here in Mexico with CMLL while also being a part of TNA.
For a while, that worked exactly as planned, and it felt like a dream come true, like an absolute blessing. But as time went on and business evolved, leadership changed, partnerships changed, network deals changed, and the direction of the company just shifted. And eventually, I was asked to make a decision: either continue with TNA or continue with CMLL.
And I wanna be very clear that I completely understand TNA’s position. This is business, and companies have to make decisions that they believe are best for their future. I have absolutely no resentment or ill feelings toward anyone there. In fact, Carlos, Riley, Nicole, like the entire team, they’re nothing but great.
They were nothing but great to me. In fact, they wanted me to stay, and they made me an offer to continue with the company, and I’m unbelievably blessed for that. TNA, it’s been such an important part of my career. It’s been such a vital chapter of my career. It’s where I became Knockouts Champion.
It’s where I became the first woman to hold a World Heavyweight Championship. It’s where I made history. It’s where I had some of my favorite matches and created memories that I’ll carry with me forever. But beyond the championships and beyond the moments on television, it’s the people there that really did make the whole company very special.
From the makeup artists, Sydney, Virginia, Lindsay, Shell, you guys are each so unique and insanely talented. I’m gonna miss our early-morning jam sessions with Victoria and Mila. The photographers, Nick, Jess, Tugani, thank you guys for making me look like an absolute superstar all the time. The production crew, Kismiz, Kenny, Liz Deaner, all the agents I got to work with, Candace, I love you guys.
And there’s so many incredible talents in the locker room still that I’m gonna miss seeing. People like Mila, Jada, Maggie, Harley, Trey. There’s so many friends that I’ve made there, and I’ll be cheering on every single one of them from afar and celebrating all of their wins, everything that they’re going to accomplish.
And after thinking long and hard about my future, I realized that my heart is in Mexico. I’ve built a life here. I’ve got a relationship here. I’ve got a company that I’m thriving in, and coworkers, and I’m wrestling with luchadoras that are just some of the best in the world.
CMLL really gave me an opportunity when I needed one most. It’s when I debuted here for the Grand Prix. And it was that moment when I was in ROTC at UTSA, and I needed to make a decision if I was gonna contract with the United States military or if I was going to go back to wrestling.
And that week was when CMLL called me to be a part of the Grand Prix, and it just felt like all the ducks were lining up in a way that showed me that’s what I needed to do. It was like God was telling me or showing me, “Tessa, you still have unfinished business in wrestling. No matter what people say about you, no matter what people think about you, the people that don’t even know you who have an opinion on you, you’re a wrestler, and this is what you’re meant to do, and you still have more to do.”
And I felt that. So CMLL really gave me an opportunity when I needed one most. And they welcomed me with open arms. They reminded me why I fell in love with wrestling in the first place. And Mexico, it’s become so much more than a place where I work. It’s become my home. The culture, the fans, the tradition, the passion for lucha libre.
It’s become such a huge part of my life and my happiness. I still have so many goals that I want to accomplish here. I still have so many goals that I want to accomplish in the world of wrestling. I want to hold the CMLL Women’s Championship. I want to become the first woman to win the Grand Prix twice.
I want to be in an Aniversario show. I want to win a mask in Arena México. I dream of winning someone’s hair in Arena México. But thinking of all these things, I want to continue making history in the place that’s embraced me as one of its own. Salvador and the entire CMLL staff and team, they’ve been incredible, just incredible to me since the day I arrived.
They believed in me. They supported me. They made me feel like family. And it’s clear to me that I’m not just another foreign wrestler coming to Arena México to check something off a bucket list. I’m the gringa más mexicana. And this place has truly become home.
So while this decision, it really wasn’t easy for me, guys, it felt like the right one for my life. It felt like the right one for my future. And to everyone at TNA, I’m going to be so thankful for the memories, for the opportunities, for the friendships that I’ll carry forever. And to everyone at CMLL and the incredible fans here in Mexico, thank you for making me feel like I belong when I haven’t felt like I belonged in a long time.
So this isn’t goodbye to anyone. It’s simply the beginning of a new chapter. And really, continuing a chapter. And I’m so excited to keep writing my story here. So thank you all for supporting me through every step of this journey.”

