The WWE and TNA Wrestling partnership could take another huge step if one major champion has his way.
Current X-Division Champion Leon Slater is carrying on the legacy of wrestling legends like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels, and he wants to continue the title’s rich history.
He defended the gold on NXT last week against Channing ‘Stacks’ Lorenzo, but he exclusively told Metro he has an opponent in mind if he gets to appear on Raw or SmackDown.
‘As you were asking that, the first person that sprung to mind, especially when it comes to an X-Division style championship match, I think Montez Ford would be an excellent addition to the X Division,’ he said.
‘He’s definitely the top of my list right now, as you asked that question.’
Leon pointed out that WWE has a ‘stacked’ roster across Raw and SmackDown, while he’s already getting a taste of NXT, and TNA has its own long list of potential challengers.
‘Man, the main roster is stacked right now. Professional wrestling is stacked right now,’ he added. ‘I’m open and I’m ready for all challengers.’
At just 21 years old, the British wrestler has already had a taste of the WWE machine with a handful of NXT appearances under his belt.
‘It was incredible, man. Like, honestly, I think 99% of wrestlers grew up watching WWE, and that’s the goal for, I would say, again, like 99% of wrestlers,’ he explained.
He loved getting the chance to work at the Performance Center and tap into the minds of the likes of WWE Hall of Famer, and NXT boss, Shawn Michaels.
‘For me to get to go and learn from that system, and be in that system, for these past couple of weeks at 21 – I’m living the dream, man,’ he beamed.
‘This year really has been strength to strength for me, and I’m glad that I finally got to put that feather in the cap and say that I’ve wrestled for WWE.’
While Leon is firmly focused on building his legacy with the X-Division Title, he would also like to make history as the first TNA wrestler to answer the United States Championship Open Challenge.
Speaking before Sami Zayn lost the title to the returning Ilja Dragunov earlier this month, Leon admitted anything was possible.
‘I would love to be the first. I think that would be amazing. And obviously, with this partnership with TNA and WWE, you never know where the possibilities end,’ he said.
‘In 2025 I truly believe that anything is possible in the world of professional wrestling. All the doors are being knocked down, and there’s a lot of opportunity out there. I’m ready to grab it.’
UK & Ireland fans can watch Bound For Glory on Sunday at midnight using an exclusive new TNA+ VIP Tier, which includes every PLE and PPV, all episodes of iMPACT! Access and the entire TNA library.
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