Superstar Sleeze

I 100% agree with you about the lack of heat. I think it is directly correlated to the match they worked which was radically different than typical TNA match at the time. A match completely based around selling and taking what the match gave you RATHER THAN working through your moveset and hitting highspots. They did not know how to react because they only react for highspots not for the characters themselves. This was a character driven match. If you put a lot of stock in heat like a Kelly Nelson, then this match will not do much for you. I think heat can add to a match, but I think if they play to crickets, but I am hot for it then I still will give it a high rating. I see your point the finish is anti-climatic. I would have put the cheap Roode pinfall to tie at about the one minute mark. I think those are your strongest points. I think I did get so caught up in the uniqueness of the match that I may have overrated it. I will watch it again. Don't see myself going below 4.5, but 4.75 is probably more appropriate given the fact they did not really build to a fever pitch.

Parv it is like we watched two different matches. GOTNW, I would love for you to give this a look see when you get a chance.

TOTALLY DISAGREE!!! The selling here was off the charts! He started selling before the chop block. He was selling as early as the drop toehold within one minute of the opening bell. Did you notice how he landed on his back on a kick out from the headscissors to avoid landing on the injured leg! Did you notice how he clamped on a front chancery to avoid Roode decimating the leg early? Did you notice he could not even run properly at all in this match? DO YOU THINK THAT IS HOW AJ STYLES TYPICALLY RUNS??? He ran like that to sell the knee! Once the knee clips happens, he is fighting back because he does not want to die. He is actually selling rather than dying, which makes the comeback credible. None of his three falls came from bursts of energy. Fall #1: Kicks Roode off with good leg causing shoulder injury. That "Rock Bottom type move" was a Single Arm DDT which he landed completely on his back totally avoiding landing on his legs. Then he rolled over in pain to get the crossface. Fall #2: AJ taking advantage of Roode injuring his own arm when he went for an ill-advised clothesline. Hardly, a burst of energy! Fall #3: HE LANDS ON ONE FOOT ON THE TURNBUCKLES AND THEN LANDS ON ONE FOOT TO DO A QUEBRADA ALL IN THE NAME OF SELLING!!! Look at his face when he is about to Springboard 450 that's the look of a man that knows this is going to hurt like Holy Hell, but damnit winning the match means that much more to him. There is NO stop-start selling of the leg. He is literally selling the leg the whole time! Steamboat and Savage sell the leg in very dramatic fashion. This was a very realistic style of selling. Watch his face, watch how he moves in every punch and every chop, there is always a wince and there is always a sense that he has to fight through it.

