Ricky Morton Speaks Out on Risky Spot at TNA Rebellion: “Leon Gave You His Trust”

Wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Morton is never shy about speaking his mind, especially when it comes to the safety of today’s talent. Following a jaw-dropping — and dangerous — moment at TNA Rebellion, Morton took to social media to call out what he saw as a breakdown in one of wrestling’s most sacred codes: trust.

The incident occurred during the multi-man TNA X Division Championship match, where reigning champ Moose defended his title against five challengers. At one point, rising star Leon Slater scaled a steel beam more than 15 feet in the air and launched himself with a Swanton Bomb onto the crowd of wrestlers waiting below on the outside. But instead of catching him and absorbing the impact — a standard in high-risk spots like this — Slater crashed through them and hit the floor hard. Miraculously, he walked away seemingly unscathed.

Morton, watching from afar, didn’t hold back in his criticism. “I’m disappointed,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Leon gave you his trust and body on the line for an amazing moment & all of you DROPPED him. Thank God he walked away. In our business, trust is everything and his trust may never be the same.”

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express veteran wasn’t trying to throw anyone under the bus, though. In a follow-up post, he urged younger wrestlers to speak up when they’re not fully confident in a planned move. His message was as much about accountability as it was about protection.

“I will add, don’t agree to stuff if you don’t feel confident and comfortable. Speak up. I assure you, it won’t make you any less of a wrestler,” Morton advised. “I just genuinely hoped that everyone could take something from what happened, learn from it, and focus on fixing what’s next. We all make mistakes, myself included.”

The spot has sparked debate online, with some fans applauding Slater’s fearlessness and others echoing Morton’s concerns about safety and timing. Regardless of where you stand, it’s clear the conversation about risk and responsibility in modern wrestling isn’t going away anytime soon.

One thing’s for sure — when a veteran like Ricky Morton speaks, the industry listens.

Moose successfully defended his title against Slater, Matt Cardona, KC Navarro, Sidney Akeem, and El Hijo del Vikingo, and is closing in on 200 days with the title.

Indi Hartwell Signs With TNA

TNA made a major addition to its Knockouts roster, officially announcing the signing of Indi Hartwell during the Rebellion pay-per-view on April 27, 2025.

In a backstage segment, Hartwell shared her excitement about this next chapter, calling it a dream come true. “It’s officially official. Indi Hartwell has crossed the line,” she said, referencing TNA’s iconic slogan.

The Australian star brings a strong résumé to the table. Hartwell is a former NXT Women’s Champion and former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, where she teamed with Candice LeRae. She also gained popularity as part of the faction The Way, alongside LeRae and Johnny Gargano, and was involved in a memorable storyline romance with Dexter Lumis. Hartwell was released from WWE on November 1, 2024, making her a highly sought-after free agent.

Fans won’t have to wait long to hear more — Hartwell is set to speak on the upcoming live episode of Impact Wrestling this Thursday, May 1, 2025.

TNA Rebellion 4/27/2025 (Results)

TNA Rebellion 2025 delivered plenty of chaos, title defenses, and a few major surprises. Here’s a full rundown of everything that went down:

Pre-Show Action

Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne, & Jazmyn Nyx def. Rosemary, Xia Brookside, & Lei Ying Lee
In a high-energy six-woman tag, the TNA side looked strong early, especially after Rosemary speared Henley on the floor. Brookside and Lee kept the momentum going with tandem dives, but the tide turned when Rosemary slipped brass knuckles to Brookside, urging her to take the shortcut. Brookside refused, tossing the knucks away — but the distraction let Jayne shove her into Rosemary before landing a nasty discus punch to steal the win for the NXT trio.

Johnny Dango Curtis Out; Deaner Rejected by The System
Travel issues kept Johnny Dango Curtis off the card, leaving Moose to pull double duty. Deaner, whose contract is set to expire May 1, volunteered as a replacement — but Eddie Edwards quickly shut him down, mocking Deaner’s recent refusal to accept a “young boy” spot. No second chances here.

Walk with Elijah Open Challenge: Elijah def. Shane Haste
NJPW’s Shane Haste answered Elijah’s open challenge, but it didn’t end well for him. After shouting “I walk alone” and trying to rally, Haste ran right into a flying knee strike. Elijah sealed the deal moments later with a tombstone piledriver.


Main Card

TNA X-Division Championship – Ultimate X: Moose (c) def. Leon Slater, Matt Cardona, Hijo del Vikingo, KC Navarro, and Sidney Akeem
Despite his fear of heights, Moose retained his title in a wild Ultimate X match. Alisha Edwards even tried climbing for him at one point but lost her grip. Leon Slater stole the show with a daring Swanton 450 from the truss, but just when it seemed like he’d secured victory, Moose speared him out of mid-air to snatch the win.

TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Ash & Heather by Elegance (c) def. Dani Luna & Jody Threat, Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend, Gigi Dolin & Tatum Paxley
The champs found a way to survive a chaotic four-way. Tower of Doom suplexes erupted in opposite corners, but Elegance’s new recruit Maggie Lee held Ash’s legs down to avoid being tossed. That positioning let Ash hit a Swanton Bomb on Threat to retain.

Trey Miguel, Zachary Wentz, & Ace Austin (w/ Sean Waltman) def. Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers, & Moose (w/ Alisha Edwards)
With Curtis unavailable, Sean Waltman got involved to even the odds. Channeling D-Generation X energy, the faces hit classic moves before Waltman laid out Alisha Edwards with the X-Factor. The Rascalz and Ace followed up with Bronco Busters, and Wentz sealed the win with a UFO Cutter on Moose.

TNA International Championship: Steve Maclin (c) def. Eric Young
Maclin stood tall against Eric Young, rejecting offers to join the Northern Armory. Despite interference from Judas Icarus and Travis Williams, Maclin survived a gritty slugfest, countering a piledriver attempt into a roll-up for the win. Post-match, Northern Armory laid out Maclin, hanging him over the ropes in a brutal scene.

Falls Count Anywhere: Mike Santana def. Mustafa Ali
In a wild brawl packed with table spots and Cabinet interference, Santana overcame the odds. After handcuffing the Great Hands and powerbombing Tasha Steelz through a table, Santana fought off a barbed wire bat attack from Ali and ended it with a bloody, defiant Spin the Block discus lariat.

Breaking News: Indi Hartwell Signs with TNA
During the show, it was announced that former NXT standout Indi Hartwell has officially joined TNA.

TNA Knockouts Championship: Masha Slamovich (c) def. Tessa Blanchard
Slamovich wasted no time, launching a suicide dive before the bell. Blanchard focused on Masha’s injured knee and nearly stole the win with a cutter and Buzzsaw DDT, but the champion weathered the storm. A brutal avalanche Death Valley Driver set up Slamovich’s submission win via armbar, forcing Blanchard to tap out in a huge moment.

TNA World Tag Team Championship: Nic & Ryan Nemeth def. The Hardy Boyz (Matt & Jeff Hardy) (c)
Matt’s focus on punishing Ryan backfired. After Ryan backdropped Matt onto a chair, Nic capitalized on the chaos, low-blowing Jeff and hitting the Danger Zone. Ryan tagged in to cover Jeff for the win — crowning the Nemeth brothers the new tag champs.

TNA World Championship: Joe Hendry (c) def. Frankie Kazarian & Ethan Page
In a frantic triple threat, Hendry survived Kazarian and Page’s assaults. He took Kaz out with an Attitude Adjustment off the apron through a table, then finished Page after a series of counters, hitting the Standing Ovation to retain.

The Aftermath: Trick Williams Arrives
As Hendry celebrated, NXT’s Trick Williams made a shocking appearance, dropping the champion with a spinning kick and the Trick Shot knee. Looks like Hendry has a new threat on the horizon!

TNA Rebellion 4/27/2025 (Card)

TNA Rebellion Pay-Per-View – Sunday, April 27 – Galen Center in Los Angeles, California.

CARD

  • TNA World Championship: Joe Hendry (c) vs. Frankie Kazarian vs. Ethan Page from NXT
  • Knockouts Championship: Masha Slamovich (c) vs. Tessa Blanchard
  • TNA World Tag Team Championship: Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Nic Nemeth & Ryan Nemeth
  • X-Division Championship: Moose (c) vs. Leon Slater vs. Matt Cardona vs. Hijo del Vikingo from AAA vs. KC Navarro vs. Sidney Akeem in Ultimate X
  • Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Ash & Heather by Elegance (c) vs. Spitfire vs. Meta Girls (Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson) from NXT vs. Gigi Dolin & Tatum Paxley from NXT
  • TNA International Championship: Steve Maclin (c) vs. Eric Young
  • Falls Count Anywhere Match: Mike Santana vs. Mustafa Ali
  • Trey Miguel, Zachary Wentz, & Ace Austin (with Sean Waltman) vs. Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers, & Johnny Dango Curtis (with Alisha Edwards)
  • Walk with Elijah open challenge (pre-show)
  • Rosemary, Xia Brookside, & Lei Ying Lee vs. Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne, & Jazmyn Nyx) from NXT (pre-show)