Match Point is an ongoing series at Last Word on Pro Wrestling, where we look at intriguing matchups. They may be dream matches, first-time matchups, or hotly anticipated rematches. In this edition, we focus on the NXT Championship match between Oba Femi and TNA’s Leon Slater at NXT New Year’s Evil 2026.
TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater is determined to become the first wrestler under a TNA contract to win a WWE Singles title, whether in NXT or on the main roster. Could Slater do what Moose was not able to at NXT Roadblock 2025? Defeating Oba Femi and becoming the first TNA wrestler to win the NXT Champion?
A lot of things happened over the last few weeks. Ricky Saints showed an Absolute desire to regain the NXT Championship. Je’Von Evans won the Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline. He cashed it in a few days after, only for Saints to screw him up. Slater and Evans impressed when they wrestled AJ Styles and Dragon Lee at WWE Saturday Night Main Event XLII.
The same night, Oba Femi could have defeated Cody Rhodes if Drew McIntyre hadn’t stuck his nose in the match. Evans also had some main-roster matches when Oba Femi’s vignettes started to appear on RAW and SmackDown. You may say, coincidence. In fact, behind this NXT Championship match, much more is at stake than we could imagine, for Femi and Slater, Saints and Evans, but also NXT, TNA Wrestling, and even WWE.
HE DID IT!!!
LEON SLATER IS THE NEW NO. 1 CONTENDER!!!@LEONSLATER_ pic.twitter.com/sfO6FIA9cP
— WWE (@WWE) December 17, 2025