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode vs AJ Styles - TNA Final Resolution 2011 30 Minute Iron Man The video package before the match was fantastic. I loved Roode's parents condemning Roode's actions and that they did not raise their child to be like this. I loved Roode's wife staying he is not the one here at home that has to explain to their children why their daddy is a cheater. Great touch. Spitting on Dixie and then taking on AJ's knee. Hell they are trying to get Roode over as the top heel I will give them that! First ten minutes: AJ Styles gives a ***** sell job of his knee. Maybe the greatest ten minute selling of the knee I have ever seen period. What makes it so great? We all know Kawada in 12/3/93 and Savage from SNME 11/87 against Bret, those are great "my knee is totally fucked, I cant do anything performances". AJ puts a twist on this. This is a great "my knee has been injured before the match and it is affecting every single thing I do" performance. They trade waistlocks at the beginning Roode gets a drop toehold and AJ scrambles and immediately favors the knee. Every single time he runs; he runs with a limp. The way he throws chops and shouldertackles he favors the knee. He is using side headlocks to control the match because it is the one thing he can do that does not hurt his knee. When he needs to escape out of a headscissors, he bridges on ONE LEG and then kicks out in such a way that his left leg feels no impact. Taz points this out too and kudos to him. To paraphrase Taz, this selling has been simply phenomenal pun intended. We saw in the last match AJ constantly being on the attack and suffocating Roode. Here Roode can take walks and AJ does nothing about it because he does not want to risk his leg. Another way Roode can dictate the match now. I am not exaggerating or kidding when I say literally ever MOVEMENT that AJ does that could affect the leg he sells. In the corner, Roode crowds and picks the leg so AJ clamps on a front chancery. The tension is so high in this match because you know AJ's knee is going to get fucked, but you don't know when and as a big AJ fan you don't want it to happen. They have been teasing it, but he is still standing. Nice nearfall barrage, AJ favors knee on hiptoss and armdrag, but his hesitation costs him as Roode gets a shoulder tackle. Roode hits a kneecrusher, fuck...AJ avoids elbow on knee...AJ clamps on side headlock, but is in visible pain. He is a gamer and is trying to fight through it. Roode chopblocks the knee while AJ is in the ropes and Roode picks up the win. To go up 1-0. The first fall was ten minutes. The greatest ten minute match I have ever seen. I would give it ***** without a doubt. I am actually scared to watch the next twenty minutes because AJ wrestled at such a high level for the first ten minutes. Next Five Minutes: WHO AM I TO DOUBT AJ STYLES? We are halfway through and still totally at the ***** clip! AJ fights through the pain roaring back with vicious punches and chop. Roode is totally overwhelmed in the corner and goes to the eyes. AJ is a sitting duck and Roode clips the leg and AJ is down in pain. Roode tortures AJ. I love AJ's selling mixed with his fighting spirit. He never drops the selling for one second, but he never dies either. He fighting back with chops and punches but through the pain. You can see that pain etched on his face. Roode always has the ability to stymie AJ with a knee attack. AJ goes for the rana off his back, but has no strength in his knee and this leads to a Single leg crab...so dramatic watching AJ make the ropes. Only for him to succumb to the figure-4. Incredible, incredible, incredible. This is the pro wrestling I live for! I am excited for the next fifteen minutes! Next Five Minutes: So you know something had to break AJ's way otherwise this was just going to be a blowout. AJ kicks Roode off with his good leg and Roode hits the turnbuckle and comes up favoring his shoulder!!!! AJ SINGLE ARM DDT! Landing completely on his back! It is the little things people! Crippler Crossface! Tap out. 2-1 Roode! Go AJ GO! He goes for a Nagata Style armbar, Roode counters using the tights into a single leg crab and AJ reaches back and rakes the eyes! AJ is going to destroy this arm. He wrenching it in every way and just teeing off on Roode. He is selling his leg like a million bucks. Roode hits a clothesline, but his shoulder is shot and he cant follow it up. Cradle by AJ, 1-2-3! It is all knotted up! Ten minutes to go! WOW! I am shocked at how good this is. Next Five Minutes: They trade shots at each other's weaknesses, great selling all around. AJ hits the enziguiri, but he is stuck writhing in pain by the time he gets up Roode is able to hit a spinebuster for two. Roode back to the leg, but AJ kicks his bad shoulder with his good leg. Then the greatest thing ever happens. Roode catapults AJ who LANDS ON ONE FREAKING LEG ON THE TURNBUCKLES COMES OFF WITH A QUEBRADA LANDING ONE FREAKING LEG TO HIT THE INVERTED DDT!!! THAT'S COMMITMENT!!! GREATEST SELLING PERFORMANCE EVER! AJ puts it all on the line hits a Springboard 450 to complete the rally and go up 3-2!!!! Holy Shit! AJ's reaction to this is incredible. You feel like he is in the worst agony imagaineable. AJ fires off headbutts and goes for an armbar takedown, but Roode squirms out and he goes for a single leg. AJ wrenches the arm against the apron and slingshots in for a sunset flip, but Roode drops down and gets the ropes for extra leverage to knot it up at 3-3. Cant wait for the last 5 minutes! Last Five Minutes: AJ IS PISSED! He lunges at Roode and beats the holy hell out of him. Once that burst of anger wears off, his pain in his knee overtakes him. Tries Superplex, but settles for an armdrag off the top. Goes for a suplex, but Roode kicks him in the bum knee. Fisherman's Suplex Attempt-cradle-KICKOUT, PELE FROM OUT OF NOWHERE! GO AJ GO! Styles Clash and OH MY GOD AJ'S KNEE BUCKLES! Like I literally gasped the way he buckled his knee. Holy shit. Roode says fuck this noise with 90 seconds left and heads for the outside. AJ says Fuck it too and just dives out onto him. The way he sells the impact is just money. Holy shit great! The finish is Roode stalling for a draw with AJ chasing after him more like limping after him. Tie goes to the champion, Bobby Roode retains. Not for one second in a thirty minute match did AJ let up on selling his leg. AJ worked a completely different match doing almost ZERO of his typical spots. Relying completely on selling, punches and what the match gave him. Total pro. Honest to God, one of the top tier individual performances I have ever seen in a pro wrestling match. Greatest TNA match in history and one of the greatest matches in history. *****

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode vs AJ Styles - TNA Turning Point 2011 When I used to watch TNA, I did not think Roode was a particularly interesting pro wrestling and hey what do you know he was not in this match! I actually remember the angle he did when he bashed Storm with the beer bottle to win the title. Strong angle. AJ Styles is out for revenge against Roode on Storm's behalf. Good booking, giving Roode a credible series of victories of a very established babyface before going into the blood feud with James Storm. AJ Styles gave a typically excellent performance in this match, but it was not carry it over the hump. Roode reminds me a lot of HHH. Mechanically fine, knows what he is supposed to do, but does not do it in a particularly compelling way. AJ started off red hot with lots of wicked fists and chops. He was all about that full court press and falling Roode. I really liked Roode trying to get the cheapshot out of the corner look for AJ to shake it off and punching him. Then he complained to the ref about AJ's punch when he did it first. That was probably the best thing he did in the match. As AJ was trying to get back in the ring after kicking some ass Roode dropkicked him out and then slammed him into hard objects. Choking. Cutoffs. Everything was the ring thing to do well I could have done without the Kan Snuggle, but it was just done without emotion. Superplex jumpstarts the AJ comeback. This brings me to the point I really wanted to make. AJ was really good at covering up miscommunications in this match. On a torture rack that failed and then Roode being out of position for the Springboard forearm AJ compensated in ways that made sense in Kayfabe without repeating the spot or losing that rhythm. Yes, it looked awkward because I have been watching wrestling for almost twenty years so I notice these things, but from a kayfabe point of view everything still made sense. The finish stretch was a bit move-tradey at first. The Styles Clash->Crossface->Styles Clash was bit convoluted. The crowd did not seem very hot for it. Once they got back to face/heel dynamics the match got its heat back. Roode ballshotted AJ and hey he sold it! One thing 2011 TNA does better than 2002 TNA! He even got the ref with that ballshot. AJ decks him out of desperation. Roode begs for forgiveness and AJ lets him have it, middle finger and just beats the shit out of him 2002 AJ Styles style! He goes for the dive and crashes and burns. AJ's saw red and seemingly lost because of it. AJ does a great job selling and fisherman suplex 1-2-NO!!! WTF?!?! That would have been a great finish. Styles Clash attempt, but Roode grabs the tights for the win. That finish does set up the rematch better. I think you combine the ballshot with the tight grab for the win. When the match relied on face/heel dynamics, it was pretty damn good and AJ has proven to be a damn good fiery, asskicking babyface. When it was move trade-y, it faltered because Roode is not very good at that. I thought they crammed too much stuff in the finish stretch. There were like three possible great finishes in there. ***1/2 mostly because I could watch AJ punch and chop for days and his ability to hold this together was pretty superb.

