Mustafa Ali faced a surprising turn at Total Nonstop Action Wrestling’s (TNA) Slammiversary event. Ali had issued an open challenge for the International Championship, but the identity of his opponent was kept under wraps.

He announced on social media that TNA’s director of operations, Daria Rae, would reveal the opponent during the Slammiversary pre-show. However, Ali chose not to wait and made his way to the ring during the pre-show.

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At the event, as Rae prepared to disclose the challenger, an unexpected interruption occurred. TNA director of authority, Santino Marella, joined the scene.

Marella and Rae each announced opponents for Ali, transforming the open challenge into a triple-threat match. Ali’s first competitor was revealed as Rich Swann, followed by the debut of Uhaa Nation, formerly known as Apollo Crews from WWE. Nation, a former intercontinental and U.S. champion in WWE, quickly pushed Ali out of the ring and concentrated on Swann.

The match demanded significant effort from Ali, who had to counteract both opponents’ skills. Fortunately, members of Order 4, Tasha Steelz and Special Agent Zero, provided timely distractions. Zero’s intervention against Nation allowed Ali to capitalize on a focused opportunity against Swann. Ali managed to pin Swann with a backslide pin maneuver, securing the victory.

Ali’s win marked his first International Championship title since joining the company in 2024, a year in which he claimed the X Division Championship and was honored as the X Division Star of the Year. Uhaa Nation, now a part of TNA, had showcased his talent earlier at an event in San Antonio, Texas.

Since joining TNA, Ali and his Order 4 allies have maintained an impressive record. Ali won the TNA International Championship against Trey Miguel at Rebellion in Cleveland this past April and has continued his victorious streak.