Published: 6 hours ago by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: 3 hours ago by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
WWE
Leon Slater has addressed his TNA Wrestling X Division Championship run ending with a tie for the longest reign in company history.
Defeating Moose at TNA Slammiversary in July of last year, Leon Slater would amass 298 days as X Division Champion, losing that title to Cedric Alexander on the May 14, 2026, episode of iMPACT!
A potential history-making reign ended, Slater would discuss that very moment in a post shared on TNA Wrestling’s YouTube page and across their social media.
Speaking with barely contained emotion, Slater would reflect on the words that have circled in his head, thanking the fans for having his back since his X Division Championship reign started.
While the fans may have elevated Slater, he would say that he may be at his lowest without the championship, reflecting on how he hasn’t felt this way since his real-life father left him as a young boy, leaving him as the man of the house despite his youth.
Revealing that the independent wrestling scene was a saving grace for Slater, he would go on to share the words that have been echoing in his mind.
Having revealed that the first two of four words going through his head were “thank you” to the fans, he would reveal that the remaining words were “I’m sorry” to his family, stating:
“I hustled on the indies, and I made my way into TNA. I didn’t just make my way into TNA, I became the youngest X-Division Champion this company had ever seen.
“And, I was never in a better position to look after my family. I was taking my mum out for dinner every single week. I was making sure my sister got exactly what she needed. I was never in a better position, and I remember, man, we had a celebration planned. We were gonna do it to the max: dinners, concerts, cinemas, everything… and I failed.
“I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t become the longest (reigning X-Division Champion). I was this close, and I failed. I failed.
“I failed, and that brings me to my other two words, and it’s: ‘I’m sorry’. I’m sorry to my mum, I’m sorry to my sister, I’m sorry to my nan because before I go out the curtain, every single time, without fail, I get down on my knee and I say a prayer, and within that prayer, every single time, I say, ‘I love you, nan. I know you’re watching down on me, and I promise you, I promise that I’m going to make you proud’ and, on May 14, I failed to do that.
“But, it goes deeper than this. This time, it goes bigger than that, because it wasn’t just my mum, my sister, my nan, my family, my friends that I disappointed. It was all of you. Every single one of you I disappointed. I told you I was going to do something and I didn’t do it.
“I don’t know what else to say apart from ‘I’m sorry’, and quite frankly I don’t know what to do because I never thought I’d feel like that lost little boy again, but I’m sat here, telling all you that that lost little boy is sat right in front of you.”
If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.
Slater’s 298 reign as X Division Champion ties him with Austin Aries, who held the title from September 11, 2011, at No Surrender until opting to vacate it to pursue a TNA World Heavyweight opportunity on July 12 the following year.
The Youngest In Charge Takes Charge
Just 21 years of age, Leon Slater is more than the Youngest In Charge, he’s a marvel to witness as an in-ring star and, as was demonstrated in the video above, an impressive and confident wordsmith.
WWE fans have witnessed Slater on both NXT and SmackDown, with the latter being a United States Championship match that saw Carmelo Hayes retain on the January 16 show in London, England. His main roster debut would come at Saturday Night’s Main Event the previous month, teaming with Je’Von Evans and taking on the pairing of AJ Styles and Dragon Lee. Quite a remarkable feat since he’s not under contract with WWE.
He may have lost to Cedric Alexander, but the veteran star would share his thoughts on Slater following their past encounter at TNA Emergence, saying that the talent of the young man surprised him. It’s comments that aren’t unique to Alexander, with other stars who have encountered Slater sharing similar opinions.
It’s no doubt that talent which brought him to the table in WWE, particularly when considering the breadth of the roster in TNA Wrestling. Following Saturday Night’s Main Event, Slater would reveal the conversation he had with Triple H after returning through Gorilla position and praised WWE for the way he was treated backstage.
It’s moments like this that show the sheer professionalism of Slater. Wise beyond his years, gifted to an entirely other level, one championship reign may have come to an end, but many more will no doubt follow.
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