Transcript h/t: PWInsider.com

Misc. Wrestling News & Notes

Thursday’s ROH x CMLL x Stardom Global Wars Cincinnati show on HonorClub featured Takumi Iroha making her official in-ring debut in Ring of Honor. Iroha competed in a singles match against Hyan, which was won by Iroha.

Paramount recently announced that UFC drew an average of around 8,200,000 viewers for their UFC Freedom 250 event on June 14 on Paramount+. It was also announced that the event drew a total viewership of 17 million on the service. This was well under the “well above 150 million” that UFC commentator Joe Rogan had claimed for UFC’s viewership in a recent episode of his Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

PROGRESS Wrestling recently announced that Kay Lee Ray, former Alba Fyre in WWE, will be making appearances for the company at their upcoming Odyssey Tour 2026 this September. It was announced that Ray will be making an appearance at their September 6 event in Manchester, September 12th event in Bournemouth, and September 13th event in Birmingham, England.

Fan Expo recently announced that John Cena will be making an appearance for the company at their Fan Expo Canada convention on August 30 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

TNA Wrestling filed a new trademark for “Wicked Garden” on June 17 for wrestling and entertainment-related purposes to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This is the name of the hardcore style match The Hardys (Matt & Jeff Hardy) and The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) had on the June 4th episode of TNA Impact!

In a recent interview with Soundsphere Magazine, Jeff Hardy gave his thoughts about how hearing stories from fans about how the Hardys have inspired and helped their lives has continued to provide him and The Hardys motivation to continue their wrestling careers. Hardy stated “Yeah, we still, we hear it every day and it always goes ‘You probably know this and you probably hear this all the time, but y’all are my, y’all were my childhood.’ So we hear that so much, man. It still means so much of how the connection we have developed over the years and the people that still show up with love and support for us and especially me through my recovery journey. It’s always cool to hear somebody say, ‘I’m two months sober and, you’ve got a lot to do with that.’ I’m like, you know, that feels so good. It helps me every time I hear that. It just keeps me stronger to go on and keep doing what I’ve been doing for the last almost four years. So yeah, it’s just, it’s a good feeling to be as active as we are in pro wrestling and still as creative as we are and to still be kind of innovators in the craft of pro wrestling. And the fans help us with that, man. We take everything they do very seriously and things they want to see. We try our best to please each and every one of our die hardy fans.” (Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com)

As noted before, former Marigold talent Utami Hayashishita made her surprise return to Stardom this past May. In a recent interview with Stardom’s official website, Hayashishita gave her thoughts about how she had initially thought she would catch flak for returning to the company. Hayashishita stated “I thought I might feel more nostalgic or something like that, but there are so many new and unfamiliar things that I can’t get used to them at all. Right now, I’m just doing my absolute best to focus on the present. I had so many mixed feelings (being back in a STARDOM ring)… I really wanted to stand in front of (Saya) Kamitani, but I was worried that people who support STARDOM right now wouldn’t know who I was, and that even if there were people who knew Utami Hayashishita, I’m sure there would be some who didn’t think highly of me, so I was worried I would get a lot of flak. I was nervous about standing in front of Kamitani, and the nervousness of standing in front of the fans was also huge. When my entrance music started playing, there were already people who recognized me, and that made me feel relieved. I was so scared up until that point, so it was really reassuring that there were people who recognized me, and that when I came out I could hear people chanting ‘Utami…’ It felt like the fans were giving me a push from behind without even realizing it. I thought to myself, it was okay for me to come back here.”

The National Wrestling Alliance recently announced one new match for the card of their NWA 78 event on July 25 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

Kerry Morton vs. Colby Corino