Leon Slater has identified a singles match with Jeff Hardy as the dream bout he most wants at this point in his career.
Slater has rapidly become one of the central figures in TNA, rising through the roster to hold both the X-Division Championship and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Along the way, he has aligned himself with The Hardy Bros, creating a connection with two of the performers who helped define the high-risk, innovative style that has long resonated with Slater’s own in-ring approach.
That association has made a potential showdown with Jeff Hardy especially meaningful. Speaking with The Extreme Channel, Slater was asked to name his dream match. After acknowledging how difficult the choice was and reflecting on the goals he has already achieved, the champion settled on Hardy as his answer.
“Man, that’s another tough one. I feel like I’ve ticked a lot of them off, you know. I’ll say my dream match right now… Man, you’re killing me here. This is super tough. There’s so many people out there to choose from. Jeff Hardy. Yeah, I’ve still never got my singles. I’ve still never got my singles.”
For more background on this topic, read Amazing Red Sees Leon Slater’s TNA World Title Win as Inspiration for a Future Chase.
The key point in Slater’s answer is that he and Hardy have not yet had the one-on-one contest he wants. Their current alignment has placed them on the same side, while Hardy has also been among the established names who have recognized Slater’s talent. A singles match would therefore carry a different kind of significance from simply sharing a locker room, appearing in the same group, or working together as allies.
For Slater, it would be an opportunity to stand across the ring from an idol in a setting that puts the full focus on their individual styles, their athleticism, and the respect built through their connection in TNA. It would also give fans a direct generational matchup between an established star whose career has influenced countless wrestlers and a champion continuing to build his own legacy.
A Dream Match With Personal Meaning
Dream matches can mean different things to different wrestlers. Some are driven by championship stakes, some by an opponent’s reputation, and others by a stylistic contrast. Slater’s choice of Jeff Hardy appears rooted in a combination of admiration and unfinished business. He did not present the idea as a hypothetical attraction involving a distant name; he singled out someone he is already connected to and emphasized that the singles match has still not happened.
That distinction makes the possibility compelling. Slater is not simply looking back at a favorite wrestler from his formative years. He is now an active TNA champion alongside Hardy, with a platform and status that could make a match feel substantial rather than purely ceremonial. The story is already present: Slater has the respect of The Hardy Bros, but he wants the chance to face Jeff on his own.
Slater’s response also underlined the scale of the choice. He initially called the question difficult, saying he had already “ticked” many dream opponents or goals off his list. That reflects the remarkable position he has reached in TNA. As both X-Division Champion and TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Slater is no longer merely a prospect hoping for a breakthrough opportunity. He is a titleholder at the top of the company, and the opponents he seeks now naturally carry major expectations.
Hardy remains the selection that stood out when Slater was pressed for one name. The repeated reference to never getting his “singles” makes clear that a one-on-one bout is not simply a passing idea. It is a match Slater continues to regard as a major personal objective.
Slater’s Rise Changes the Conversation
Slater’s standing in TNA gives the prospect of facing Hardy added weight. His rise through the roster hierarchy has resulted in him becoming both the X-Division Champion and the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, placing him among the company’s most prominent competitors. Those accomplishments change the frame around any future Hardy singles match.
Rather than being presented as a young wrestler receiving an opportunity against a celebrated veteran, Slater would enter such a contest as a champion in his own right. That does not erase the influence Hardy has had on him, but it does create a more balanced competitive picture. Slater has earned a place where he can ask for the match from a position of accomplishment, not simply aspiration.
The X-Division Championship is particularly relevant to the discussion because of the athletic identity associated with Slater’s career. Meanwhile, the TNA World Heavyweight Championship establishes him at the highest championship level in the promotion. Holding both titles illustrates the range of his current role and makes any dream-match choice a meaningful statement about where he sees himself going next.
There is also an obvious emotional dynamic in the pairing. Jeff Hardy’s career has made him a defining figure for fans and wrestlers drawn to risk-taking, creativity, and a willingness to make every moment feel distinctive. Slater has emerged as one of the modern talents capable of bringing that same sense of excitement to a new generation. A singles encounter would allow that shared energy to be explored competitively rather than through their present alliance.
Just as importantly, Slater’s comments did not frame Hardy as an obstacle to be dismissed or a name he has outgrown. His answer carried the tone of someone who values the match because of what Hardy has meant to him. That is often what gives a dream contest its strongest foundation: the competitor seeking it understands exactly why it matters.
Okada Remains Another Intriguing Possibility
During the same conversation, the possibility of Slater facing Kazuchika Okada was also raised. Slater did not make a definitive prediction about that bout, but he did not close the door on it either.
“Maybe one day!”
The brief response leaves the idea as a possibility rather than a confirmed plan. There is no indication that a Slater vs. Okada match has been scheduled or agreed to. Still, the exchange demonstrates the level of opponents now associated with Slater’s ambitions. He is being asked about matchups with globally recognized names, a natural result of his championship success and growing profile.
Okada and Jeff Hardy represent different types of dream opponents for Slater. The Hardy matchup is one he directly selected and connected to his own history, making it the more personal goal. The Okada idea, meanwhile, is an example of the elite-level challenges that could appeal to a wrestler who has already accumulated major accomplishments in TNA.
Slater’s answer about Okada was deliberately cautious. “Maybe one day” is not a promise, but it leaves room for the kind of high-profile encounter that fans frequently discuss when evaluating potential future opponents for top champions. For now, however, Hardy is the dream match Slater explicitly named.
What a Jeff Hardy Singles Match Could Represent
Any eventual Slater-Hardy bout would have value beyond a straightforward attraction. It could test the relationship between mentor-like support and competitive ambition. The two men’s alignment with The Hardy Bros has established mutual respect, but professional wrestling often creates its most memorable contests when respect is put under pressure inside the ring.
Such a match would not require hostility to matter. Slater’s remarks point toward a contest fueled by the desire to compete with someone he admires. A respectful meeting can still have enormous stakes when one wrestler is chasing the chance to prove himself against a defining influence, while the other has the opportunity to measure a rising champion who has earned praise from the veterans around him.
It would also serve as a marker of Slater’s evolution. He has already moved from working his way up the TNA roster to becoming a double champion. Facing Jeff Hardy in singles competition would be another landmark, one that connects Slater’s present success to the inspiration behind his journey.
For TNA, the appeal is easy to understand. Slater’s ascent has made him one of the company’s key names, while Hardy brings a legacy that remains meaningful to audiences who followed his career and to performers who cite him as an influence. Bringing those paths together in a singles setting would create a matchup built on both star power and genuine personal motivation.
At present, Slater has simply made his preference known. No date, event, or match stipulation was announced. What is clear is that, despite his many accomplishments and the dream goals he says he has already checked off, one ambition still stands out. Leon Slater wants the singles match with Jeff Hardy, and he wants the opportunity to finally get it.
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.