A TNA Wrestling star has reflected on his match with WWE SmackDown star Carmelo Hayes earlier this year in London, England.
The January 16 episode of SmackDown saw TNA Wrestling X-Division Champion Leon Slater make his first appearance on WWE’s blue brand, answering Carmelo Hayes’ United States Championship open challenge.
With the show taking place in Slater’s home country of England, the TNA star received a hero’s welcome from the fans in Wembley Arena before the pair stole the show with their work between the ropes.
Speaking with The Sun, Slater reflected on the bout, saying that it is the “most comfortable” he’s felt competing inside a WWE ring thus far.
Slater said:
“I’ll be honest, that’s probably the most comfortable I ever felt in a WWE ring because I felt like I was with my people, you know what I’m saying, like I remember there was one point where Carmelo was punching me in the face or something, like, I was getting battered, but I remember hearing ‘He’s one of our own, he’s one of our own.’
“And then I was like, ‘OK, right, we’re really at home. We’ve got the chants going and everything!’”
Slater didn’t only feel comfortable in his home crowd, he also felt a connection with his opponent Carmelo Hayes:
“Me and Melo hit it off, man, I feel like our chemistry in-ring was on a different level and I’m glad we got to deliver that night in Wembley.”
The End Of Carmelo Hayes’ United States Championship Run
Carmelo Hayes’ WWE United States Title defense against Leon Slater was his third of nine televised matches in his 98 day reign, which came to an end on this past Friday’s SmackDown (March 27).
Hayes saw his run cut short by Sami Zayn, who capitalized on some inadvertent interference from Trick Williams, who aimed to hit Zayn but instead struck his former NXT tag team partner.
With just three weeks to on until WrestleMania 42, the result has led to a negative response from a section of WWE fans, as well as former US Champion Bishop Dyer (Baron Corbin), who took to social media to share support for Hayes after he was “screwed.”
Zayn will put his new gold on the line against Trick Williams at WrestleMania 42, while Hayes currently looks set to miss out on the card unless something changes.
Will TNA Be Represented At WrestleMania 42?
Last year’s WWE WrestleMania 41 saw then TNA World Champion Joe Hendry answer Randy Orton’s open challenge, with the match marking the first time a TNA contracted star had competed at “The Showcase of the Immortals.”
With WWE and TNA’s working relationship going strong, fans have questioned whether we could once again see some TNA representation at this year’s event as well.
Of all the talent on the TNA roster, Leon Slater seems the most likely option to fill that spot if WWE decides to showcase someone from the Impact Zone.
With a potential multi-man match for the Intercontinental Title maybe on the cards, Slater would be a no brainer to join the fray.
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