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WWE fans have been introduced to several TNA stars over the course of the past few years, thanks to the partnership between Total Nonstop Action and the NXT brand. While Mike Santana, Moose, and more have certainly impressed, it's the X-Division Champion, Leon Slater, who has captured the fans by storm.
WWE and TNA announced a multi-year partnership back in January after over a year of TNA talents popping up in NXT and vice versa. It's been an interesting deal so far, giving both fanbases opportunities to see names they wouldn't see live otherwise. One of those names, Leon Slater, has been a shining light of the deal.
The youngest-ever X-Division Champion, and youngest-ever TNA champion in general, will compete at Saturday Night's Main Event, teaming up with fellow young megastar Je'Von Evans, to take on World Tag Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. Speaking to our own Kevin Kellam, Slater is soaking up the opportunity for all it's worth. At one point, something like this seemed impossible, but the NXT-TNA deal has changed things.
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"All the NXT stuff we've been doing seems possible. TNA and NXT have been working together, right? But to be on John Cena's last show...and there's limited spots. Right now, there's only four matches announced, and I'm one of the competitors in those four matches, you know?" [8:30-8:48]
It's a special chance for any TNA talent to face one of, if not the greatest, TNA names of all time. Slater sees the vision, the guy who made TNA, taking on, hopefully, the man who can lead TNA.
"Not only that. It's against, like you said, 'Mr. TNA.' So I feel like there's two generational clashes of the guy that made TNA and hopefully the guy that's gonna take TNA into the future in 2026. And of course, we can't miss out on Dragon Lee, who, like you say, is one of the greatest luchadors on the planet, and he always has a point to prove." [9:12-9:30]
Part of this is thanks to his exciting partnership and friendship with WWE's Young OG.
Leon Slater on his newfound friendship with WWE's fellow young shining star Je'Von Evans
The Youngest in Charge has formed a fantastic tag team with Je'Von Evans, giving us two of the greatest 21-and-under stars in all of professional wrestling. But it's not just their tag team work that's wowed fans.
Back at Bound For Glory in October, Je'Von Evans challenged Leon Slater for the X-Division Championship. Despite a rocky ending, with DarkState ruining the fun, fans in the building and at home recognized they were witnessing a return to the X-Division peak days of old. But past the competition, it's the friendship these two have formed that's taken them both to the next level.
"I'm so happy that it's me and Je'Von because I wouldn't want it to happen with anyone else. I feel like since I've started working with NXT and since we've had that match at Bound For Glory, we've become real friends, you know? So it's cool to have such a big opportunity with one of my best friends." [8:54-9:11]
Don't miss the epic clash between WWE's World Tag Team Champions and the youngest studs in the game at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event!
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