Bully Ray Says WWE Missed Huge Shot to Boost TNA’s AMC Debut

As TNA Wrestling prepares to launch its new era with a prime-time debut on AMC, Bully Ray believes WWE NXT had the perfect chance to supercharge the moment—and blew it.

On Busted Open Radio, the wrestling legend laid out his vision of how one bold booking decision on NXT could have created instant crossover momentum heading into TNA’s biggest television night in years. According to Ray, the recent NXT Championship match between Oba Femi and Leon Slater could’ve been the trigger for a viral shift—if Slater had won.

“I would not have minded one perfectly timed miscue bump, and Leon Slater getting the 1-2-3,” Ray said, noting that a shocking but plausible victory—even a short one—would’ve elevated Slater and sparked major conversation across both fanbases.
“All Oba had to do was miss one big move… and ‘Holy s**t, Leon Slater is your NXT Champion?’”

Ray made it clear he wasn’t asking for Oba to get buried, but rather for a creative curveball that would’ve given TNA a major boost just hours before their AMC premiere. Slater was originally scheduled to play a big role on that broadcast—until last-minute card changes pulled him from the lineup. In Ray’s eyes, this hypothetical title win would’ve flipped the industry’s attention toward Slater and TNA, enhancing the Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Santana main event and the return of AJ Styles to TNA programming.

As a guest commentator for that match, Ray framed the whole idea as a missed opportunity for true synergy—a moment where NXT and TNA could have elevated one another with a single, shocking finish.

Would you have pulled the trigger on Leon Slater winning the NXT Title to fuel TNA’s AMC momentum? Or was WWE right to protect Oba Femi? Sound off with your thoughts in the comments below.