Leon Slater officially joined TNA Wrestling during the promotion’s 2023 UK tour, since then, he’s teamed with the Hardys and gone to war with The System while keeping the TNA X Division Championship in his sights.
Slater will get another shot at the championship at TNA’s upcoming Rebellion pay-per-view in an Ultimate X match. However, first, TNA has it’s Unbreakable special which takes place on WrestleMania weekend (2025). We sat down with Leon Slater to see how he’s feeling about his TNA career so far and his plans for the future.
How would you describe your time with TNA Wrestling so far?
“It’s been amazing, man. There’s been times where I’m teaming with my heroes, and I’m wrestling people I’ve liked since I was growing up, and at such a young age, it’s something that I’m super, super grateful for. But yeah, if I was, if I was to encapsulate my experience so far into one word, it would be special, for sure.”
“In the UK, if you didn’t have Sky Sports, you were a TNA kid, right? Like, whether that was on Challenge, Bravo or Spike or, like, for myself, I found a lot of the stuff on YouTube. So I’ve definitely grew up as a TNA kid, which not only am I proud to say, but I’m even prouder to say that I am a member of the TNA roster. Like, I’m a TNA wrestler right now. I love that.”
Slater is a master of aerial offensive.
You’re a regular fixture on North Wrestling here in the UK, you know, the current TNA World Champion is also a North guy, is that something you ever consider?
“Absolutely. I think me and Joe have followed very similar paths, and I think we can relate to each other quite a lot. You know, both coming from the UK and both having to not deal with the different challenges that being from here with goals of working in America present.”
“Whether that’s visa stuff or flight costs or just getting companies to take notice of us on this little island over here. You know, I think we can relate to each other a lot. I spend a lot of time with Joe, he’s someone that I’m very glad to sit underneath and learn from. So I think a matchup between myself and Mr. Hendry, whether that’s in TNA or whether that’s in North is very, very intriguing. And I think people would want to see it.”
Was joining one of the biggest wrestling promotions in the world a shock to the system?
“This is something that I’ve been working towards and preparing for pretty much my whole life, so it was always something I was expecting to have to do, if that makes sense, but I’d be a fool if I didn’t say it was different, right? Like, not only am I surrounded by some of the best young talent in the world, whether that’s KC Navarro, or the Northern Armoury. I‘ve also got actual legends of the game surrounding me.”
“Like, I was mixing up with Nick Nemeth, someone who I’ve grew up watching. We’ve got the Hardys with us. We’ve got guys like Eddie Edwards, like JDC, like Moose, that have really done and seen it all. So I wouldn’t say it was so much of a shock, but it certainly has been different challenges, and it’s certainly on a bigger scale.”
Before the Rebellion PPV, there’s TNA Unbreakable. With the WWE partnership, does it feel like TNA is officially part of WrestleMania weekend this year?
“It definitely does, I didn’t even really think about it like that until you mentioned it, but I think obviously the wrestling world kind of cultivates itself around wherever Mania is, and TNA has always done that. But with this partnership with NXT and WWE, it feels like we’re a lot more on the inside, rather than the outside looking in.”
“With people like Ethan Page coming over to face Kazarian and Joe Hendry in the main event, and that there’s still a couple spots in Ultimate X to fill, so who knows who’s going to show up? The possibilities are endless this year, and I think it’s definitely brings a lot more intrigue to both of our products, whether that’s NXT or TNA. So it’s, it’s nice to be included within WrestleMania week, almost as a part of the family.”
Slater will face five other opponents at TNA Rebellion in an Ultimate X match.
You’ll be competing for the X Division Championship at TNA Rebellion, and if you win, you’ll be unseating Amazing Red as the youngest champion in TNA history. What are your thoughts on this?
“It’s my second chance at the X Division Championship. And not only that, but it’s my second chance to become the youngest X Division Champion that this company has ever seen. And to get my name to the record books, which has been something that I’ve had my eyes on since I signed the dotted line with TNA, and kind of encapsulates what the youngest in charge is all about. And I think not if, but when that happens, it’ll certainly be some validation for me, and I’d be extremely proud to hold that title, not only representing myself, or representing everyone from the UK as well.”
“Amazing Red, he was definitely one of the pioneers of the X Division, and is someone that people heavily correlate to it, so getting the chance to knock him off the top of the records and be that person for a whole new generation – that’s something I’m not only excited to do, but something I would be very proud to do. Because, although we have to celebrate the legends of the past and appreciate them for all they’ve done, and don’t get me wrong, I’m extremely grateful for everything Red’s done, he really is a pioneer.”
“But I think there also has to be a time where new legends take over. And I’d be more than willing, I really do think I am that person to set the tone for a new generation. And I think we could see that happen at Rebellion.”
TNA Unbreakable will take place on April 17, 2025, at the Cox Pavilion in Paradise, Nevada, over WrestleMania weekend while TNA Rebellion will take place on April 27, 2025, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California. Both will air live on TNA+
