Many Within WWE Expecting Leon Slater To Join NXT

Leon Slater is currently one of the top stars in TNA Wrestling and he is in his first reign as TNA World Champion, having won the belt from Nic Nemeth at Bound for Glory, but people within WWE don't believe he will be a part of TNA for the long haul.

PWInsider has reported that many within WWE have expected Leon Slater to eventually make his way to NXT for some time. Some in the company are already waiting to see what happens with Slater following his TNA World Title win, with some in WWE believing the 22-year-old's TNA deal expires at the end of 2026.

There is curiosity within WWE, however, as to whether Slater will agree to a short-term extension with TNA in order to have a main event run, similar to Cruz Montana/Mike Santana, or quickly drop the TNA World Championship.

Leon Slater has been a part of TNA Wrestling since 2023, when he signed a three-year deal with the organisation. The expectation within TNA dating back to the spring of 2026 was that Slater would sign with WWE or AEW when his contract with TNA expires.

Leon Slater has already made several appearances on WWE TV as part of the WWE NXT-TNA working relationship. This included Slater wrestling at the December 13, 2025, episode of WWE Saturday Night's Main Event that featured John Cena's last match and Slater challenging Oba Femi for the NXT Championship at New Year's Evil 2026. Slater's most recent WWE appearance took place on the January 16, 2026, episode of SmackDown when he faced Carmelo Hayes for the WWE United States Championship.