The non-finish to the much-hyped TNA X-Division Championship match at Bound For Glory between champion Leon Slater and NXT’s Je’Von Evans was met with a wave of criticism from fans, and a new report suggests that the controversial booking decision was heavily influenced by WWE. According to a report from The Takedown on SI, multiple sources have indicated that WWE had a “significant say” in the creative direction of the match, which ended in a no-contest after interference from the NXT faction, DarkState.
The report notes that while TNA President Carlos Silva has publicly stated that the creative process for shared talent is a collaborative one, sources have indicated that WWE “especially has ‘a lot of pull’ when its talents are utilized on TNA programming.” The decision to have NXT’s DarkState interfere and cause a no-contest, rather than having either Slater or Evans take a clean loss, is seen as a way to protect both rising stars. The two men had an incredible, athletic contest that went to a 20-minute time-limit draw before TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella restarted the match, only for the interference to occur moments later.
Despite the frustrating finish, fans can expect to see more from the two high-flyers. The Takedown on SI was told that a rematch between Slater and Evans was planned “even before the positive reception to the Bound For Glory match,” with NXT’s Halloween Havoc being discussed as a potential venue for the sequel.
The TNA and WWE crossover has been one of the most talked-about stories in wrestling in 2025. Slater’s reign as X-Division Champion began at TNA Slammiversary, where he was endorsed by the returning AJ Styles, a moment that in itself was a product of the new “forbidden door” era. The involvement of NXT’s DarkState in the Bound For Glory match comes after the group that recently lost their NXT Tag Team Championships to TNA’s The Hardy Boyz.
