[2003-08-13-NWA TNA] A.J. Styles vs Low Ki

[Superstar Sleeze]

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. ****

[El-P]

Yep, terrific match.

[jcmmnx]

I remember a Low Ki vs AJ vs Paul London match from ROH around this time that was pretty awesome. I don't think Styles and Ki could have a bad match against each other.

[TonyPulis'Cap]

Rewatched this for the first time in years last week and this is a fantastic match. All the counters are amazingly smooth, but without it coming off as choreographed, and while there is plenty of action, it never feels like overkill or that there are any unbelievable kick outs. If I remember at the time Low Ki had been part of Triple X and a heel but was a surprise one off challenger that they sadly didn't revisit again, as a series with these two would've been great. Perhaps the Russoference at the end knocks it down a touch - a recurring problem in a number of AJ's matches at this point, but you could already see Styles maturing from the indyriffic spotty guy he was when TNA started and just over a year later at this point he is already much more well rounded.