AJ Styles Stuns Fans With First TNA Appearance in Over a Decade
There are rare moments in wrestling when the ring feels electric. Slammiversary 2025 had one of those chills-down-your-spine moments: AJ Styles walked back into TNA Wrestling after nearly twelve years away. At a packed UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, fans exploded the second his legendary entrance music hit. AJ didn’t waste time soaking in the cheers—he grabbed a mic and went straight to the heart of his legacy.
Standing in the same ring where his reputation as “The Phenomenal One” was forged, AJ got real about his journey. He told the buzzing crowd, 'It’s been a long road… There was a time when they said you may not be able to come back. But here I am.' Fans roared even louder when he shouted out the new generation, especially Leon Slater, saying the roster’s never been stronger. AJ’s comments about the 'lights being a little bit brighter' and the 'crowd a little bit louder' summed up the night’s energy—that TNA was alive, and maybe even peaking again.
High Stakes, Title Shifts, and Cross-Promotion Drama
There was more than nostalgia in the air, though. Slammiversary’s lineup was a whirlwind of TNA legends, current stars, and surprising NXT faces. With TNA and WWE NXT working together, the crowd got plenty of dream match flavor all night.
Trick Williams stole headlines by holding onto the TNA World Championship in a tough-as-nails triple threat match against Joe Hendry and Mike Santana. Jacy Jayne made waves too, in a collision that saw her defend her NXT Women’s Title while trying to snatch the TNA Knockouts World Championship from Masha Slamovich—the kind of title unification buzz fans haven’t seen in ages.
The Hardys managed to outlast three other teams in a chaotic ladder match, finally snagging the TNA World Tag Team Championships and putting another stamp on their ever-growing list of title wins. Not far behind, Leon Slater delivered a career-making moment by dethroning Moose for the X Division gold, living up to the hype AJ Styles laid out during his segment.
- AJ Styles hinted strongly that he’s ready for more than just speeches—a possible return to the ring has fans already fantasy booking his next TNA feud.
- TNA President Carlos Silva played things close to the vest leading up to the event, but admitted afterwards that AJ coming back was a big step for both the company and their partnership with NXT.
If you’re a longtime TNA follower, AJ’s return felt like a homecoming that somehow also looked forward. For newer fans, the mix of stars from NXT and TNA showed how much the landscape is changing and how old barriers between companies are slipping away. Slammiversary 2025 wasn’t just an anniversary show—it was a statement that both TNA and its one-time cornerstone, AJ Styles, still know how to steal the spotlight.