AJ Styles Returns to TNA After 12 Years to Hype Leon Slater at Slammiversary 2025

AJ Styles returns to TNA Wrestling.

The high-flyer made his return to TNA after 12 years to celebrate Leon Slater at Slammiversary 2025, where the former X-Division Champion praised the youngest X-Division titleholder in TNA history.

Slater defeated Moose to win the X-Division Championship on Sunday, connecting on a Swanton Bomb followed by a 450 Swanton Bomb to seal the victory. As celebrations began, Moose handed Slater the title belt — and that’s when AJ Styles’ music hit.

The crowd reaction was deafening.

Styles entered the ring and urged Slater to carry on the legacy of the X-Division, as one legend passed the torch to a rising star in the making.

Ahead of his return, Styles posted a letter to himself on social media titled, “Two Eras. One Legacy. AJ Returns.”

"If I had the ability to go back in time, I’d tell myself 'You have no idea how far this ride’s about to take you. All the ups, the downs, the doubts—they’re gonna shape you into one of the best in the world. Don’t lose that chip on your shoulder, but learn when to let go of your pride,'" Styles wrote.

"You’re gonna walk into places you never thought you’d belong… Way better than you could imagine," Styles continued. "Stay humble, stay hungry, and trust God’s timing—it’s perfect, even when it doesn’t feel like it. You’re not just phenomenal. You’re built for this.”