X Division Champion AJ Styles vs Jerry Lynn - NWA-TNA 11/6/02 AJ is 100% in this heel and establishes he is a very cocky little shit. This allows Jerry Lynn to take advantage when he is showboating. They also establish that they are very familiar with each other with all the reversals and misses, but it is Lynn that seems to be the one left standing. The first time it looks to shifts to AJ is when he hurdled the railing and he superkicked Lynn as he tried to give pursuit. AJ then tries a springboard guardrail move, but takes a kick to midsection. His cockiness gets the best of him again. AJ was ha been selling and bumping so much better than Lynn in this match. AJ baseball slide into a slingshot plancha. AJ even sells his own move! They trade attempted finish attempts. Styles wants the Styles Clash again, but Lynn forces AJ to settle for a Boston Crab, but he just gives up. Ugh. I hate when that happens. You could say AJ was in an awkward position. Plumtree distracts the red on a Lynn pinfall attempt. AJ ballshot and quebrada/Slop Drop. I hate how ballshots are no sold! How is anyone supposed to get heat if ballshots are sold like any other punch or kick!!!!! Lynn hits a sitout powerbomb to level the playing field. Lynn starts his comeback back drop, clotheslines and hits a Northern Lights Suplex into the turnbuckles for two. Pretty gnarly bump by Styles. AJ & Plumtree collide heads and Cradle Piledriver. I bit on that finish as that is a pretty typical finish. TKO and Sonny Siaki pulled out ref (forgot that Sonny Siaki existed). Lynn ends up head first into a chair that Plumtree set up. Styles Clash -> 2. Only fair since AJ got to kick out of Cradle Piledriver. Spiral Tap!?!?!? Crotched. Lynn Superplex!!!! They do the WCW tombstone reversal spot with Lynn hitting a Cradel Tombstone. I actually enjoyed the home stretch of this a good bit. Lots of hot nearfalls and it was exciting. The beginning was pedestrian, but effective. I thought the middle just meandered. Match elevated by the hot, dramatic finish run. ***1/2

X Division Champion Low-Ki vs AJ Styles vs Jerry Lynn - NWA-TNA 8/28/02 "Jerry Lynn is the only man in this match not to win X-Division gold." " This is Jerry Lynn's chance to finally win the gold." "Finally after all these years!" I thought the next sentence was going to be Jerry Lynn dreamt of this moment his whole life! Gimme a break, the fucking title has existed for TWO MONTHS! I cant say this enough, the commentary is god-awful. Better spotfest from earlier in the month. Ki is really good at these offensive showcases and AJ is a bumping freak. Jerry Lynn well he is Jerry Lynn. I really don't have much to say just a fun, entertaining spots. AJ taking Northern Lights Suplex on the ladder looked painful as fuck. The finish is three ladders. There is a hard to explain spot where all three on ladders and basically AJ and Ki figure out a way to ricochet off the ropes back up. AJ ends up taking a dive off the top. Low Ki eats a piledriver off the ladder, which was pretty damn sickkkk. Definitely a fitting end to the match. Very good spotfest. ***1/2

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ron "The Truth" Killings vs Low-Ki - NWA-TNA 10/02/02 The Truth is pissed off that everyone is talking about the X-Division and they are the best wrestlers. Well he is the World Heavyweight Champion, goddamnit! Another great TNA match from 2002! I know that the storylines were probably insufferable that 75% of each show was garbage, but they do seem to consistently put on one great match a show. I loved seeing Ki in this setting against a more conventional heavyweight wrestler and being able to work underneath and really sell. I thought he was great in the shine with his chops and kicks. The transition to heat was great with Killings sending him flying off the guardrail WIPING OUT THE FANS! Awesome moment. I usually hate arena brawling thought this was good and loved the climax of him wheeling a trunk right into Ki. Back in the ring great work on the ribs, awesome selling by Low Ki. Every time we get a hope spot, Low Ki's ribs slow him down. Killings in order to prove he is just as good as these X-Division goes up top and CRASHES & BURNS on a 450 splash! Great way to show how his jealousy may cost him. Low Ki tries to capitalize but again the ribs are hindering him. He gets the Dragon Clutch in the ropes, but it is not enough. Ki meets Truth on the top but a jab to the ribs and Truth hits a super front suplex for the win. Really nice showcase for Low Ki's selling in a more conventional match and nice story woven through with Killings disdain for X Division almost costing him in the match. ***3/4

Triple X vs Amazing Red/SAT - NWA TNA 12/18/02 GO RED GO! - Don West, loses his mind in the middle of this match as he gets on the announce table trying to cheerlead for Amazing Red. Tenay & West bitching and moaning about Triple X being aligned with Russo is fucking annoying. Another great X Division match, I really want to see a Low Ki vs Amazing Red singles match after this. I thought this had a good layout. Loved the babyface shine at the beginning, lots of dives and the faces going over. Red's Trouble in Paradise is so much better than Kofi's. As Red is running the ropes he runs into a forearm from Skipper on the apron and Daniels follows up with a clothesline. A really nice long traditional heat segment follows with strong hope spots from red and just solid heel work from XXX nothing too flashy that will get them cheered. I like how he uses Code Red as a hope spot instead of a finish feels more appropriate. Him and Low Ki work really well together in this match. After a rana and a Code Red, he tags out. I liked the finish run with SATs basically roaming ringside waylaying Triple X assholes while freeing up Red to do his work inside the ring. For the most part it is Red vs Low Ki, which is just an offensive spectacle. Loved the missed Phoenix Splash and Infra-Red shows how dangerous those moves are. The finish is the SAT want the Spanish Fly, but they try to dive on the rest of Triple X but miss so Ki hits the Ki Krusher from top rope. It was a nice blend of tradition in the heat segment and spotfest down the stretch. ***3/4 The aftermath is pretty funny both legitimately and in a sad way. Vince Russo says we are going to solve wrestling's biggest mystery. "Road Dogg, why are there tables under a wrestling ring." "Because we put them there." Well there you go! I thought that was funny. What is not so funny was Curt Hennig saving an attack from Road Dogg, Harris Twins and Triple X, collectively SEX, and then being attacked by David Flair...only to have Jeff Jarrett make the real save and Russo brings down TNA sign with an Axe. They should have renamed the promotion S.E.X. Russo did not have the balls to do it.

