Apollo Crews made his TNA debut, and he’ll be using a “new” name moving forward.
Crews was revealed as one of the mystery opponents for Mustafa Ali in his International Championship defense at Slammiversary. The match was originally advertised as a singles open challenge, but Santino Marella stepped in and found a second opponent to make it a triple threat.
Rich Swann was revealed as the first opponent, followed by Crews, who is now using the name Uhaa Nation.
The Uhaa Nation name is one that the (now former) Apollo Crews used on the independent scene before he signed with WWE. It also has a personal connection, as his real name is Sesugh Isaac Uhaa.
Despite an impressive showing in the match from Uhaa Nation, Mustafa Ali went on to retain his title, extending his title reign to 78 days (and counting).
TNA showed interest in signing Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews was released by WWE in April 2026 after spending 11 years with the company. During his tenure, he was a WWE Intercontinental Champion and a WWE United States Champion, winning each title one time.
It was recently reported that TNA was showing interest in Crews, as WrestleVotes Radio (via Fightful Select) noted that TNA was interested in bringing him in. Earlier this week, PWInsider.com reported that a “former Intercontinental Champion” would debut at Slammiversary. However, the outlet did not explicitly state that this would be Crews.
Read More: TNA Slammiversary Results: Review, Grades, Card For June 28
