[2003-08-27-NWA TNA] A.J. Styles vs Raven

[TonyPulis'Cap]

Inspired by watching AJ vs Low Ki from a couple of weeks before this, I've been going through some of the Styles back catalogue from this time and there is a lot of really fun matches, with a number of different opponents. He has a series with D'Lo Brown the month or so before for example that is pretty good.

 

This is another example, as AJ and Raven have really good chemistry. The opening where Raven wants to keep throwing him to the outside, as that's where his strengths as a brawler will come into play, and AJ knowing that and doing everything to get back inside is really well done. That is highlighted by Raven finally getting him out of the ring and hitting multiple leg sweeps into the guardrail. In general AJ's bumping makes Raven look really good, and I remember that this 2002-04 period was a really strong one for Raven where he was arguably as good as an in-ring competitor as he would be in his whole career.

 

As ever it suffers from multiple bouts of interference, as Raven was in the midst of a feud with James Mitchell and Shane Douglas that includes the brutal hair vs hair match not long after this. One thing you notice actually in watching a lot of AJ's title matches is that at some point Russo always seems to be taken out - for example in this one the Gathering, including one CM Punk carry him away - but just as you get excited that will mean a straight one on one match, there is another steady cast of characters always available to provide interference which is a trope that TNA never really seemed to ever get away from.

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion vs Raven - NWA-TNA 8/27/03

I am really glad I went back and watched this one because this was awesome! I may have watched this live. We had a cable scrambler back in the day so I watched all the WWE PPVs from 2003 and I distinctly remember AJ vs D'Lo being the first TNA match I saw. I remembered the Raven hanging at the hands of Shane Douglas/New Church. Also I remember the Glen Gilberti/Simon Diamond/Johnny Swinger team around this time. I dont remember anything about this match but it was a banger. 

This is the best Raven has ever looked in the ring in my opinion. He was moving great and is well-suited to be a babyface. It was so refreshing for the crowd to be solidly behind one wrestler as opposed to just chanting "This Is Awesome!". There was an absolutely thunderous "Go Raven Go" chant during the heat segment. The nearfalls for Raven got nuclear heat. 

AJ starts the match throwing kicks trying to knot up the hammy but Raven just decks and Raven uses his size to assert his dominance. Shouldertackle for a quick cover. Raven holds the ropes on the dropkick attempt and headbutts AJ in the nads. Great shit!  Raven chucks out over the top rope in a cool way. I thought AJ was going to take a back body drop but Raven held him on the shoulder and javelin threw him out. Raven brutalizes him on the outside busting him open with the trash can and then repeatedly Russian Legsweeping into the railing. This was an awesome shine! Uptempo and everyone was rocking with Raven. 

Russo distracts Raven. AJ punts him in the balls and hits his Quebrada/DDT. The Gathering (CM Punk sighting) carry Russo out. AJ hits an Enziguiri and locks in the Mutalock. MASSIVE GO RAVEN GO CHANT! Raven hits a superkick for a hope spot and big pop! AJ with a springboard Rana takes back control. This being 2003 we get a lot of move stealing. AJ drop toeholds Raven face first into the chair but only gets two. When he tries again, Raven puts on the brakes and chucks the chair at AJ! That was awesome! Raven fires up! I mean FIRES THE FUCK UP! I dont think I have ever seen him like this! I love it! Raven rebound clothesline, you know the spot, Million Dollar Kneelift! Raven is on fire! I thought he was going DDT, but instead goes Drop Toehold on the Chair. AJ Goes all Sabu and is thinking Triple Jump Moonsault but as he comes off the top rope Raven hurls the chair at him! ALL THE STARS! MARK OUT CITY! 1-2-NO! Nuclear heat on that nearfall.

I thought this was an example of fun, exciting overbooking. Raven counters an AJ rana with a Styles Clash! Very 2003. Sinn of the New Church pulls the ref out. AJ inadvertently dropkicks Sinn.  Raven and AJ bump the ref tussling for a DDT. Raven hits the DDT but the crowd does not care because they know more interference is coming. Raven kicks the powder into Slash's face. I love that spot! Slash in his blindness hits his finish on AJ to a NUCLEAR NEARFALL! The crowd wanted that bad. Here comes Shane Douglas who is Raven's main rival comes out and knocks him off the top on a superplex attempt. HOWEVER, Raven powerbombed AJ coming off the top rope for another big nearfall. The crowd is ravenous for Raven. Douglas punts Raven in the balls and Styles Clash finishes Raven off. I liked this overbooking because it was fun & exciting to watch Raven come up with different ways to overcome the odds and I love how shit kept backfiring against the heels. AJ dropkicking Sinn, Slash Slamming AJ, Shane pushing Raven off, but Raven still executes the powerbomb. It was a really clever and entertaining way to do. ****1/4

Big melee ensues. Erik Fucking Watts comes out looking like the biggest Nickelback tool who ever walked the Earth. I was 14 at this time and all I knew of Erik Watts was from reading Scott Keith and how he threw the worst dropkick in history. I think I have seen it, but you know what I really should track that dropkick down. Watts is a toolbox and makes Wargames for next week. Then Dusty comes in, I wish Dusty cut the entire promo. Dusty is the man!