X Division Champion Syxx vs AJ Styles - NWA-TNA 10/23/02 Damn more people should wrestle on Meth if this is the outcome. I know he said he wrestled AJ on meth, was it this match or the one from the week before? Syxx looked great here busting out a HUGE dive and just kicking AJ's ass from pillar to post in a tremendous shine. I would say AJ was undoubtedly the star here. AJ was a bumping maniac here. Really strong bumping performance by AJ. I liked the transition with AJ catapulting Syxx into ringpost crotch first. Was not in love with Spiral Tap as the follow up and the kick out. Plumtree pulls the ref out on the X Factor. AJ goes for Styles Clash cant get it and Grandmaster Sexay coldcocks Syxx allowing AJ to win. Syxx raises AJ's hand in victory. What the fuck? Awesome shine, not much else going on but great AJ performance and Syxx looked good on offense. Thankfully the heavyweight bullshit has not seeped into the X Division. ***1/4

AJ Styles vs Amazing Red - NWA-TNA 12/11/02 I have been praising AJ vs Low Ki ad naseum, but it is actually AJ vs Red that have had the best two matches in TNA in 2002 that I have seen so far. This featured great early 2000s work with awesome face/heel dynamics. Amazing Red was taken out last week by Styles and starts this match red hot wailing on AJ who tries shoving him off, but Red will not be deterred. Great Red shine with Red Star Press and 619. When he tries follow up on the outside AJ catches him and hits a powerbomb on his knee. The rest of the match is AJ working an awesome cocky bully heat segment while Red sells well and times his hope spots really effectively. AJ was just great in using power moves to cut Red off at the press while Red had to use sudden bursts of energy to have any hope of winning. I loved stuff like Red trying the Code Red early but getting squashed but eventually hitting it. AJ hits a massive powerbomb at one point. The match is pretty much entirely just made up of a heat segment and hope spots and the crowd was totally into the wrestlers and this story. The finish was them tussling on the top rope and Red winning with a Super Top Rope Hurricanarna and AJ doing a 450 off the top. Red gets the HUGE upset win to a big pop. Perfect melding of old school babyface/heel dynamics with some sweet innovative spots. My TNA match of the year thus far. ****

AJ Styles vs Low-Ki - NWA-TNA 9/25/02 2 Out Of 3 Falls Nashville crowd loves Low Ki and hey we even get an AJ Sucks chant. I could watch these two wrestle forever. Always great chaining at the beginning even if it always ends with that cool kick by Ki. Low Ki is a great offensive wrestler has that perfect babyface shine offense, it pops up, but keeps stuff in the back pocket for later. I liked AJ mocking Low-Ki's kicks to the chest only to eat a kick to the head. Great way to work in some character work. AJ hotshots Low-Ki's crotch into the top rope. Strong, short heat segment with great fists and chops from AJ. Double clothesline is the reset. Ki get the tap out from the Dragon Clutch to win the first fall. Very good opening fall. Low-Ki 1-0. Second fall sees AJ out of desperation pull Ki's tights so he goes throat first into the ropes. Perfect heel move. Again another great short heat segment with a delayed vertical, knee drop some taunting and lots of booing. AJ comes up short on a baseball slide and Ki spins him around hits him with a wicked kick. Low Ki grabs the Dragon Clutch on the outside, but AJ drops back onto the ramp. A countout victory for the second fall would have been nice. Instead AJ rolls through a hurricanrana for the win. Decent. Tied 1-1. Awesome third fall! Ki is pissed he lost on a roll through so he kicks AJ in the head. AJ retreats to the outside. Ki goes for a kick but AJ catches the foot and slams it into the barricade. Great selling by Ki and awesome leg work by AJ. Loved the super Kneecrusher from the top. Spinning Toe Hold! Ki gets a spike hurricanarana (AJ is good at taking that move) for a hope spot. He goes for Ki Krusher, but AJ moves the ref away to kick him in the balls. Ki is writhing in pain and Styles Clash picks up the victory. Awesome first and third falls, second fall was good. These two have amazing chemistry with each other. ****

