Leon Slater Defending TNA X-Division Title On Next Week's WWE NXT

TNA's Leon Slater will return to a "WWE NXT" ring next week as he defends his X-Division Championship against Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo.

This title match was confirmed in a backstage segment during Tuesday's episode of "NXT" in which Slater and Je'Von Evans originally pitched the idea of teaming together at "NXT" Halloween Havoc on October 25. After "NXT" General Manager Ava turned down the idea, Lorenzo entered the frame and accused Slater of getting too "comfortable" in "NXT." Still, fellow "NXT" star Arianna Grace passed on another idea for Lorenzo, her real-life fiance, to challenge Slater for the TNA X-Division on "NXT" turf. With Slater's agreement, Ava then made the title match between them official for next week. Evans additionally noted that he'd be watching it very closely.

On October 12, Slater defended the X-Division Championship against Evans at TNA Bound For Glory. Despite both competitors delivering strong showings, this title match ended in a no contest due to interference from DarkState (Saquon Shugers, Culter James, Osiris Griffin and Dion Lennox). Last week, Griffin and Lennox lost their NXT Tag Team Championships to Matt and Jeff Hardy in a Winner Takes All match also involving the TNA tag titles on "NXT" x TNA Showdown.

Slater claimed the X-Division Title by defeating Moose at TNA Slammiversary. At Showdown, he represented TNA in a Men's Survivor Series-style match, which his team ultimately won. The October 21 edition of "NXT" will mark his third match under the WWE banner, and his first in-ring meeting with Lorenzo.