Alright, so, I’m gonna break down my deep dive into some killer AJ Styles matches. It all started with me just kinda bored one weekend, scrolling through the WWE Network, and thinking, “Man, I haven’t watched AJ Styles in ages.” So, naturally, I went down the rabbit hole.
First things first, I needed a starting point. I hopped onto the internet, quick search for “AJ Styles best matches” to get a feel for what people were saying. Saw a bunch of lists mentioning his matches against John Cena, Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson now in AEW), and a few from his TNA days.
The Cena Trilogy:
- Royal Rumble 2017: Kicked things off with this one. Remembered hearing all the hype, but hadn’t actually watched it in full in forever. Man, these two just clicked. The near falls were insane. I was literally yelling at the screen. The finish was perfect. I mean, Cena winning his 16th title was great and all but it truly solidified AJ Styles as a main event player in WWE.
- SummerSlam 2016: Had to go back to this one, to see the first match in their series. It was a clinic! Styles working over Cena’s arm, Cena’s comebacks, and that Styles Clash, followed by the Phenomenal Forearm. I was so happy when Styles won clean.
- Money in the Bank 2016: People thought Styles and Cena were going to be a one-off match but Styles cheated to win in the first match, and that built the hype. Styles still had Anderson and Gallows in his corner, and I thought they were going to be his permanent muscle. Boy, was I wrong.
Daniel Bryan (Danielson) at TLC 2018:
Next up, the match where Styles went up against Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship at TLC in 2018. This wasn’t some high-flying, spot-fest; it was a gritty, mat-based wrestling match. I really forgot how good of a wrestler Bryan actually is. The psychology was on point. Each move had a reason, each hold told a story. I can see how some fans may find it boring, but wrestling purist enjoyed this a lot. It was awesome watching these two work. I mean, AJ came up short, but it was an amazing showing.
AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – WWE Championship Last Man Standing Match (Money in the Bank 2018):
Their feud went on way too long, but this was the culmination of their rivalry. These two just beat the hell out of each other. It wasn’t pretty, it was violent, and it was exactly what it needed to be.
Going Back to TNA:
After WWE, I decided to look at some of his TNA matches, to see what I may have missed. It was interesting to see the guy who was so popular back then and compare it to the guy who is popular now.
- AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe (Unbreakable 2005): I watched this one and it was awesome. It was definitely high risk, high reward and they took chances that you would not see on TV nowadays.
I spent a solid chunk of time re-watching these, taking notes, and trying to figure out what made them so great. I think it boils down to a few things. First, AJ Styles is just incredibly talented. The dude can do it all. He can fly around the ring, he can brawl, he can work a technical match. Second, he has great chemistry with almost everyone he steps in the ring with. He knows how to adapt to his opponent’s style and make them look good. And third, he’s a master of storytelling. He knows how to build tension and get the crowd invested in his matches.
What I Learned
After my marathon, I realized something, WWE needs to push wrestlers who are gifted with extraordinary skills. AJ is getting up there in age, but he still puts on a performance that can be enjoyed by all fans. This is how the company will continue to be successful in the long run.
Anyways, that’s my wrestling weekend adventure! I’m ready to watch more WWE whenever I have the time!
