Leon Slater, 22, Becomes Youngest TNA World Champion Ever
Slater beat Nic Nemeth in the Bound for Glory main event in Tampa on Sunday night, becoming the youngest world champion in company history.
Leon Slater beat Nic Nemeth on Sunday night to win the TNA World Championship at Bound for Glory. At 22, he is the youngest world champion in company history.
The main event ran about 18 minutes at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. Nemeth kicked out of Slater’s first Swanton 450 and hit his Danger Zone finisher. Slater countered a second Danger Zone attempt into a Blue Thunder Bomb, followed Nemeth to the floor with a dive, then hit another Swanton 450 for the pin.
The win ends Nemeth’s second reign and gives Slater his first world title. He is the first wrestler born in the 21st century to hold a world championship in TNA. The previous age record belonged to Tessa Blanchard, who won the title at 24 in January 2020.
Slater set up the match himself. He vacated the TNA X Division Championship at Lockdown in August, invoking the title’s “Option C” clause to trade the belt for a world title shot at Bound for Glory. He is a two-time X Division champion.
Slater, from Bradford, England, signed with TNA in 2023. He has also appeared for WWE’s NXT and SmackDown through the two companies’ working relationship.
Elsewhere on the show
Nine matches were contested at the event. Jason Hotch won the TNA International Championship in a four-way. Amazing Red won the vacant X Division title in a seven-way scramble. ODB, Amazing Red, and Konnan were inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame, and Shayna Baszler, Max Caster, and Erick Redbeard all debuted for the company.