X Division Champion AJ Styles vs Low Ki vs Jerry Lynn - NWA TNA 8/7/02 "The fans really showing their respect for these competitors" "Again we point out the fans are still on their feet" - Mike Tenay I am not saying this is the first match, but this was definitely a harbinger of the matches we are stuck with now. Ones that not only emphasize the moves over the victory and the motivation of the characters, but that sense of self-congratulatory respect from the crowd. This crowd was mixed. They definitely wanted Low-Ki to win, but were also as interested in chanting TNA at every highspot and cheering the exhibition rather than competition. The announcing has been absolutely dreadful. Constantly selling me how awesome TNA is rather than telling the story in the ring. Granted there was not much of a story to tell. The first AJ Styles match that has been a disappointment was definitely this one. I don't really like triple threats. Everyone seems to hate them, but someone must like these fuckers they keep putting them on. This was just spot-spot-spot. AJ was beginning his cocky heel turn against Jerry Lynn, but besides a ballshot that was poorly sold (I hate when the ballshot is not respected) and some cockiness at the end, he was not very good at being a heel. Lynn is a snorefest. Low-Ki was definitely the best wrestler. He played his character well and was tenacious about going for the victory via the Dragon Sleeper. I thought the best spots of the match were Lynn flipping AJ Styles into his quebrada/Slop Drop combo and Ki getting stuck in the ropes off a Dragon Sleeper and Styles hitting a quebrada. Probably the most eye ball rolling sequence was each stealing the other's finish hitting on that person and the having that person kick out. That is just so stupid. Hey kill your own finish. It is a fucking triple threat have the other person break it up to protect the finish. Oh speaking of the finish, it sucked out loud. AJ brains Lynn with a chair. Takes his sweet time getting to top rope so Ki rolls in, Styles hits Spiral Tap but Ki stays on top to win. So lame. That's a heel way of winning not a babyface way. Sucky. Lets hope the ladder match is better.

X Division Champion AJ Styles vs Amazing Red - NWA TNA 10/30/02 AJ Styles was at his early 2000s goon best. If there is a God in Heaven, let bangs for men never ever come back! 2002 TNA is great for awesome Nitro cruiserweight matches. For the most part it has been debunked that Nitro was home to all these **** cruiserweight matches. Of course, they exist, but due to time constraints they are not as plentiful as one would be led to believe. TNA continued the lineage of Nitro cruiserweight matches but I think with better presentation (this is very shocking, the commentary is god fucking awful though) and some more time actually enhanced these matches. I think the better presentation is that company in 2002 was built around AJ Styles, which is crazy to think about since he had just started wrestling. He was at the forefront of the X & Tag Division scene and his feud with Ki & Lynn was the biggest feud of the year. The X Division Championship feels like a big deal and it is no small wonder why he was promoted to World Heavyweight Champion the following year. It is not often we get to see AJ against a smaller opponent so I relish these opportunities. He did not bully Red as much as I like, but he was a great cocky prick and there was some good examples of power. Red could have been the heir to Rey Mysterio (weird to say as Rey Rey was active and had at least 10 great years left in him), but he was cut from a similar cloth, undersized, good seller and cool highspots. Watching him back here, there is something about him that has him falling show of Rey. For a lack of better term, he just does not feel like he has "it". The beginning of the match establishes that both men are quicker than a hiccup and equals for the most part. Red dropkicks Styles over the top. What follows is just a masterful way to set up a highspot. They took the extra 30-60 seconds to do proper transition work to make Red's spectacular dive make sense rather than just have AJ stand around looking like a fool. AJ powers Red up and drops him down. I thought this was an effective power-based, slow it down heat segment from Styles where Red got to sell. Red was really effective with hope spots like Code Red and Red Star Press. I am not in love with the moves, but in terms of timing of the hope spots and AJ's heel work it was really well done. AJ was really smart to come up with the Styles Clash given the prevalence of hurricanaranas as it was easy counter to them. Loved the wicked powerbomb counter to a rana by Red. Red did hit a great spike Rana, which was of course all Styles making it look like a million bucks and even getting a Holy Shit chant out of it. Some dude named Mortimer Plumtree in pleated khakis and a sweater vest trips up Red. The righteous indignation from Tenay and West is so hokey. AJ wants Spiral Tap, but blocks and wants a rana and hits a beautiful one only for AJ to roll through. They were putting this over as Red's first title shot and that is such a perfect finish for the first title shot. Red looked great with his hope spots and looked like he was right there with Styles, but due to a roll through lost the match just came up short. Red looked great and definitely protects him for future title shots. While AJ simultaneously looked strong kicking ass but also vulnerable enough to lose. Very strong heel champion vs babyface underdog match with some cool spots thrown in. ****

Kevin Owens does not come to mind at all for me. Admittedly, not seen much of Steen's work on Indy circuit, is that when he had great punches. In WWE now, I don't think he is even Top 5.

X Division Champion AJ Styles vs Low-Ki NWA TNA 7/17/02 These two can not have a bad match together. Not quite as good as the others I have seen but still the intensity and energy was there. Just from the opening grappling, you can feel the tenacity and will to win. I loved AJ hitting a nice dropkick Ki when he goes for the cartwheel karate kick early. It shows that you can only hit those show off moves later in the match or if the opponent does not know you well. Very nice. Liked Ki controlling the wrist on an Irish Whip and him getting a Kappo Kick. Loved the Dragon Sleeper in the ropes. They were just laying everything in. This felt like a very good Nitro match, but like most very good Nitro matches it also felt compressed and rushed. They just did not let things breathe. They packed a lot of stuff in ten minutes. Like the Ki Krusher quickly into a DDT and then AJ missing a Spiral Tap, but everything was humming along. It is too bad. They do that super cool Phoenix Splash into a Styles Clash, but I think Ibushi/AJ pulled it off better. Still very good just hurt by time constraints. ***3/4

