Leon Slater is the epitome of what today’s professional wrestler can be.
Slater was born in England, trained in jujitsu and watched promotions from around the world, all with an eye toward taking over American rings, arenas and TV screens.
And this week might be his biggest yet. On Tuesday, he competed in an eight-man main event for NXT. Saturday, he’ll fight independent legend Amazing Red at a show in Queens, N.Y.
And Sunday comes perhaps the biggest stage of all, when he defends his X-Division championship against Je’Von Evans at TNA’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view in Lowell, Mass.
Slater has the hustle to make it big and the high-flying talent to back it up. And at age 21, he’s just getting started.
“It’s been a great couple of weeks,” Slater told the Sentinel on Wednesday. “Honestly, 2025 has been a whirlwind, man. If you had asked me in 2024 whether I’d be able to wrestle in NXT, TNA and against Amazing Red in a week, I would have told you it’s not possible in any world, right? But in 2025 we’re in a whole new universe.”
Only three years into his active career, Slater has won championships and accolades on two continents. But he’s also received public endorsements from such legends as WWE/TNA stalwart AJ Styles and frequent tag partners Matt and Jeff Hardy, and he said those kind words have meant the most to him on his journey.
Leon Slater lands a splash on Shawn Spears during a recent crossover episode of NXT. (Courtesy TNA Wrestling)
“Something that proved to me that I was on the right path was when I started getting paired with Matt and Jeff, because that’s not just a spot for anyone,” Slater said. “Maybe as a one-time thing, but not consistently. And the AJ Styles moment was also huge. Having the respect of my peers and having these legends sing my praises and want to work with me is a huge, huge compliment in my book.”
Slater said he didn’t have access to weekly wrestling on TV growing up but learned to love it through DVDs and action figures. He was no stranger to hand-to-hand combat, having trained in jujitsu since age 8, so as soon as he got the chance, he watched all the wrestling he could.
“Territory wrestling from the ’80s, or old World of Sport stuff from England in the ’60s, or whether that’s All Japan, New Japan, lucha libre or some super-obscure French wrestling from the 1970s with trampolines and stuff, I try my best to be a student of the game.”
That versatility shows in his work, and it made him one of the most buzzed-about men in wrestling even before he made it to American television.
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“I see how other people have done it in the past,” Slater said, “and I try to not only follow that, but try to evolve it into a bit more of a modern space where we have social media and the internet.”
While Slater was learning the trade in England, Je’Von Evans was doing much the same in North Carolina. Only five months apart in age, both have a deep aerial arsenal. Evans joined NXT nearly two years ago, and thanks to its enhanced alliance with TNA, a sort of hardcore fans’ dream match will take place Sunday at Bound for Glory.
“We’re almost alternate universe versions of each other, where I’m the English Je’Von Evans, and he’s the American Leon Slater,” Slater said. “It’s almost like wrestling a mirror. So that’s an interesting concept and I’m excited to deliver on everyone’s expectations.”
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Slater is still based in the UK, but he’s been staying in Orlando for the last several weeks during his NXT run. He said he’s enjoyed the warm weather and the sights. He’ll be around for at least a little while longer, as TNA will run three shows at Full Sail University from Nov. 13-15.
“I’ve been super lucky to have a rental car, so I’ve been exploring the city with my friends driving around,” Slater said. “I haven’t made it to the theme parks, though I have been to Universal (CityWalk) and Disney Springs. But before I leave, I’m definitely getting on a roller coaster or two.”
But first he has to get through this week, full of milestones and moments.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to really soak it in,” Slater said. “It sounds a bit morbid, but I could walk outside today and get hit by a bus and never get the chance to do this again. So especially on big, monumental stuff like that …. I try and take in the environment and I won’t watch the match back for a few days, maybe longer, just so I can have that first-person memory and see it through my own eyes.”
jreddick@orlandosentinel.com