Mustafa Ali’s Open Challenge at TNA Slammiversary

Mustafa Ali stepped into Total Nonstop Action Wrestling’s (TNA) Slammiversary event poised for an open challenge for the International Championship, although he wasn’t quite sure who would respond.

Ms. Ali shared with her social media followers that TNA’s Director of Operations, Dahlia Ray, would reveal the challenger during the Slammiversary pre-show. Opting for action over anticipation, Ali entered the ring early.

As Ray was preparing to disclose the opponent, TNA authority figure Chief Santino Marella interrupted. They announced that instead of a one-on-one, the open challenge would turn into a triple threat match.

The first competitor identified was Rich Swann. Then, Uhaa Nation made his debut, previously known as Apollo Crews in WWE. Notably, he had held the Intercontinental and United States Championships during his WWE tenure. Early in the match, Nation tossed Ali out of the ring and directed his efforts toward Swann.

Ali had to navigate the combined strength and agility of his challengers. However, he received unexpected assistance from Order 4 members Tasha Steels and Special Agent Zero, who distracted Nation as he aimed to finish off Swann.

With that distraction, Zero took down Nation, allowing Ali to focus on a one-on-one matchup. Cleverly avoiding Swann, Ali managed to secure a backslide pin and bridge, earning a quick three-count from the referee—a moment of joy for him.

This win marked Ali’s first international championship reign since joining TNA in 2024. He initially came in strong, clinching the X Division Championship and earning the title of X Division Star of the Year in his debut year.

Since then, Ali has formed a solid partnership with Order 4, finding himself on the winning side of many matches. He notably captured the TNA International Championship against Trey Miguel in Cleveland last April and has continued to thrive ever since.