Summary

Cedric Alexander said his match with Leon Slater at TNA Emergence last August remains one of his favorite matches from recent years.

Alexander challenged Slater for the X-Division Championship at Emergence, and Slater retained. With the two now scheduled to meet again at TNA Rebellion later this month, Alexander's comments add another layer to a rematch that already had some real history behind it.

The praise also follows Alexander's recent comments about Leon Slater as part of wrestling's next wave, giving this latest interview a similar through line about how highly he views Slater's upside.

Quote from Cedric Alexander

"The match I had with Leon Slater back at (Emergence) was one of my favorite matches I've had in a long time, and that was the first time I really got to really work with Leon, and he surprised me, man. It was really refreshing to see, like, all right, in this phase of my career being, the established veteran going to get to a younger kid, just kind of seemed like, all right, wow. All right. Not only do I still have it, but man, the younger generation is getting hot right now."

What Alexander's Emergence praise means for TNA Rebellion

Alexander framing that Emergence match as a personal standout gives the Rebellion rematch more weight than a routine return bout. Slater already beat him once in a title match, and Alexander is openly saying the performance left an impression on him, which makes their next meeting feel like a meaningful follow-up instead of a random pairing.

It also says plenty about how Slater is being viewed by established names. When Alexander talks about being surprised by Slater and points to the younger generation getting hot, it reinforces that TNA has a rising talent in a spot where another strong showing at Rebellion could matter even more.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.