TNA wrestling star Matt Hardy has singled out a group of rising performers he believes fans should watch closely, speaking to Fox News Digital ahead of the promotion's Lockdown pay-per-view. Hardy, currently one half of the TNA World Tag Team Champions alongside his brother Jeff, highlighted Jason Hotch, Leon Slater and Ricky Sosa as wrestlers on the cusp of stardom, praising their talent and potential to become major names in the sport.

Hardy noted that Hotch, who recently defeated Mustafa Ali for the TNA International Championship, is "just starting to become a star", with the pair set for a rematch at Lockdown on 23 August. He also praised 21-year-old Leon Slater, who came close to TNA's longest-ever X Division title reign before losing the belt to Cedric Alexander, and fellow 21-year-old Ricky Sosa, who signed with TNA this year after gaining viral attention on the independent circuit. Lockdown, featuring steel cage matches throughout, takes place at the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, where Matt and Jeff Hardy will defend their tag titles against Nic and Ryan Nemeth.