Thoughts From The Top Rope 05.12.09: Modern Greats Series - AJ Styles

Posted by Daniel Wilcox on 05.12.2009

In part four of my Modern Greats Series, I take a look at the greatest matches from Mr. TNA, "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles.

Before we get into the crux of today's column, the continuation of Thoughts From The Top Rope's Modern Greats Series, I want briefly take some time to do something I don't do all that often, and that's respond to some of the comments that you guys have been leaving. Maybe I'll do this more often, maybe not, we shall see.

Randy Orton is in no way, shape or form a modern great. He has no charisma, and very few actual wrestling moves. Kurt Angle, excellent choice. Edge, very good choice (at least he can wrestle and is very entertaining as a heel). You either like Orton or you don't. I fall into the latter category.

Posted By: Yikes (Guest)

This argument, that Orton doesn't qualify as a modern great, came up on a couple of occasions. I certainly agree with the notion that Orton is a polarizing individual, one who you either love or hate and there is generally no middle ground. That said, even if you consider him to be uncharismatic or a bland worker, I still maintain that it is difficult to argue with his array of great matches, such as those I mentioned last week.

And I certainly disagree regarding his charisma; I think the guy is one of the most charismatic individuals in the business. Perhaps he's not charismatic in the same way that The Rock or Ric Flair were, but the guy is doubtlessly enigmatic and I always find him fun to watch. His mannerisms and promo delivery make him one of the most unique and intriguing characters in WWE right now.

As for his lack of wrestling moves, I think it's a poor argument because the same can be said for just about every main event performer in both WWE and TNA. Look at guys like Cena, Batista, Edge, Sting etc. Everyone relies on their signature moves and Orton is no different in that respect. One thing that I will say, Orton's big moves, the RKO and the punt kick, have been made to look like the most effective and devastating moves in WWE over the last couple of years.

"That said, with guys as good as Orton, I think its acceptable and expected to have to deal with a little bit of arrogance and unbecoming behaviour,"

So just because of their athletic ability, these people should be granted a free pass for their actions? Genius.

Posted By: what? (Guest)

Well that's not exactly what I said, is it? But if you need me to clarify point, simply put with certain individuals who are as talented as Orton is, you are not surprised when they're inflated egos get the better of them and they do stupid things. And when you've got a guy who is as big an asset as Orton, you have to evaluate how to handle because as a company your goal should be to make money, and if you're WWE you don't get rid of Orton for a few behavioral mishaps. That's not to say you turn a blind eye, and in fairness WWE has never done that with Orton as far as I can recall.

Furthermore, it's worth noting how Orton's arrogance and outlandish behaviour have seemingly been quashed in recent years, probably due to the fact that he is now married with a child and is a bigger name in the company than he was two or three years ago.

It is too early to term Orton as 'great'. He is by no means in the same league as Angle or Edge.

Now, Chris Jericho is a modern great.

Posted By: Guest#1288 (Guest)

When I began this series I set particular guidelines in order to designate what constitutes a "modern great." Even though Chris Jericho's greatest years in pro wrestling came around the end of the Attitude Era and in the last year, the guy has been wrestling for nearly twenty years and as such I didn't really consider him. In contrast, most of my other picks didn't debut until the late nineties or even early 2000s. In hindsight, Edge has actually been wrestling only two years longer than Jericho and thus it's arguable that Jericho should be included in the series. But I was only ever going to do five of these columns, and I don't intend to change who they're on.

Regardless, there's no doubting Jericho's ability; I'd argue in terms of combining wrestling ability and charisma there are only two guys that are better than Chris Jericho: Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels.


Ric Flair. Hulk Hogan. Bruno Sammartino. Bret Hart. Steve Austin. These are just some of the greatest performers to have ever graced the squared circle, and professional wrestling is so much better off because each has done so. However, these unforgettable names have all but ridden off into the sunset.

Shawn Michaels. The Undertaker. Sting. Three names equally as important to the wonder that is pro wrestling, three names that have given us decades of service but are unfortunately in the twilight of their respective careers.

AJ Styles. The most decorated performer in the history of Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling, AJ Styles is undoubtedly the cornerstone of TNA. His in-ring style and fearlessness have amazed TNA fans since day one and continue to do so to this day. When it comes down to it, there may actually be no professional wrestler more exciting and exhilarating to watch than AJ Styles, who has done things in and around a wrestling ring that other performers would never even dream of doing.

Styles, who debuted in 1998 for NWA Wildside before a brief stint in WCW in 2001, has held TNA's X Division Championship on a record six occasions and was also the company's first X Division Champion. Styles has also won the NWA and TNA Tag Team Championships a total of five times and is a 3-time NWA Heavyweight Champion. Styles was the first TNA Triple Crown winner and to date the only guy to win said crown more than once; AJ's done it three times. In winning the Legend's Championship from Booker T earlier this year, AJ is the first and only TNA Grand Slam Champion.

In short, it really doesn't matter who TNA manages to sign up next, because their one and only MVP will always be "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, and here're five reasons why;

5. Six Sides of Steel, Number One Contender's Match: AJ Styles vs. Abyss
Throughout his early years in TNA, AJ Styles often moved from the X Division to the tag division to the main event, and this was part of foray into the main event. AJ wasn't really used to wrestling guys Abyss' size either, so this was always going to be an intriguing match. As it turned out, it was an intense and bloody affair, one of the most brutal matches that AJ has ever competed in, I'd wager. I love the spot where Abyss swings the cage door into AJ's face, AJ selling it like he'd just been absolutely murdered. But this match also did a great job of showcasing AJ's guts and heart, as despite the ravaging he took from Abyss he ultimately prevailed following a sunset flip from the outside of the cage to the inside. This match proved that Styles can go in any environment, be it high wires making up Ultimate X, or thumbtacks and chairs inside TNA's Six Sides of Steel.

