Former WWE Star Shotzi Blackheart Withdraws From CMLL Tour Following Family Tragedy

It's been a week of change for Shotzi Blackheart's career, as she's made the move from MLW to TNA after appearing on the latter's TV tapings on Tuesday. Unfortunately, it has also been a trying week for Blackheart in her personal life, one that will be affecting a booking she had next week. Taking to X on Wednesday morning, Blackheart revealed that her brother, Dean, had passed away last Sunday night. Blackheart further stated that now that her booking obligations for this week had been fulfilled, she would be taking time off to be with family and "honor my brother's memory," announcing that she would be pulling out of the CMLL Women's Gran Prix as a result.

"It was a huge honor to be selected for the CMLL Grand Prix, and I don't take that opportunity lightly," Blackheart said. "Thank you to everyone at CMLL and the fans for understanding how hard all this is for me."

It was just seven months ago that Blackheart's brother was in the news after the former MLW Women's Featherweight Champion revealed that he had gone missing in California after stumbling away from a car accident. He was found shortly after and hospitalized. Blackheart has credited her brother with helping her become a wrestling fan as a child, as she would watch matches and play wrestling video games with him.

It's the second family loss Blackheart has suffered in the last five years, having lost her father in 2021. At the moment, it is unclear who will replace Blackheart in CMLL Gran Prix next week. It will be the second time CMLL has had to make a change to the lineup after Lady Frost was removed from the match and replaced by Masha Slamovich last week after Frost departed MLW.

Wrestling Inc. would like to offer its condolences to Blackheart during this difficult time.