Amazing Red has already made a major statement in TNA by capturing the vacant X-Division Championship at Bound For Glory, but the veteran is not ruling out an even bigger goal down the road. Following Leon Slater’s breakthrough TNA World Championship victory at the same event, Red has acknowledged that watching the young star reach the top of the company has made a possible world-title pursuit feel more attainable.
Slater closed Bound For Glory by defeating Nic Nemeth to win the TNA World Championship. It was a defining result for Slater, who had previously held the X-Division Championship before relinquishing it in order to receive his world-title opportunity. Earlier on the card, Amazing Red won the vacant X-Division Title, putting one of TNA’s most historic divisions back in the hands of a performer synonymous with its high-energy style.
The two championship developments naturally invite comparisons, even if Red is making clear that he is not looking past the task directly in front of him. The new X-Division Champion explained that a TNA World Championship chase was not something he had always considered to be within his expected range. However, Slater’s success has changed the way he views the possibility.
“I would like to be next for sure,” Red said when asked about potentially pursuing the TNA World Championship.
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That response was not presented as a declaration that Red is immediately calling his shot or demanding a match. Instead, it reflected the confidence that can come from seeing another X-Division standout make the jump to the main event level. Slater’s title win stands as a particularly meaningful example because of his age, his rapid progression, and the path that led him from X-Division Champion to TNA World Champion.
Leon Slater’s Rise Has Resonated With Amazing Red
Red spoke highly of Slater’s ability and mentality, emphasizing that the new world champion’s performance has motivated him personally. He described Slater as someone who is not only gifted in the ring but also intelligent and mature in the way he approaches his career.
For Red, that combination is significant. The X-Division has long been defined by wrestlers who challenge expectations through speed, athleticism, innovation, and a willingness to take risks. Slater’s move from that environment into the world-title picture reinforces the idea that the division can be a platform rather than a ceiling. Red indicated that seeing Slater hold the top championship makes him believe he can aim for the same destination.
“He motivates me to get better and to do better,” Red said of Slater.
That is an especially notable sentiment from a wrestler with Amazing Red’s standing in the X-Division. Rather than framing the younger champion solely as competition, Red has acknowledged the inspiration he takes from Slater’s ascent. The result is a compelling dynamic for TNA: its current X-Division Champion is being pushed forward by the example set by the man who vacated that very title to become world champion.
There is no confirmed match, challenger designation, or timetable attached to Red’s comments. Still, the possibility is now on the table in his own words. If Red continues to build momentum as X-Division Champion, a future confrontation with Slater would carry a clear story: a decorated division standard-bearer pursuing the championship held by a younger talent who has already turned X-Division excellence into a world-title triumph.
The X-Division Championship Remains the Immediate Priority
While Red is open to the idea of eventually chasing the TNA World Championship, he did not downplay the importance of the title he just won. He stressed that the X-Division Championship is difficult to retain in the current environment, signaling that his attention remains fixed on establishing his reign and defending against the challenges that come with the championship.
“We’ll go step by step, little by little,” Red said, adding that the X-Division title is “a hard thing to hold on to right now.”
That measured approach fits the circumstances. Red did not simply inherit a settled division; he won a vacant championship at a major TNA event. A vacancy creates opportunity, but it also brings immediate pressure. Every contender has reason to believe the championship can be claimed, and every defense becomes an opportunity for a new name to take control of the division.
Red’s acknowledgment of that challenge is important because it keeps the focus on the championship he currently holds. A world-title ambition can be a motivating long-term target, but the X-Division Title gives him a concrete responsibility in the present. His first goal is to prove that his Bound For Glory victory was the beginning of a meaningful reign rather than simply a memorable moment on a night filled with title changes.
The distinction also matters in terms of Slater’s own recent history. Slater relinquished the X-Division Championship because a TNA World Title opportunity was in front of him. He made the most of that chance by defeating Nemeth. Red now holds the title Slater left behind, and he is watching the outcome of Slater’s decision closely. The parallel does not mean Red will follow precisely the same path, but it gives his comments added context.
A Potential Champion-versus-Champion Story
If Amazing Red and Leon Slater eventually meet with the TNA World Championship at stake, the match would be rooted in more than Red simply wanting another title. It would involve the connection between the X-Division and the TNA World Championship, Slater’s decision to vacate the former in pursuit of the latter, and Red’s desire to use that example as motivation for his own growth.
Red’s comments also leave room for the relationship between the two wrestlers to develop in multiple directions. At present, his words are complimentary. He sees Slater’s achievement as evidence that a bigger goal can be pursued, and he has credited the world champion with motivating him. But respect often becomes more complicated once a championship opportunity is on the line. A future title match could test whether that admiration remains intact when Red is standing across the ring from the wrestler whose success helped inspire his next ambition.
For Slater, a potential defense against Red would offer another chance to define the identity of his world-title reign. Beating Nic Nemeth to win the championship gave him a landmark victory. Defending it against the reigning X-Division Champion would present a different kind of challenge, particularly against someone who understands the importance and demands of that division.
For Red, the upside is clear. His immediate mission is to carry the X-Division Championship through what he expects to be a difficult stretch of defenses. Yet he has now publicly identified the TNA World Championship as a goal he is willing to consider. He is not portraying it as guaranteed, and he is not bypassing the work required to reach that level. Rather, he sees Slater’s Bound For Glory moment as proof that the door is open.
Red Has Another Ambitious Idea in Mind
The possibility of pursuing Slater is not the only major idea Amazing Red has discussed recently. In October, Red spoke about the prospect of bringing AJ Styles out of retirement. That comment underscored the scale of Red’s thinking as he moves forward in TNA, though there is no indication within his latest remarks that the Styles possibility is connected to his championship plans.
For now, the clearest takeaway is that Bound For Glory changed Red’s outlook. Winning the vacant X-Division Championship gave him a title to defend and a division to lead. Watching Leon Slater defeat Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Championship gave him a new source of motivation. Red is proceeding carefully, but he is no longer treating a world-title chase as outside the realm of possibility.
That makes the next phase of his X-Division reign worth watching. Every successful defense can strengthen his position, build his confidence, and bring greater attention to the question he has now entertained: whether the current X-Division Champion could someday follow Leon Slater’s example and challenge for TNA’s biggest prize.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.