AJ Styles vs Jerry Lynn vs Low Ki vs Psicosis - NWA TNA 6/19/02 I thought the rules in this were pretty cool. I would make some minor tweaks, but overall a really neat way to do a fatal four-way. Basically it is a double elimination 4-person round robin. Winner of a fall stays in to meet the entrant and they cycle through until the first loser comes in. I would probably change it A vs B then C vs D then losers of the first two go head to head. But I digress. More fatal 4-ways should be done like this. See not everything in early TNA was horrible. Great fucking spotfest. Because it was essentially a bunch of mini-matches it could be wrestled like a sprint. AJ Styles vs Psicosis had some gnarly chops, really great stuff. Guillotine Legdrop did not get done for Psicosis and he fell to the Styles Clash. Styles vs Low Ki was just fucking awesome. Styles started off with that rana from his back and these two just did not let up. Great strikes, throws and submissions. Loved the rolling dragon sleeper from the top by Ki. Styles wins with that German/Front suplex combo. Love Lynn taking advantage of Styles with a piledriver quickly. I thought Lynn/Psicosis was just kinda there. It was action but didn't stick with me and Lynn won with the piledriver. I thought Ki/Lynn started off well, but there seemed to be some miscommunication especially on the Ki Krusher counter. Lynn wins with the cradle piledriver. Don West going on about that this is only $9.95 was funny. This leaves us with Lynn with zero losses vs AJ with one loss. So AJ has to win two in a row, but AJ has had some rest. Wicked discus clothesline by AJ Styles. AJ basically hit Spiral Tap as a springboard pretty incredible. Tornado DDT by Jerry Lynn, I liked that move as a kid, but I hope that does not come back as a move in wrestling anytime soon. RUNNING LIGER BOMB BY LYNN! STYLES CLASH!!! It is all tied up. Ricky Steamboat is the ref. Early TNA was such a strange place. Barrage of nearfalls. Wicked Double Clothesline levels playing field. Asai Moonsault into Quebrada. AJ busting but all the moves in debut. Ed Ferrara says people years later will be talking about Lynn/Styles. He is no prophet. This is getting contrived and a little too spotty. The commentary is fucking awful. So congratulatory and mutual admiration. I like Lynn using a sleeper after this barrage of highspots. Mike Tenay rattling off that this is akin to Dory Funk vs Gene Kiniski. LOL! Don West losing shit over a top rope superplex is great. Hey, Bill Apter is here. SPIRAL TAP~! First half of the match was unique and awesome. Lynn vs Styles was a great spotfest but then descended into that dramatic spotfest style that I don't care for that much. Usually I can tune out bad commentary but this was pretty godawful. Still a clearly great spotfest. Mike Tenay proves he is a prophet saying that AJ Styles is the future of our spot. Amen brutha, amen. ****

This is from 2003, my bad! Low Ki vs Christopher Daniels - NWA TNA 11/12/03 Nothing quite says war like catching your buddy doing a split-legged moonsault. Don West calling this a war was well quite the exaggeration. This is just a fun let me run through my moveset for a bit and now you run through yours. I love Low Ki's moveset so this is totally fun. The control he has over his legs is incredible. The Shining Wizard into an Octopus or the way he could convert just about anything into a submission move was breath-taking. This was NOT Triple X explodes, but just a good routine early 00s indy match. Good chain wrestling, the highspot transition with Daniels using split-legged moonsault, Daniels worked a short, solid heat segment then they hit finish stretch. The key here is that Low Ki comes off really organic in how he sets up his spots. Daniels is definitely not as good at this and really telegraphs everything he does. Angel Wings does not get it done. So Daniels is looking for Last Rites while Low Ki is focused on getting a submission namely the Dragon Sleeper to work. After some counters, Daniels is able to roll through to get the win. Just a really good ten minute match. ***1/4

I have been watching a lot of AJ Styles and he is such an underrated brawler. Some of the best punches of all time! That overhand right that hits the side of face, nose is nasty, always makes a great sound and looks violent as hell. That is some pure 80s, Southern punching greatness there. Everyone talks about the flips and tricks, but he is so sound. Those awesome punches are a staple going all the way back to 2003! He would have been incredible in Memphis. Him vs Lawler could have been the greatest match of all time period. I just think they would have sized up so well against each other. That got me thinking is AJ the best puncher of the 2000s wrestlers??? Punching is not a highly valued commodity in today's wrestling. This is the land of modified suplexes, flips and tricks. Necro Butcher comes to mind and I imagine he will be the one most people cite as the greatest. Is there anyone else in contention? Is there any way AJ Styles does not make your top 5? To me he is a mortal lock and I would currently have him at two behind Necro. Low-Ki and Danielson don't really punch. I would say AJ is a better puncher than Joe or Punk pretty safely. For some reason, I cant picture Chris Hero's punch in my head. I can picture his elbow, which is great. But I do not recall what his punch looks like. Could be an oversight on my part. So who else you got?

NWA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Low-Ki - NWA-TNA 8/13/03 if there is one wrestler from the first generation of indy boom I want to watch more of it is Low-Ki. Dude always impresses in the limited sampling I have seen. This was a fucking awesome sprint just balls to wall action with plenty of struggle and really organic set up for a lot of cool, innovative spots. Don West having a conniption fit over the fact there was chain wrestling at the beginning was hilarious. AJ Styles goes to throw Ki out of the ring and leads in with his head and Ki swings around nails with 619. Awesome, awesome! Not contrived at all. It is 2:30 am I am wicked tired so I am not going to do this match justice. It was wicked fun. Ki was a monster in his shine, tons of energy. I liked AJ going for the Styles Clash early to try get out of there with a quick win. Asai Moonsault into Scorpion Deathdrop on the outside came off beautifully. I cant believe AJ has been doing that since 2003! Liked Dragon Sleeper as a hope spot only for to get caught in the ropes and then AJ hit him with a rana while he was in the ropes. Nasty, but organic! Tidal wave begins the comeback into a SICK BUTTERFLY SUPLEX INTO A BRIDGE! WOW! AJ has been bumping great for Ki and selling like a heel should for Ki. It does get a bit spotty down the stretch, but fuck it if you are going to bust spots do it like these two! At least they look cool! AJ NAILS HIM WITH A DISCUS CLOTHESLINE! AJ just starts wailing on Ki and it is awesome! Ki into an Octopus only for AJ to hit a suplex barrage. Everything is being laid in. Russo distracts him and Ki levels him. He wants to dive onto Russo but ref wont let him. AJ hits him with the bat to win. On par with great Zero-One match from the beginning of 2003, just a ton of fun, great energy, innovative, but organic at the same time. ****

