Backstage Atmosphere for TNA’s AMC Premiere Revealed

With TNA iMPACT set to make its primetime debut on AMC this Thursday, January 15, the vibe inside the locker room is electric—and Leon Slater just gave fans a firsthand look at what it means to the roster.

In a new interview with PWInsider’s Mike Johnson, Slater opened up about how monumental this moment feels for the company behind the scenes. Johnson called the upcoming episode “the most important TNA broadcast since they left Spike TV in 2014” and asked Slater to describe the atmosphere backstage.

“Everyone is very excited, man. I feel like TNA has almost been this hidden gem over the past few years of pro wrestling.”

Slater credited the wave of breakout talent post-COVID for keeping the company alive and elevating its reputation, naming stars like Speedball Mike Bailey, Josh Alexander, and Jordynne Grace as part of that movement.

“The transition back to TNA over the past two years has been huge for us… I don’t feel like it’s something we ‘deserve’—I feel like it’s something we’ve earned. That’s not just the in-ring talent. That goes for management, creative, the office—everyone.”

In perhaps the most passionate moment of the interview, Slater compared the company’s grind to building something special away from the spotlight—until now.

“It almost feels like a science project you’ve been working on in the basement every day, getting better and better, and now you finally get to show it to the world.”

With high stakes and years of work behind the scenes, Thursday’s AMC debut isn’t just another wrestling broadcast—it’s the culmination of a comeback story. For TNA, this is their one chance to reintroduce themselves to the world—and the locker room is ready to show what they’ve built.