TNA prodigy Leon Slater has already captured the TNA X Division Championship at 21 years old, making him the youngest person to hold the title – especially since he was only 20 when he first won the belt. Slater’s quick success has impressed many veterans, like Matt Hardy, but especially John Cena who handpicked him twice during his final run as one of the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge participants and to compete against AJ Styles and Dragon Lee at Cena’s retirement show.

During an appearance on the “Battleground Podcast,” Slater recalled the emotions he felt to represent TNA in WWE. 

“It was a mad one, you know? It was really, really wild because it was… It almost feels like a dream when I look back on it, you know what I mean?” he said, adding that he still has to pinch himself to confirm that he was on the same match card as Cena.

“WrestleMania happens every year, SummerSlam happens every year, and that doesn’t take away from how huge that is, but there’s only one John Cena, and there’s only one John Cena retirement show,” Slater expressed. “The fact that I don’t even work there and I was on John Cena’s last show, as the X-Division Champion – coming out with it around my neck – representing my brand and my people? It was something that I hold very, very close to my heart.” 

Slater maintained that he still can’t believe it was real, and noted how he saw so many of his childhood wrestling heroes backstage, like Kurt Angle and The Undertaker. “It was the best day of my life, man,” he said.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the “Battleground Podcast,” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.