NWA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles vs Dusty Rhodes - NWA TNA 10/8/03 THIS EXISTS!!! Dusty challenging for the NWA World Championship 24 years after he first won it in 1979. Crazy! I cant believe AJ vs American Dream exists. Unfortunately this more sad than fun. Dusty just does not have anything left in the tank. He does not even have his charisma and schtick to salvage something. AJ tries his best busting him open with some great punches and bumping everywhere for Dusty. Great selling in the figure-4 (hurt his knee on springboard 450) and tap out but ref didn't see it. AJ gets a baseball bat from drunken Vince Russo (less said the better) and takes out Dusty's knee. AJ gets the pinfall on Dusty in the figure-4. Vince Russo wants to whip Dusty's bare ass. Oh God! Jarrett saves. Thank God! Wow! James Storm looks so young! Novel, but very disappointing. Too bad.

AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels - TNA Bound For Glory 2011 I Quit Very strange. Pieces of it were really great and other parts really sucked. They just couldn't decide what they wanted this to be. When the match first started, I thought I found a lost classic. Really heated and intense. Daniels telling AJ to suck his dick only for AJ to tell him to suck it and shoving the mic into his mouth wa awesome. Loved the use of the STO by Daniels as a takedown, loved AJ's tenacity with his punches and then going for submissions constantly from unique spots and really wrenching them in. Then they lost that it settled into as expected AJ face vs Daniels heel match, which can be great. However, we get weird shit like Daniels throwing a wrench at AJ's head but hitting the stairs or stabbing the turnbuckle pad with a screwdriver. Shit like that makes you lose suspension of disbelief. Daniels' segment was fine until he sat on a chair on top of AJ and told he was going to murder him in cold blood. Ugh. AJ's comeback was fucking awesome. AJ would have been an excellent Jerry Lawler opponent. He is like the world's greatest Bill Dundee. AJ as a brawler not talked about enough and he would have fit in Memphis perfectly. Pele into Styles Clash. This finish run would have been perfect for a great AJ vs Daniels standard match. Then AJ is pissed goes for the screwdriver and Daniels pussies out says I Quit without struggle, which hey he is a coward so I get it. Just a weird match. These two have really good chemistry together. This is not a good example of that. AJ was awesome at the beginning and the end. Hard to rate. I do recommend watching it because I think watching more AJ brawling and spreading the word about it is important. ***

AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels - TNA Destination X 2011 Another match of the year contender from AJ Styles in 2011 in a style of match that could not be more of a departure from the violent, bloody war with Bully Ray. This was an excellent, mutual respect face vs face technical classic. What stood out to me the most was hope well they weaved their shared history throughout the match. We have all seen the usual we know each other sequences (both throwing dropkicks at each other, yawn) this felt authentic and on top of that it was consistently played upon throughout the entire match unlike in similar matches where it will eventually be dropped. The beginning chain wrestling and armdrag work was amazing. It felt like a struggle and felt like two guys out there to prove who is the best. I liked them both knowing they were going for dives and avoided. I loved Daniels knowing the typical AJ dropkick sequence. Only for AJ to catch him unawares, but in doing so NOT getting full extension. Daniels forced him to hit the dropkick from an uncomfortable vantage point so in order to hit it AJ had to sacrifice impact. Great storytelling. By the same token, the match finally turns when Daniels hits suicide dive. But this was not an ordinary suicide dive. A typical suicide dive sees the catcher get up and prepare himself to take the dive. Because Daniels knows he needs to catch AJ unawares just leaps out onto him tackling him before he can prepare himself very cool. Then he hits the bigger dive over the top rope for more impact but set himself up first with the smaller surprise dive. I really dug these touches throughout the match. Another great example was AJ knowing Daniels was going for a split-legged moonsault and knocking him off the top rope setting himself up for a quick dive where again Daniels was not in a position to catch him and instead AJ landed nastily on Daniels' neck. The work in between the transitions is solid, but the transitions are really incredible. After AJ's control segment, we see it end because Daniels knows the Springboard Forearm is coming and he knocks him off the top rope and AJ takes a nasty spill. AJ is busting out Fujiwara armbars and Daniels is doing Crossfaces just to keep each other off balance because nobody can hit a signature move! I am digging this story a lot. I really liked AJ intentionally slipping off the top rope on a springboard to put over the danger of the move. There should be more missed and countered moves in wrestling in my opinion that's what I really liked about this. I really liked the symmetry of the finish. AJ put his foot up on the Best Moonsault Ever attempt and this led to the Styles Clash for two. So then he tries the Springboard 450 but eats knees and this sets up the Angel Wings for two. I was not crazy about the set up for Spiral Tap as it was a bit contrived why was Daniels going up top in the first place he does not have a finish in that style and then all of sudden we are battling over Angel Wings only for it to be countered. Spiral Tap is badass though. Great, great story. Both men had to wrestle a completely different match than they are used to because they were completely committed to showing they had the other scouted this led to a lot of interesting counters and offense that felt sudden and urgent. I do feel that during the finish there was a bit of fizzle and did not really build to a big crescendo. It was a missing a spark to really put it over the top. A really cool and interesting match that I think could be template for new style of wrestling that focuses more on missed moves and counters and the opportunities they create rather hitting moves cleanly all the time. ****1/2

