Leon Slater delivered an emotional message to fans following his historic TNA World Championship victory at Bound For Glory 2026, reflecting on his journey through professional wrestling and encouraging others to pursue their dreams regardless of their age or experience.
The 22-year-old defeated Nic Nemeth to capture the TNA World Championship during Sunday’s pay-per-view at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida, becoming the youngest World Champion in TNA Wrestling history.
After the event went off the air, Slater addressed the live crowd in a heartfelt speech that was captured by a fan and subsequently shared on social media.
Slater reflected on the years of dedication that led to his championship triumph, revealing that he had been working toward his wrestling ambitions since he was just nine years old.
“I’m supposed to [be the] big World Champion now,” Slater began. “I don’t hear my words right now man. I mean I’ve been chasing this. I’ve been training for this. I’ve been working for this since I was nine years old. Oh, I am. Oh, I have in this game of pro wrestling and life.”
The new champion then addressed the difficulties younger people often encounter when trying to establish themselves professionally, particularly when opportunities are limited by expectations surrounding age and experience.
“I’m sure a lot of people in here from the land we’re always told that we’re too young,” he said. “We’re always told that we’re not experienced enough but yet they won’t give us the experience.”
Slater explained that he had experienced similar setbacks before achieving success in wrestling, recalling a period when he struggled to find employment despite repeatedly submitting applications.
“I remember a time before this,” Slater continued. “Before I was lucky enough to live the life I do, I was applying for jobs left, right and center. Every single time it said, ‘Leon, your application was great but you don’t have enough experience. You’re too young.’”
With the TNA World Championship now in his possession, Slater used his achievement to demonstrate the importance of perseverance and believing in personal ambitions.
He concluded by delivering an inspirational message to fans of all ages, referencing the famous phrase “The world is yours” from the 1983 film Scarface.
“Now I’ve got a big f*cking gold belt in my hand to say this is my experience,” Slater said. “I say to everyone in here young, middle aged, old, baby, pensioner, retired, if you can see it in here and you can speak it through here, the world is yours.”
Slater later shared the fan-recorded footage on X, accompanying the video with the caption, “The world is yours.”
His victory over Nemeth at Bound For Glory marked the biggest accomplishment of his career to date, as he surpassed Tessa Blanchard’s previous record to become TNA’s youngest World Champion at 22 years old.
The emotional post-show speech provided a personal conclusion to a historic night for Slater, who now begins his first reign at the top of TNA Wrestling.
. @LEONSLATER_ shares what it means to be #TNA Champion and gives words of advice to anyone chasing a dream. #TNABoundForGlory https://t.co/T5XqYfZPSo
— Scott Fishman (@smFISHMAN) October 12, 2026
