WWE Eyes TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater for european Tour
WWE’s current European tour, which began on January 8th in Leipzig, Germany, and concludes on January 19th in Belfast, Ireland, has seen significant action already. Teh recent “SmackDown” event in Berlin featured a controversial title change as Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes in a grueling 3 Stages of hell match, aided by the interference of Jacob Fatu.
Potential Crossover: Slater and Evans
amidst the ongoing tour, WWE is reportedly exploring the possibility of bringing in talent from rival promotion TNA Wrestling. According to PWInsider Elite, WWE has expressed interest in TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater. The potential appearance isn’t a solo venture; discussions reportedly include pairing Slater with Je’Von Evans, who recently signed with “Raw.”
Initial reports incorrectly stated that the January 16th “Raw” would be held in London. However, the correct location for that episode of “smackdown” is Wembley Stadium in London. Evans made his “Raw” debut on January 12th, securing a victory over Bravo Americano as reported by Wrestling Inc.
Recent History and Contractual status
Slater’s recent competitive history includes a loss to Oba Femi for the NXT Championship at New Year’s Evil. Prior to that, slater teamed with Evans in tag team action, facing off against than-Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee on December 13th, and competing for the NXT tag titles against DarkState last November.
Currently, slater is reportedly under contract with TNA thru the end of the year. Despite this, he is scheduled to defend his X-Division Championship against Cedric Alexander and Moose at the Genesis pay-per-view on January 17th.Fans will also be able to catch TNA’s newly launched “Thursday Night iMPACT” on AMC, debuting live from Dallas, Texas on January 15th as announced by Wrestling Inc.
What This Could Mean for Both Promotions
WWE’s interest in Leon Slater signals a potential willingness to collaborate with, or at least scout talent from, competing promotions. this isn’t unprecedented, but it’s a notable advancement given the historical rivalry between WWE and TNA (now Impact Wrestling).Bringing in a current champion like Slater,even for a short-term appearance,would generate significant buzz and possibly expose both wrestlers to a wider audience.
For TNA,allowing Slater to appear on WWE programming could be a strategic move to increase the visibility of their brand and talent. however, it also carries the risk of WWE potentially making a long-term offer to Slater, which could lead to him leaving TNA when his contract expires.
