Leon Slater has made it clear that he has heard Grayson Waller’s recent comments about TNA Wrestling, and he is not prepared to give the reigning NXT Champion much credit for them unless Waller is willing to back up his words in a TNA ring.

Waller has taken several verbal shots at TNA since returning to WWE’s NXT brand. Some of those remarks came while discussing former TNA World Champion Cruz Montana, also known as Mike Santana, while other digs have been directed more broadly at the company and its talent. Among the insults referenced by Slater was Waller’s suggestion that being “TNA good” is comparable to being the best wrestler in a high school gym.

Speaking with Counted Out, Slater dismissed that type of rhetoric as empty unless Waller actually comes to TNA and faces the people he is criticizing. For Slater, the issue is not whether Waller can generate attention with a sharp line. It is whether he would carry that same confidence into an unfamiliar environment against TNA’s established names.

“I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it and until that brother comes over and tests himself against some TNA talent, it’s all just talk to me,” Slater said. “He can say, ‘Oh, you’re TNA good.’ What was the other lyric he said? ‘It’s like being the best in a high school gym’ or something like that, right? To me, it’s all talk. To me, it’s just all talk.”

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Slater Says TNA Is About Delivering, Not Talking

Slater’s response centered on the contrast he sees between Waller’s social and verbal provocations and TNA’s in-ring identity. Leaning into the initials of the promotion, Slater argued that TNA talent should be judged by what it does when the bell rings rather than by how loudly it sells a rivalry before there is an actual confrontation.

“In TNA, excuse the pun, it’s total nonstop action. We don’t do all of that talking,” Slater said. “If we say something, we go out and do it. If I say I’m gonna become the youngest X Division Champion of all time, I’m gonna do it; say I’m gonna become the World Champion, I’m gonna do it.”

That statement carries particular weight coming from Slater, whose rise has been built around setting ambitious goals and attempting to meet them in high-profile matches. His confidence is not framed as a response exclusively to Waller, either. Slater sees it as a broader standard for himself: state an objective, take the opportunity, and then prove it under the pressure of competition.

Waller’s comments have naturally created an opening for fan speculation about a possible WWE NXT and TNA collision. The two brands have shared a visible working relationship, creating opportunities for talent to appear outside their usual environments and giving rivalries an extra layer of unpredictability. Slater’s answer makes his position unmistakable: if Waller wants to speak down about TNA, he should be prepared to meet its wrestlers on their home turf.

Slater specifically named several performers he believes Waller would need to address directly rather than from a distance. Frankie Kazarian and Nic Nemeth were among the TNA names Slater brought up, with both representing experienced, decorated opposition in a locker room Waller has continued to criticize.

“So until he comes and crosses the line, and maybe looks me in the face, looks Frankie Kazarian in the face, looks Nic Nemeth in the face and tells us to our face that we are less than, I don’t believe a single word that he says,” Slater said. “That guy can do it for the clicks; he can do it for the views. But until he steps over the line and proves it, it’s a whole bunch of bullsh*t to me.”

A Potential Matchup With Real Stakes

There is a straightforward competitive logic behind Slater’s challenge. Waller is not merely an outspoken WWE personality at the moment; he is the current NXT Champion. That distinction makes any hypothetical visit to TNA more than a promotional appearance. It would immediately place one of NXT’s leading champions in front of a roster that would have every reason to view him as a representative of a rival locker room.

Slater, meanwhile, has positioned himself as someone ready to meet Waller at that level. He did not limit his remarks to defending TNA in general terms. He openly said he would welcome a one-on-one confrontation should Waller make the trip. In doing so, Slater turned Waller’s broad criticism into a much more personal challenge.

“Absolutely, absolutely,” Slater said when asked whether he would want to face Waller in TNA. “I’ve been over to his side. I’ve been very successful on his side. Tag Team Title matches, NXT Title matches. WWE Title matches, U.S. Title matches. I’ve done a lot to say that I’ve never worked there.”

Slater’s reference to his appearances and championship-match experience on WWE programming underlines why he does not see the proposed matchup as an unrealistic leap. He has already competed in that wider setting and believes he has shown he can belong there. From his perspective, a Waller appearance in TNA would offer the NXT Champion a chance to demonstrate the same willingness to work outside his usual surroundings.

The distinction Slater draws is important. He is not asking Waller to stop speaking confidently or to abandon the character traits that have made him effective at drawing reactions. Instead, Slater is challenging him to make those claims accountable. If Waller believes TNA’s best talent does not measure up, Slater wants him to say it while standing across the ring from the wrestlers he is targeting.

“So I would be very, very interested if Grayson would have that same talk and that same attitude if he was looking at me face-to-face in a TNA ring; that’s for sure,” Slater said.

Bound For Glory Adds Momentum To Slater’s Challenge

The timing of Slater’s comments is also notable because he has major business of his own approaching. At TNA Bound For Glory, Slater will challenge for the TNA World Championship. The opportunity puts his stated philosophy directly into practice: he is not simply calling for an inter-promotional match, but pursuing the company’s most important prize.

A TNA World Championship challenge can further elevate Slater’s standing regardless of whether Waller ever crosses the line. If Slater wins, he would enter any future exchange with the NXT Champion holding TNA’s top title. Even without that outcome, the Bound For Glory match gives Slater another platform to demonstrate the in-ring results he says matter more than insults and engagement-driven jabs.

For TNA, the response is also an effective defense of its locker room without requiring an immediate official matchup. Slater did not deny that Waller’s comments can attract clicks or views. In fact, he directly acknowledged that possibility. But he insisted that attention is not the same thing as proof. The only way to conclusively answer the debate, in his view, would be for Waller to compete against TNA talent rather than critique it from NXT.

That leaves a clear path should the two brands decide to extend the issue beyond verbal sparring. Waller’s championship status, Slater’s momentum, and the existing history of crossover opportunities provide a natural framework for a major encounter. Slater has already volunteered for it, while also naming other TNA veterans who would have reason to welcome Waller into their ring.

Until then, Slater is treating Waller’s remarks for what he believes they are: promotional talk without an in-ring conclusion. Bound For Glory gives Slater his next opportunity to add substance to his own promises, while the prospect of a face-to-face clash with Waller remains a challenge waiting for the NXT Champion to accept.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.