One of the most emotional moments at TNA Slammiversary 2025 came immediately after a title change that shocked the crowd at the UBS Arena.
In a thrilling X-Division Championship bout, Leon Slater defeated Moose to capture the title — marking a career-defining victory and becoming the youngest X-Division Champion in TNA history.
But the celebration didn’t stop there.
In a surprise moment over a decade in the making, WWE Superstar AJ Styles returned to a TNA ring for the first time since his departure in 2014. The Phenomenal One received a thunderous ovation from the Long Island crowd before grabbing a microphone to address the fans — and Slater himself.
“TNA, did you miss me? Yes. You know it’s been a long road. I am here in this ring, in this company where my name was built. I am the Phenomenal, AJ Styles. You know, there was a time when they said, you may not be able to come back. But here I am.”
Styles took a moment to reflect on the new generation of talent, directly praising Slater for his performance and resilience:
“Leon, the talent’s better than it’s ever been. Leon, don’t listen to them. You don’t deserve it. You earned it. You earned it. Leon Slater, the youngest X-Division Champion in TNA history. Let that sink in.”
“You didn’t just impress me tonight, Leon. You made me realize why I love this business. It’s guys like you who make people like me love what they do. So thank you for that.”
There’s only ONE Phenomenal @AJStylesOrg — and he just stamped his approval on the "Youngest in Charge" @LEONSLATER_!
Watch #TNASlammiversary LIVE on TNA+: https://t.co/bUyG5ln9JT pic.twitter.com/Cy6nEM08Wu
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) July 21, 2025
The show of respect from a TNA legend to one of the brand’s brightest young stars brought the crowd to its feet and cemented Slater’s victory as a landmark moment in company history. Click here for complete results.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for full TNA Slammiversary fallout, exclusive backstage updates, and the latest on AJ Styles’ future appearances.
