Leon Slater defeated Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo to retain his TNA X-Division Championship during “WWE NXT,” establishing a tag team match for Halloween Havoc alongside Je’Von Evans against a AAA pairing afterwards.
Slater was making the sixth defense of his 94-day reign, and the primary to happen on “NXT” TV, against the previous Heritage Cup and NXT Tag Team Champion, with on-screen partner Arianna Grace accompanying Lorenzo and Evans backing his friend in the opposite corner. The bout itself saw Slater take the advantage along with his faster and high-flying offense, with the foremost drama coming consequently of the ringside allies; Slater knocked Lorenzo into the ropes as Grace got as much as the apron, herself getting knocked down only to be caught by Evans.
Lorenzo took issue with Evans catching Grace, arguing with him at ringside before getting back into the ring and losing out to Slater’s 450 Swanton Bomb. After the match, Evans told Slater he desired to work Halloween Havoc, to which Slater agreed and said that, having seen what they will do as opponents, he desires to see what they will do as a team. They said that they didn’t mind who they faced, whether it’s from “NXT,” TNA, or AAA, the latter-most they didn’t get a probability to say before being interrupted by emerging AAA stars Mr. Iguana and LA Parka. They laid down the challenge for a tag bout at Halloween Havoc, which was accepted by Evans and Lee and made all but official.