4. Last Man Standing Match: AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle, TNA Hard Justice 2008
A lot of people didn't like the long rivalry between AJ Styles and Kurt Angle due to its Russo-esque soap opera-like nature, the involvement of Karen Angle and the preposterousness of AJ ending up "married" to Karen in one of those wedding segments that TNA seem to never be able to get right (Val and Lethal, anyone?). On the Brightside, because it was Kurt Angle and AJ Styles, you knew that once they got in the ring for a match that they would bring their all and they would inevitably deliver. This an outstanding match that saw AJ excel against one of the best of all time and ultimately defeat him following an insane DDT from the top rope. But both guys really went the extra mile in this match to put over the supposed hatred that they had for each other and this was an epic and fitting ending to their long-standing rivalry. Regardless of the angle surrounding the matches, you have to appreciate two of the best just tearing shit up for twenty-minutes.

3. Ultimate X Match for the X Division Championship: AJ Styles vs. Chris Sabin vs. Petey Williams, TNA Final Resolution 2005
Ultimate X is match custom-built for the X Division and its risk-takers, but there's no bigger risk taker in the history of the industry than AJ Styles who, along with Williams and Sabin, left it all out in the ring with this one and put on, once again, a hell of a show. The athleticism that goes into these kinds of match is nothing short of phenomenal, no pun intended, and I think that this Ultimate X, X Division Championship match is the pick of the bunch (although the tag Ultimate X match between LAX and Styles and Daniels certainly came close to making this list). Of course, there is one particular spot that this match is generally remembered for, and it's a spot that is TNA's equivalent of Mick Foley flying off the top of the Hell in a Cell in that it's probably their most-replayed clip. AJ Styles was hanging from the Ultimate X structure when Sabin met him with a dropkick, AJ deciding to turn himself inside out in one of the scariest and inspiring bumps you'll ever see. That said, this match was more than just one breathtaking spot, it was a whole bunch of them, three guys putting their bodies and their careers on the line to entertain and at the end of the day, they did just that.

2. 30-Minute Iron Man Match for the TNA X Division Championship: AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels, TNA Against All Odds 2005
This is one of the greatest rivalries in TNA Wrestling history and ironically enough it wound up being one of the greatest tag teams in TNA history as well. These two guys complimented each other's stiles just so damn well that whenever they got in the ring together you knew that you were about to witness something just a little bit special, and this 30-Minute Iron Man Match was certainly no exception. Both are tremendously accomplished in TNA and its matches like this that proves that both guys are invaluable to the continuing growth of TNA.

While AJ Styles is best known for his aerial ability, his insane high risks dives, be it jumping from a cage or through a cage or off a ladder on a cage or whatever, this match and others that the two had around the time are a fantastic example of how technically accomplished AJ Styles. Yes, there's plenty of fast-paced action and high-flying antics in this match, but both men wrestled a very smart match that saw them look to wear each other down before attempting to finish each other off with their biggest moves. Of course, these two essentially council each out due to their sheer brilliance and it went to sudden death after they tied 1-1 in the allotted time, Daniels scoring with Angel's Wings and AJ getting a pinfall with a roll-up. In overtime, AJ pulled out the victory with the Styles Clash to cap off what had been another sensational match from the pairing.

1. Three Way Match for the TNA X Division Championship: AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels, TNA Unbreakable 2005


For months, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels had been tearing it up for TNA and putting on some of the best matches that the company had ever seen. Daniels and AJ had been feuding with one another over the X Division Championship for the best part of a year and Samoa Joe had not long since debuted in the company and had established himself as a one-man wrecking crew, tearing through the X Division like nobody's business. Joe inserted himself in AJ and Daniels' business and we eventually wound up with this triple threat match for the X Division Championship.

Simply put, this match is the pinnacle, the perfect showcase of what TNA's X Division is was all about. These three men went balls-to-the-wall for about twenty-five minutes, doing all sorts of crazy shit that would only serve to prove just how tough each competitor was. The fans watched on in uninterrupted amazement as all three pulled off some jaw-dropping maneuvers and over-the-top-rope dives. Sometimes, competitors look to have these kinds of matches but for whatever reason, things just don't seem to click or the chemistry isn't there and the match can just fall flat. I think luck played a big part on this particular night, because they managed to pull off every big and intricate move that they tried and it left the Impact zone and those watching and home stunned. This is the kind of match that so many of TNA's fans loved, this is what set the company apart and this will probably be remember as the peak of TNA. I don't think any of the three guys in this match have ever had a better match, or ever will have a better match than this, an absolute classic.

Interestingly, this is the only match where the X Division Championship has been the only title on the line that has ever main evented a TNA pay-per-view, and unquestionably it is the best match in X Division history. Furthermore, it is probably the best match in TNA's short but accomplished history. I might even go as far to say it's the greatest three-way match of all time, regardless of WrestleMania XX the previous year. And I think it's only right that AJ Styles was the victor in such a match, because no one has contributed as much to TNA wrestling in the past seven years as he has; AJ Styles is truly Mr. TNA.

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Next week, the Modern Greats Series concludes with a look at the most controversial performer in recent memory, John Cena. Until then, check out previous entries in the series;

MODERN GREATS – RANDY ORTON
MODERN GREATS – EDGE
MODERN GREATS – KURT ANGLE

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