[2003-02-19-TNA-PPV] Jeff Jarrett vs AJ Styles

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Jarrett vs AJ Styles - NWA-TNA 2/19/03

I have never seen a Jarrett vs AJ match and I thought I should at least watch one. Jarrett is NWA babyface with basically zero friends. We are unsure if AJ Styles is SEX 4 Life, but at the end of the match we find out he only believe in monogamous relationships when he takes out Sonny Siaki (remember him?!?). AJ is playing a cocky jock who think he is the GOAT already and he would eventually make his case. :)

I do like some overbooking but prefer it to be backloaded. This was filled with the usual Jarrett/TNA/Russo BS. Larry Legend is AJ's mentor and he keeps tripping Jarrett up and even decks him with Knux but Jarret lifts the shoulder at the last second. It was lame. That interference is better served at the end. There were two ref bumps. One was to allow the Harris Twins in and the other was to protect The Stroke. The Harris Twins were beaten back by the unlikely duo of Vader and Dusty Rhodes. TNA was a strange, strange place. Then there Sonny Siaki who was SEX 4 Life who beat up Jarrett but AJ says not this way and he gives him the Styles Clash. Jarrett attacks him from behind and hits the Stroke from the second rope for the win. 

Before all this unnecessary interference (only Siaki's was of interest to move the plot forward), they were having a great match that featured a lot of good Memphis punches. They had good chemistry I could see in a different promotion in a different time them having a great match. Both men had their right uppercut working. I loved AJ's dropkick. Jarrett's plancha to the floor was awesome and showed how bad he wanted it. AJ going for the figure-4 after the Knux shot only to switch to the Sleeper was good. There was a nice spot on how Jarrett broke the Mutalock with them both getting to the knees and Jarrett hitting stiff shots to get out. The Stroke and Styles Clash were good nearfalls. The overbooking was unnecessary and really detracted from the match especially because it caused wacky selling from Jarrett who took Brass Knuckles, Harris Twins Finish, Styles Clash and Siaki finish and after all that he popped up and hit the Stroke. It showed promise but it was ultimately not very good.