Backstage Update on Leon Slater’s Appearance on 1/16 WWE SmackDown Show & Abscense from TNA’s AMC Premiere Show

Impact
Jan 16, 2026

As noted before, TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater was pulled by TNA from Thursday’s Impact! premiere show on AMC and also his scheduled match at this Saturday’s Genesis 2026 event due to visa-related issues. Prior to the announcement, WWE had been rumored to be interested in bringing Slater over to their shows in the United Kingdom this week as part of their European tour.

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show in London, England featured Slater making a surprise appearance and being revealed as the mystery challenger for Carmelo Hayes’ WWE United States Championship Open Challenge match.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that his sources confirmed that the visa issues for Slater are legitimate and the reason why he was unable to work this week’s Impact! and Genesis 2026 shows for TNA.

TNA officials reportedly allowed WWE to use Slater for their shows while he was stuck in his home in the United Kingdom.

TNA reportedly is currently working to get the visa issues for Slater resolved soon. Slater reportedly is also currently believed to be under contract with TNA through most of 2026.

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