[2003-10-16-ROH-The Tradition Continues] CM Punk vs A.J. Styles

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[ShittyLittleBoots]

A really good match. The opening work on the mat is really tight, aggressive feeling & looking - really liked all of it. Eventually Punk sees a target in AJ's back, so he starts softening him up by going after it. Punk's work over the back is real good throughout, and there's some superb moments revolving around that, such as Punk catching AJ on his top rope attack & turning it into a crushing backbreaker. All of AJ's comebacks now that Punk is in firm control are great too with him bringing the big time energy & hard hits. That finish w/ him countering Punk's Shining Wizard attempt straight into the Styles Clash was very neat, too. ***1/2

[Superstar Sleeze]

AJ Styles vs CM Punk - ROH 10/16/03

On paper, this looks like it could be a styles clash (pun fully intended), but I think people dont give early CM Punk enough credit. I have enjoyed what I see and I am of course a big AJ mark. I think working with Punk helped slow AJ done. Dont get me wrong, the match with Danielson  & Low-Ki bang, but sometimes they bang too hard. It is just so much action that it becomes supersaturated. This match was really hard-fought, very organic, but also very simple. I really like the commitment of the First Generation of the Indy Boom to wrestling especially scrapping on the mat. AJ & Punk did a great job doing the old Tasmanian Devil Dust Cloud beginning. I liked how that led them to an organic hold which was Punk butterflying AJ's groin and AJ fighting through it. AJ worked his usual dropkick and knee at the beginning. I thought Punk's Saito Suplex throw was a little early, but he covered for it by selling AJ's kick to his leg.

The reason I think this match is great and not just good is because of their commitment to AJ's aerial tactics backfiring on him and the more grounded Punk taking advantage. It began with AJ trying his backflip into the Slop Drop (aka Quebrada into an Inverted DDT) off the apron. Punk moved. AJ Landed on his feet, but Punk TACKLES AJ into hard into the guardrail. Thats the hook. Punk has laser focus on the back with backbreakers and suplex and strikes to the back. AJ lands the Pele kick, but it is just a hope spot as Punk cuts off using the back. Brilliant. AJ goes for the Backflip->Slop Drop, but Punk catches him into a gnarly backbreaker! This is a moment when I knew I loved the match. The big counter into the finish run is Punk leaves his feet for a Split-Legged Moonsault and eats knees. That should have been the transition, they fucked around for a little bit and AJ did his kip up rana into the finish run. Nobody is perfect. They both hit complicated intricate moves down the stretch, but I didnt think it was overly cooperative and thought it came off as organic. They did a good job teasing the Pepsi Plunge and the Styles Clash down the stretch. The Shining Wizard into the Styles Clash was a nifty finish. 

I should expect more out of the GOAT, AJ and always very game CM Punk. Great simple, but effective pro wrestling match. **** 

[ohtani's jacket]

Punk's straight edge gimmick is annoying. Yeah, it's designed to be annoying, but it's more of a roll-of-the-eyes heat than any kind of brilliant heel shtick. As far as his work goes, he's not as bad as the people who hate his guts make out, but he's clearly not as good as someone like AJ Styles. In fact, it's pretty much a textbook example of how to hang with a better worker. The trouble is that it's just another match. In the first year of ROH, every match came across as a blockbuster. You were getting indie dream matches on every card. Now you're getting matches. This needed at least another 10 minutes, a stronger finishing stretch, and no Samoa Joe cameo on commentary, to come remotely close to anything from ROH Year One. I don't know what the ceiling was on Punk vs .Styles matches, but I'd like to think it's higher than this.