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AJ Styles appears at TNA Slammiversary, addresses new champion

Posted: Jul 21st 2025 By: Josh Nason

For the first time in more than 11 years, AJ Styles made his return to a TNA ring as part of Sunday’s Slammiversary pay-per-view.

The current WWE star appeared after Leon Slater defeated Moose for the X-Division title, putting over Slater as the youngest X-Division champion in company history.

Coming out to his TNA era music, Styles said there was one point where he was told he may never come back and that the lights are a little bit brighter now, the noise is a little bit louder now, and the talent is better than it’s ever been. He then told Slater that he didn’t deserve the X-Division title. Rather, he earned it.

Styles talked about his past and ran down a list of former X-Division champions, saying they were the foundation but that Slater is the future and made history tonight. Now, he needs to make his legacy.

Styles got a “one last match” chant, but said he would talk about that at a different time. He last wrestled in the company back in December 2013.

Slater’s win gives him his first TNA title of any kind and ends the 267-day reign of Moose that dates back to October 2024. He had 18 successful title defenses in his first run with the gold.