Backstage news regarding AJ Styles’ appearance at the 2025 TNA Slammiversary PPV event

As seen during the 2025 TNA Slammiversary PPV event, Leon Slater defeated Moose to become the new X-Division champion. After the match, WWE star AJ Styles put over Slater in a promo.

According to Jon Alba of SI.com, sources from both TNA and within WWE indicated that creative plans for Styles may have changed in the hours before his appearance. Prior to the show, multiple TNA sources claimed that Styles was initially expected to be in a segment involving Frankie Kazarian.

TNA President Carlos Silva told the outlet that while Styles’ creative plan “changed a few times” leading up the event, the original idea was always to celebrate AJ’s X-Division history. Styles’ segment with Slater was reportedly met with universal praise from talent and officials.

At this time, it is unclear whether or not Styles will make a future appearance in TNA. Alba noted the following…

“TNA sources believed WWE may have had some say in not wanting to promise a future match in the promotion for Styles that they weren’t going to deliver on, as no main roster talent has worked a TNA match so far during the partnership.”