Leon Slater Reflects on Winning the X-Division Title, Thinks John Cena Is the GOAT

As previously reported, reigning TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater earned a title shot at WWE NXT Champion Oba Femi at NXT New Year’s Evil. During a recent appearance on The A2theK Wrestling Show ahead of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, Slater discussed his X-Division Title win and opportunities in WWE NXT through the TNA Wrestling crossover. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

Leon Slater on Winning the X-Division Title

“It’s been crazy man. Like, even just zooming in on that moment itself…forgetting the AJ Styles stuff happens afterwards, forgetting the whole run that I’ve been on. Like, just the moment of becoming the youngest X-Division Champion of all time, with my family in the crowd in a big, big arena, which at the time was the most attended Slammiversary, you know? It’s one of those things where you always kind of picture it and you always see it, for myself I did at least. And I almost liken it to the birth of your first child, you know what I’m saying? You always imagine what it would be like to have your son, have your daughter, and when they finally come there, it’s like ‘Oh. Well, what the hell do I do now?’ So it was a very, very surreal moment, and I’m glad I was surrounded by such good people when it happened.”

His Thoughts on John Cena

“I think it’s another one of these things that’s going to hit me…a few months down the line, when it’s all kind of said and done, you know?” Slater said. “But I think…right now it’s like ‘This guy is the greatest to do what I’ve spent my life trying to do,’ you know what I’m saying? So it’s almost…I don’t want to say a culmination of my life’s work, because I hope it keeps getting better and better, and we keep going higher and high. But up to this point, being recognized by the greatest of all time and being selected for a very limited spot, like I was saying before, by the man himself…I would imagine he had a say in it at least, is extremely surreal. And it’s even more surreal that I’m obviously still with TNA. You would think those spots would be reserved for main roster talent only, and the fact that I’ve come in as sort of an outsider, and I’ve managed to get a spot on that card is just insane.”

At WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event last weekend, Slater teamed with Je’Von Evans in a losing effort against reigning World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. Slater challenges Oba Femi for the NXT Championship at the WWE NXT Near Year’s Evil 2026 special on January 6, 2026. It will air live on The CW.