During the 2025 TNA Bound For Glory pay-per-view event, Leon Slater defended his X-Division Championship against WWE NXT star Je’Von Evans in a highly praised bout that ended in controversy. The finish saw interference from NXT’s DarkState faction, resulting in a no contest — a decision that drew criticism from fans online.
According to Jon Alba of SI.com, multiple sources confirmed that WWE had a “significant” influence on the booking direction of the match. While WWE and TNA (as well as AEW) are said to collaborate closely on shared appearances as part of their current partnerships, Alba noted that WWE has “a lot of pull” when its wrestlers are featured on TNA programming.
Alba also reported the following: “The Takedown on SI was told that, even before the positive reception to the Bound For Glory match, it was widely believed that Evans and Slater would have another singles match at some point soon. One source specifically pointed to NXT Halloween Havoc as having been discussed as a possible show to run the match back on. The two recently tagged together as well against The Culling on NXT in September.”
If the rematch materializes, it could mark one of the first instances of a TNA championship rivalry continuing on WWE programming, further highlighting the evolving cross-promotional landscape in professional wrestling.
