Leon Slater has made no secret of the fact that a return to TNA’s six-sided ring would be a dream scenario for him, particularly if it came with the TNA World Championship around his waist.
Speaking on the I Love Wrestling Podcast, Slater addressed the announcement that TNA Destination X will return in 2026 and revealed his immediate hope for the event. While he stressed that he does not know whether TNA has any plans to use the distinctive ring again, the possibility clearly carries major significance for a wrestler who grew up following the promotion.
“I was just praying that the six-sided ring would come back, to be real. I don’t know if it is, I don’t know if it isn’t, but man, I hope it does,” Slater said.
For Slater, the appeal is rooted in more than nostalgia. The six-sided ring remains closely associated with TNA’s early identity, and it represented a clear visual difference from the conventional four-sided rings used throughout much of the wrestling industry. A Destination X revival naturally invites discussion about the elements that made past editions of the event feel unique, and the ring is near the top of that list for many longtime viewers.
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Slater acknowledged the physical reputation the ring built among the wrestlers who worked in it. He noted that performers had spoken about it being more difficult and more painful than a standard ring, but said that would not diminish his desire to step inside it.
“Because I’m sure, growing up a TNA fan, that’s what we loved, right? So to get the chance to compete in a six-sided ring, as much as people said it sucked back in the day, it’s like way harder; it hurts way more than a four-sided ring, and that hurts enough.”
The comment captures the balance that has long defined discussion around the six-sided ring. It is a beloved part of TNA history for a section of the fanbase, but it also came with practical concerns for those taking bumps and wrestling full matches on it. Slater did not dismiss those concerns. Instead, he framed the additional challenge as part of why the opportunity would mean so much.
A TNA Image That Still Stands Apart
When TNA launched, the company chose not to present itself in a standard four-sided ring. The six-sided structure immediately gave the promotion a different look and helped establish an identity that stood apart from other major wrestling groups. The shape became inseparable from memories of a particular era in TNA, including the fast-paced in-ring style and the sense that the company was prepared to take a different route.
TNA used the six-sided ring until 2010. It later returned in 2014, giving fans another stretch in which the promotion’s signature presentation was back in place. The ring was ultimately retired again in 2018, with TNA returning to the traditional four-sided format.
That history explains why the subject continues to generate interest whenever TNA revisits its past. The ring is not merely a piece of equipment in the eyes of supporters who watched the company’s formative years. It is an emblem of a specific presentation, a reminder of the promotion’s willingness to look different, and a visual cue that can instantly evoke an earlier chapter of TNA.
Slater’s comments reflect that connection. He is not speaking as someone simply looking for a novelty match. He specifically described himself as someone who grew up a TNA fan, and his interest in the six-sided ring is tied to what it represented to viewers during that period.
Destination X Fuels the Conversation
The return of Destination X has made speculation about the six-sided ring especially understandable. The event name has substantial historical meaning within TNA, and a revival creates an opportunity to revisit the aspects of the brand that made it memorable. That does not confirm a return of the six-sided ring, and Slater was careful not to present it as something that has been announced.
His position was straightforward: he hopes it happens. For now, that remains a wish rather than a confirmed element of Destination X.
Still, the possibility creates a compelling image for Slater’s supporters. He is already talking about the scenario at the highest possible level, not simply making an appearance in a throwback setting. His ideal vision is to compete in that environment as TNA World Champion.
“I would love the chance to be TNA World Champion and wrestle in a TNA six-sided ring,” Slater said.
That statement puts the emphasis on ambition as much as nostalgia. The TNA World Championship is the company’s top prize, and Slater’s words underline where he sees his goals leading. A six-sided-ring match with the title attached would combine a landmark career objective with one of the most recognizable symbols in TNA history.
Slater Sees the Challenge as Part of the Appeal
Professional wrestling rings are designed to absorb impact, but they are not soft landings. Slater’s remarks about the added difficulty of a six-sided ring serve as a reminder that presentation choices can have real effects on the performers. The ring may be visually distinctive, but wrestlers are the ones who must adapt their movement, timing, positioning, and bumps to the environment around them.
That is why Slater’s enthusiasm is notable. He is fully aware of the stories surrounding the physical toll of the ring. Rather than treating the history as a reason to avoid it, he views the challenge as part of the accomplishment. For a competitor seeking to make his name in TNA, wrestling in a format so strongly connected to the company’s past would offer an opportunity to be part of a defining visual moment.
There is also a generational element to his perspective. Fans who experienced the original six-sided era often remember it as a core part of TNA’s character. Slater’s comments show that the image continued to resonate with wrestlers who came up watching the company. The ring’s legacy is not limited to those who performed in it during its first runs; it also helped shape the expectations and aspirations of later talent.
World Title Aspirations Remain Central
Slater’s desire to hold the TNA World Championship is the most important part of his vision. The six-sided ring would make the moment feel historic, but the championship is the goal that defines it. He is not presenting the concept as a one-off attraction. He is imagining himself at the center of TNA, carrying its premier title in a setting that recalls one of its most distinctive eras.
That is a significant statement from a wrestler whose connection to TNA began as a fan. Reaching the top of the company would already represent a major professional milestone. Doing it while competing in the ring that helped define the promotion he watched growing up would add another layer to the achievement.
Elsewhere in the same discussion, Slater addressed his Option C promo at TNA Lockdown. His comments about Destination X, however, offer a particularly clear glimpse at the kind of TNA moment he would most like to create in the future: a title-level match, a six-sided ring, and the chance to turn a childhood image of the promotion into a defining part of his own career.
No Confirmation Yet on the Ring’s Return
Despite the excitement around Slater’s comments and the return of Destination X, there is no confirmation in his remarks that TNA will bring back the six-sided ring. He explicitly said he does not know whether it will happen. Until TNA makes an announcement, the discussion remains centered on what could be possible rather than what has been set.
But Slater has made his preference clear. If Destination X does bring back the six-sided ring, he wants to be involved. More than that, he wants to enter that ring as TNA World Champion, embracing both the history and the physical demands attached to one of the company’s most enduring symbols.
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.