#108: AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels, TNA Against All Odds (2/13/2005).
This is a 30 Minute Iron Man Match for Styles' X Division Championship.
Perhaps no two men in TNA's long and very wild history represent what the company set out to do from day one like these two. In a company surrounded by total bullshit for 95% of its existence, these two men represent the next generation of professional wrestler. AJ Styles is seriously one of the greatest wrestlers to ever grace a ring. The nickname isn't just for show: he really is phenomenal. On the flip side, Christopher Daniels is one of wrestling's most underrated generals. He holds all of his matches together with great craftmanship and mat smarts.
This is, if you can believe it, only the second singles match these two ever had in a TNA ring. The feud began because Daniels couldn't get over a past loss to Styles years prior, and now that Triple X was behind him, he was looking to get his footing as a major singles star. All he would have to do is defeat "Mr. TNA" himself.
The bell sounds, and they lock up quickly and fiercely. Styles takes control of the back, and Daniels does so as well. They transition around on the mat, as each man looks for control. Daniels takes Styles to the mat, and works on the leg. Daniels then goes into the side headlock. Styles grabs the wrists and escapes, and then goes right to the back. Daniels tries for a quick roll up, but Styles kicks out. Styles with a few of his own, until Daniels clotheslines him.
Daniels back to the side headlock. The crowd pops off dueling chants for both. Daniels avoids a dropkick, and slaps Styles in the back of the head. He goes to run the ropes, and Styles gets the dropkick off anyway. On the outside, Daniels gets caught with a hurricanrana by Styles off the apron, and Daniels is sent face first into the steel barricade. They exchange chops on the floor, and then forearms to the jaw. Both roll into the ring to avoid a countout, and Styles connects with a deep arm drag to Daniels.
Nice shoulder tackle by Styles, followed by another arm drag. Daniels reverses into a leg scissors. Styles kicks his way up and hits another arm drag. Daniels is up again, and guess what? Styles gets an arm drag off. What is this, a Ricky Steamboat match? Styles continues his assault on the mat, and now he hyper extends the left arm of Daniels. The challenger makes his way back up, and gets arm dragged again, but this time, he rolls to the outside. Styles hits a baseball slide to Daniels, then he springboards off the top rope with a splash to Daniels on the floor.
Back in the ring, Daniels knocks Styles off the apron, and sends him crashing chest first into the barricade at ringside. Daniels goes to the outside and drives his knees into the midsection, and then he rolls him back into the ring. He drives his shoulder into Styles’ ribs against the turnbuckle. Nice strikes by Daniels, followed by knees to the chest. Styles tries to recover his momentum by running the ropes, but Daniels follows and drives his knee into the midsection again.
Styles gets hit with a reverse back suplex, landing right on his ribs. Daniels gives a short spear to Styles against the ropes. Split leg moonsault by Daniels gets a 2 count. Styles fights back with a kick to the chest and a discus clothesline. More clotheslines by Styles, and a spinning heel kick follow. He springs off the middle rope with an inverted DDT for a close 2 count. Styles lifts Daniels up for a suplex and quickly transitions to a neckbreaker for another nearfall. Styles with a backdrop suplex next, and now he goes to the top rope.
Daniels cuts him off with a forearm, and makes the climb next. Styles fights back with forearms and knocks Daniels to the mat. Styles tries for a 450 splash, but Daniels gets his knees up to block it. Daniels with the Angel’s Wings, and that gets the challenger the first fall.
Christopher Daniels (1), AJ Styles (0).
Daniels stays on the offensive with a gutbuster to Styles’ ribs, as he continues his onslaught of the midsection. He drives his knees into Styles’ chest for a 2 count. Styles fires back with forearms to the jaw, and a back body drop. Styles looks for an arm drag, but Daniels quickly reverses with the abdominal stretch. Styles hip tosses Daniels to escape the submission. He rushes Daniels, who lifts him up and drops him rib first on the top rope. That gets him a 2 count.
Daniels connects with a gut buster across his knee for a nearfall. Styles slips out of a back suplex and hits a hand spring back elbow off of the ropes, Tajiri style. Styles with several kicks to the thighs of Daniels, follow by the Ushigoroshi, and Daniels is able to kick out. Styles hits the Phenomenal Forearm, before it was a finisher in WWE, and Daniels kicks out of that as well. Daniels with a springboard inverted DDT to Styles, and he kicks out. Blue Thunder Bomb follows, and Styles kicks out again. Daniels avoids a neckbreaker, but walks into the Pele Kick by Styles! The champion explodes with furious forearm shots to Daniels, but he gets caught with a fireman’s carry.
Daniels goes for the BME, but Styles avoids it! German Suplex by Styles, and Daniels avoids a second. Styles grabs him and hits the Angel’s Wings on Daniels! The challenger is able to kick out. Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but Daniels forces him into the turnbuckle. He goes for a suplex, but Styles counters it into a flash roll up, and he’s on the board! We’re all tied up now.
AJ Styles (1), Christopher Daniels (1).
Daniels is pissed, and he hits Styles in the back, and sends him crashing to the floor. He grabs Styles and smashes his head off of the ring post. Styles is now busted open, and he’s bleeding on the floor. Daniels drags him back into the ring, and tries for a quick pin, and Styles kicks out. Daniels responds with rapid fire strikes to the open wound of the champion. He lifts Styles up, and headbutts him repeatedly. Styles is a bloody mess. Daniels with a knee right to the split head of the champion.
Daniels licks the blood off his knuckles, and continues his closed fist shots to Styles’ head. Daniels with the running STO to Styles, and somehow the champion kicks out! Another headbutt to Styles, followed by more strikes to the head. One more headbutt drops Styles, and he’s still able to kick out! Daniels signals for the Angel’s Wings, but Styles is out on his feet, and Daniels can’t lift him up. Both men are exchanging forearms with one minute remaining! Daniels drops him with a reverse STO, and then goes right into the Koji Clutch submission! Blood is squirting out of Styles’ head, as the seconds tick away. Daniels wrenches as hard as possible. Styles looks to be out of it, as the clock expires!
The referee declares the match a draw, but Daniels says no. He grabs the microphone, and he demands sudden death. Here comes Dusty Rhodes, the Director of Authority. He agrees, and we have sudden death! Daniels goes right on the offensive, and continues to punch away at Styles’ bloody head. Daniels draws an X on his forehead with blood, and hits a neckbreaker. Again, Styles kicks out. Daniels is frustrated. Daniels trash talks him in the corner, and places him on the top turnbuckle. Nice palm strike to the face by the challenger.
Daniels goes up with him, and looks for a hurricanrana, but Styles counters it and sends Daniels flying upside down to the mat! Styles goes for one of his own, but Daniels tries to reverse it, and Styles reverses that into the Styles Clash! Styles makes the cover, and he takes the win to retain the X Division Championship.
This was a pretty good match, though in hindsight, I think I might prefer their Bound for Glory rematch to this one! They took their time here, and told a great story of Styles' grit against Daniels' methodical destroying of the midsection. They kept the high spots to a minimum, and maximized on the little they had.
Everything that followed Styles getting busted open is truly magnificent. Styles is gutsy, while Daniels is a total prick. The Koji Clutch visual is one of TNA's finest pieces of camera work. The over time period was awesome as well, because Styles managed to overcome a herculean task in defeating Daniels, who was pretty damn close to victory here. I hate to use the term, but fuck it, this is my blog: This match is phenomenal.