AJ Styles vs Bully Ray - TNA Slammiversary 2011 Last Man Standing OH HELL YEAH! Slam dunk match of the year contender for 2011 right up there with Dick Togo vs Antonio Honda. Awesome David vs Goliath, coming of age, violent brawl all wrapped into one badass package. AJ has been such a tremendous heel since 2014 that even a massive AJ mark like myself forgets what an incredible babyface he is. He talks trash to Bully Ray that he is going to end his career. You believe him! Bubba had been calling out his manhood and AJ never backed down. He met him right at his level pissed the fuck off. AJ just opened up a can of whoop ass on Bully Ray. The best punches this side of Memphis baby! AJ even busts out a headbutt. Bully Ray was selling these great especially the headbutt. It was such an fiery, energetic opening to the match. Then we go into AJ bump machine mode. He goes flying off a Bully Ray boot when he went charging into the corner. Then the HIGH back body drop and then the way he bumped to the outside. He was throwing himself into everything hard. Bully Ray is a really great old school, mean heel. Just a total throwback. There is nothing redeemable about him. I loved him trapping AJ under the steps and standing on him. AJ does not get much chance to sell as a heel, but he is so great at sympathetic selling trying to crawl away from the stalking Bully. BIG OVERHEAD CHOP!!! AJ asking for more! ANOTHER BIG OVERHEAD CHOP! You can see the face print! My God, the bruise is already forming! AJ Is begging for him to hit it again. I love this show of pride from AJ. The crowd is chanting "Holy Shit", loving it from the crowd! AJ wants one on the kisser and decks AJ with rock n roll death drop. Incredible babyface performance! This is how you show resilience and pride! Now AJ is throwing some serious haymakers and finally gets Bully off his feet with enziguiri. I love this AJ he looks like man possessed. Everything is so credible. Springboard forearm! Pele when Bully Ray was on top rope, looking superplex, but they duke it out and AJ just starts blasting him with punches and Bubba turns it into a Super Powerbomb! Holy Shit! This is a war! Bully Ray may have bitten off more than he can chew and he realizes that grabbing his chain, but he misses with the whip. AJ wraps it around his hand, SUPERMAN CHAIN PUNCH!!! Epic Bladejob! Springboard 450!!! He gets up at 8 and AJ lifts Bully Ray like he was nothing and throws him right onto the steps on the outside. Holy Shit! Great heavy springboard plancha to outside. Everything is hitting with weight! Nice counter by Bully Ray with flapjack into the apron and we head up the ramp. They tease the powerbomb off the stage which is what started the feud, but instead AJ gets INSANE AIR LEAPING THROUGH THE AIR ONTO BULLY RAY! AJ beats the shit out of Bully Ray to set him up on a table. He climbs up scaffold REALLY FUCKING HIGH AND THEN JUMPS ONTO BULLY RAY! I thought we were going to get the lame both men get counted out, but instead as AJ is about to get up Bully kicks him in the ass and sends him crashing through the stage, great bump. Bully Ray wins! The finish is cheap. AJ earned that victory. We all know it. It pisses us off. I think it works though. AJ was so consumed with rage that it cost him the match. He wanted to destroy Bully Ray so bad he was willing to destroy himself. He could have won the match differently but he wanted to END Bully Ray's career in doing so he did not care what happened to himself. Thus he left himself open to losing the match. Bully Ray is all talk. He just wanted to win by any means and het got what he wanted. SO I think the finish works in a good way that pisses us off to want to see the rematch because we know AJ is the man and that Bully Ray was proven wrong. Instead TNA books AJ into a feud with Daniels, but oh well. This reminds me so much of those blowjob babyface vs the violent monster matches of the 1980s where the pretty boy babyfaces become men by fighting fire with fire. I love these matches. The heels question the face's manhood and AJ is proved that he is more man than Bubba Ray could handle. The overhand chops segment was such a great moment of macho pride and coming of age. Everything AJ did had weight behind it and looked violent. AJ told the story so well through his eyes. He looked angry. You believed every single thing he did. Bully Ray was the perfect foil for AJ as a mean, sadistic bully (I mean he did a great job picking his name). A classic story that was perfectly executed by two men who were perfectly suited to execute this story with great violence. I rationalized the finish above, but I am not in love with it and I think while they executed the classic story perfectly I don't think they expanded or innovated on it. So I am going ****3/4, but very close to the full monty.

AJ Styles vs Tommy Dreamer - TNA Sacrifice 2011 No DQ The point of this match is twofold: 1. It sets up the big AJ vs Bully Ray match for next month 2. It shows AJ can not only survive in the Extreme environment but thrive against one of its icons. AJ is not given enough credit for damn good his punches are. In an aspect of wrestling that has really taken a hit since the 1980s, AJ has some really damn good punches. There is one in the beginning it looks he should have broken Dreamer's nose and he even sells his hand. That selling leads to Dreamer countering him with a boot and he does a rock n roll death drop to sell that. Awesome, awesome. awesome. This one of those wrestler is reluctantly doing the bidding of another wrestler as good 'ol Dreamer is being blackmailed by mean Bully Ray. Not my favorite storyline. Dreamer is pretty selfless and gives AJ the majority of the match, which is for the best. AJ uses a great combination of strikes and flying to carry the day Like him countering the trash can by kicking into Dreamer's face so using the ECW stuff against Dreamer and then using the table effectively too. Pele setup for Styles Clash on table but Bully Ray blasts him with a chain and its piledriver through table for the win. It was good all the great stuff was AJ's singular spots. Otherwise it was a pretty basic ECW NO DQ match. ***