Huge WrestleMania Weekend Matches OFF! (WWE News)
TNA pulls Leon Slater from Ricochet match due to "partner conflicts".
With WWE WrestleMania 42 now barely a week away, various independent promotions have historically done great business by running shows in and around 'Mania during that weekend and beyond. However, a couple of notable WrestleMania 42 Weekend matches have suddenly been cancelled.
First up, the highly anticipated meeting of TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater and AEW's Ricochet at WrestleCon's Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow on April 16th is one such bout that's been scrapped. Likewise, TNA's Moose has been pulled from appearing for Maple Leaf Pro on April 17th. Both shows were to take place in Las Vegas, the same area that's hosting WrestleMania 42.
Despite being previously cleared by all parties and respective management, Leon Slater has been pulled from this match one week prior to our Memorial event. We will have more to say at a later time, but we wanted to be immediately transparent to all fans. https://t.co/O1v7yrmyvd— WrestleCon (@wrestlecon) April 9, 2026
While taking place on May 1st rather than during WrestleMania 42 Weekend, AEW World Champion MJF vs. TNA's Nic Nemeth for Create A Pro has also been cancelled.
The Salt of the Earth was quick to take to X to vent his frustrations at this move, taking a shot at TNA President Carlos Silva in the process.
To those curious. Carlos pulled nemeth off the match prior to my tweet.— Maxwell Jacob Friedman™️ (@The_MJF) April 9, 2026
As for why these matches have been axed, Fightful Select's Sean Ross Sapp, having spoken to Carlos Silva, says the decisions were made due to "partner conflicts". Since that report, TNA put out a statement to PWInsider that simply reads, "TNA wrestlers were pulled due to partner conflicts."
Fightful Select also notes that, from sources close to the situation, there is a belief that this could be heading to an environment where TNA talents are unable to wrestle AEW talents, though Silva is "okay" with TNA wrestlers working for Maple Leaf Pro. However, people close to MLP had heard that Silva wasn't happy with AEW running Collision opposite TNA iMPACT last week. Collision airing on a Thursday rather than its regular Saturday spot was a Warner Bros. Discovery call, rather than a direct AEW one, with college basketball instead taking centre-stage on Saturday.
Per Fightful, another MJF match had been cancelled last month, with TNA pulling Bear Bronson from a bout against Max for GCW. On the flip side of that, TNA's Jody Threat recently wrestled AEW's Mercedes Moné for Winnipeg Pro Wrestling last week. The caveat there, of course, is that Jody picked up the win over Mercedes, regaining the WPW Women's Championship in the process.