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Impact Wrestling issued the following:
IMPACT WRESTLING TO MAKE HISTORY AS TESSA BLANCHARD CHALLENGES SAMI CALLIHAN FOR THE IMPACT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT ‘HARD TO KILL’ ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 12
The Groundbreaking Event Marks the First Time in Professional Wrestling History that a Woman will Challenge for a Promotion’s Top Championship Live on Pay-Per-View
NEW YORK CITY - (November 8, 2019) IMPACT Wrestling, a subsidiary of the leading independent multi-platform media company Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc., announced today in New York City that third-generation superstar Tessa Blanchard will take on bitter rival Sami Callihan for the IMPACT World Championship in a historic main event matchup at the promotion’s upcoming Hard To Kill pay-per-view event on Sunday, January 12, 2020, at The Bomb Factory in Dallas, TX. The bout marks the first time in professional wrestling that a woman will challenge a man for the top title live on pay-per-view. Callihan and Blanchard were both in attendance today, joined by several IMPACT Wrestling officials.
Titanium tickets for Hard To Kill at The Bomb Factory officially go on sale on Nov. 15 and general admission tickets will be going on sale on Nov. 18.
The title fight will not be the first time that the foes have faced off in the ring. Their bitter rivalry extends back to Slammiversary XVII, where Callihan was able to overcome a tremendous effort from Blanchard and pin her after unleashing a vicious arsenal of DDTs and piledrivers. Since that unforgettable showdown, Callihan defeated Brian Cage to claim possession of the IMPACT World Championship on the debut of IMPACT! on AXS TV in November.
“IMPACT Wrestling has always been a trailblazer in the professional wrestling world, from our Knockouts division to never-before-seen matches like Ultimate X,” said Scott D’Amore, executive vice president of IMPACT Wrestling. “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. On January 12th, she will get the opportunity to make history when she challenges for the World Championship live on pay-per-view.”
“I intend to become the first female World Champion in IMPACT Wrestling history on January 12th at Hard To Kill,” Blanchard said. “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. I’ve earned this shot, and I won’t stop until I’m raising that belt up high for all of my doubters to see.”
“I’ll give Tessa credit for one thing: she’s not afraid to make herself look like a fool on national television,” Callihan said. “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.”
For more information about IMPACT Wrestling’s Hard To Kill, visit www.impactwrestling.com.
About AXS TV
AXS TV is a leading music, entertainment, sports and lifestyle U.S. cable network in 50 million homes controlled by Anthem Sports & Entertainment and originally founded by entrepreneur Mark Cuban. AXS TV’s programming appeals to an impassioned fanbase, delivering eclectic content in a wide variety of areas including music performances, celebrity interviews, pop culture, combat sports, and professional wrestling. The channel is the home of IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world’s largest entertainment properties; as well as original programming featuring legendary newsman Dan Rather; music icon Sammy Hagar; and music virtuoso Paul Shaffer, among many others. AXS TV is currently available nationally in the United States and parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. For a list of providers, visit axs.tv/subscribe. For more information, see www.axs.tv. Press information is available at axstvmediacenter.com.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a globally integrated multi-platform media company with offices and studios in New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Nashville. Anthem's portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading music, entertainment and lifestyle channel available in over 50 million U.S. homes originally founded by Mark Cuban in 2001; Fight Network, the world's premier combat sports channel now broadcasting in the U.S., Canada and over 20 other countries; IMPACT Wrestling, one of the world's leading wrestling organizations seen in 120 countries and specializing in television programs, events, products, merchandise, music, as well as the management and promotion of professional wrestlers; IMPACT Plus, a multi-platform digital SDVOD service featuring live monthly premium network specials, instant access to the 3,000-plus hour IMPACT Wrestling library, original series, reality shows and documentaries, exclusive events from international promotional partners and historical content from old territories; GameTV, featuring game shows, reality series, movies and sports available in over nine million homes; Game+, the home for fantasy sports gaming news and information, action sports, E-sports, high stakes poker and other action driven programming; and HDNet Movies, which features theatrically released films and documentaries and is available in 12 million U.S. homes. Anthem also has a significant ownership interest in Pursuit Channel, one of the top outdoor channels in the U.S. available in 45 million homes and on digital platforms.
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