Uhaa Nation (Apollo Crews) Admits He Was Reluctant To Lose At TNA Slammiversary 2026

After years of losing in WWE, Uhaa Nation - FKA Apollo Crews - has admitted he was reluctant to lose at TNA Slammiversary 2026, which ultimately led to him being booked in a three-way at the pay-per-view where he didn't take the pin.

Addressing his TNA debut, Nation noted that he was still within his 90-day WWE non-compete clause following his release, but he was able to work Slammiversary after TNA reached out to WWE. The former Apollo Crews was initially cold on working for TNA, though, as the original plan was for him to lose in a singles match against Mustafa Ali.

"Shortly after that, Ali had called me and presented the same idea and it was like, 'I think they're trying to get me and you to work at Slammiversary. Now, the issue is, would you be okay losing?' At the time I wasn't even sure if I wanted to wrestle because this was not even a month after the release. My response to him was, 'I spent my whole career losing at WWE. The first thing outside of WWE that I don't want to do is lose.' He respected my answer. He was like, 'I completely respect that. I would have said the same thing.' Again, I get a call from Moose shortly after that. He’s like, 'They’re saying you don't want to do the match?' I was like, 'Hold up. I didn't say I don’t want to do the match. I just said I don't think that I want to come in there and lose after losing literally every single match since before I tore my pec,'" Nation recalled on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.

"Eventually, what they ended up doing was, 'Okay we can do a three-way with you, Rich Swann, and Mustafa Ali, where you end up not taking the pin. We just want you to come out here and want you to have a good match.' Talking to my wife, I was like, 'This would be something good, I think where it's just kind of like I need that opportunity where the spotlight will be on me again.' I always enjoyed performing. I love going out there and being the centre of focus for that moment. That was something I enjoyed."

After multiple teases, Uhaa Nation made his TNA debut as Santino Marella's selection to challenge Mustafa Ali for the TNA International Championship, with Rich Swan being Daria Rae's choice to make the match a three-way. The former WWE Intercontinental Champion wasn't pinned, with Ali retaining after pinning Rich Swann, but Uhaa Nation did end the match buried under steel steps.

Uhaa Nation has not wrestled for TNA since Slammiversary as he went on vacation following the pay-per-view, and he has only had one match in Dragongate since July. The former Apollo Crews was happy to work with "two good friends" in Rich Swann and Mustafa Ali at Slammiversary, though.

"I just kind of took my vacation after that. I've booked some things here and there, but wrestling hasn't really been the centre focus of my life currently. I'm glad I had that opportunity because I got to work with two studs, two amazing human beings. Rich Swann's somebody that I used to work with in Dragongate before either one of us had got signed to WWE. Two good friends and really, really enjoyed what we got to do. And it was nice to get that I'll say the internet pop again, too, and just to be talked about again. That's very nice. I don't think that gets old for anybody," Uhaa Nation added. 

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