After an 11-year absence, AJ Styles made his return to a TNA Wrestling ring on July 20, appearing at the Slammiversary pay-per-view. The event, held at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, marked a homecoming for the foundational TNA star, made possible through the company’s ongoing partnership with WWE.
The return came following a historic moment for the company, as Leon Slater had just become the youngest X-Division Champion in history. As Slater celebrated, the familiar TNA entrance music of Styles played, bringing the crowd to its feet. The “Phenomenal One” entered the ring and shared an embrace with the new champion.
Addressing the crowd, Styles directly acknowledged his long time away.
“Did you miss me?” Styles asked, prompting a loud “welcome back” chant from the fans.
He noted that while some people thought he could never come back, the promotion was better than ever. Styles then turned his attention to Slater, praising his performance and validating his championship win. The crowd’s chants of “you deserve it” were corrected by Styles.
“He didn’t deserve it, Leon earned it,” Styles stated.
As fans chanted for “one more match,” Styles continued to put the focus on the new champion, telling Slater that it was now his time to build his own legacy. The segment served as a significant endorsement for Slater from one of TNA’s most important figures.
The appearance was the culmination of a week of promotion by TNA, which began teasing a “phenomenal” return for its 23rd-anniversary show. The company officially confirmed Styles’ involvement following the July 17 episode of TNA Impact!, a decision TNA President Carlos Silva explained was made to ensure fans could witness the moment live.