Leon Slater says John Cena WWE retirement show was ‘best day of my life’
December 13, 2025 was the best day of Leon Slater’s life so far.
The 21-year-old TNA X-Division Champion got to compete on John Cena’s retirement show on that date, teaming with Je’Von Evans in a loss to AJ Styles & Dragon Lee. Slater reflected on the moment during an appearance on the Battleground podcast and discussed how much it meant for him to represent TNA at such a big WWE event.
“It was a mad one, you know? It was really, really wild because it was — it almost feels like a dream when I look back on it, you know what I mean? Again, I repeat myself, but I have to pinch myself to confirm that was real. Let alone being a WWE superstar and being on that card, because I think there was four or five matches. So if we’re talking about spots available, we’re talking 10-15 maximum, on such an iconic night.
“I was saying to my friends and like my family, WrestleMania happens every year, SummerSlam happens every year. And that doesn’t take away from how huge that is, but there’s only one John Cena and there’s only one John Cena retirement show. So the fact that I don’t even work there and I was on John Cena’s last show as the X-Division Champion coming out with it around my neck representing my brand and my people, it was something that I hold very, very close to my heart. And it’s something I’m very, very proud of.”
With current WWE stars and legends like Kurt Angle, Rob Van Dam, and The Undertaker there, the entire night was surreal for Slater. It felt like everyone to ever exist in wrestling was at the show.
“So to be surrounded by that, and then to have the match that we had, it was a dream come true,” Slater said. “Especially with it being AJ and having Je’Von and Dragon there as well. It really was — it was the best day of my life, man. I’ll be real, it was great.”
Having the support of people like The Hardys means a lot to Slater, but he told the Battleground podcast that he doesn’t feel any extra pressure because of it. Ever since he started wrestling, he has visualized himself as being in this spot. He wants to become the greatest of all time and “complete wrestling” by going everywhere and doing everything possible.
Slater said his dream match at the moment is a bout against TNA World Champion Mike Santana. He views himself and Santana as being the top two wrestlers in TNA over the past several months and thinks a match between them is inevitable, whether it’s for Santana’s title or his own.
“I feel like, for me, that’s a match that has to happen this year so we can see who’s the best that TNA really has,” Slater said.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.