THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA
ARTICLE # 62
DECEMBER 14, 2002
Best of 2002 Part 1: A Phenomenal Year
Back in the dying days of WCW, one of the few bright spots was the resurgence of their cruiserweight division, with seemingly a record number of cruiserweight workers. They even created a cruiserweight tag team title, and the tournament that crowned the first champs gave a national audience its first look at an up-and-coming talent in "The Phenomenal" A.J. Styles. Of course short tag team matches only gave Styles a limited chance to show what he could do, but in just those few brief spurts of action he became one of my favorite new workers. WCW died, and the wrestling landscape in the U.S. became much more fragmented. At the same time, this seemed to coincide with an explosion of great talent on the indy scene, and numerous groups have emerged in the past 18 months in an attempt to provide an alternative to the WWE. The most notable, and in certain ways successful, of these has been the NWA TNA group that has offered weekly PPVs since 6/19/02. Although none of these shows have been successful financially, they produced some of the most breathtaking matches of the year. In terms of individuals, the worker who had taken the biggest step forward in the ring has been Styles, who emerged this year as perhaps one of the top 50 workers in wrestling with his breathtaking spots and uncanny timing. This article takes a look at some of his greatest NWA TNA matches, along with his Ring of Honor debut and his rise to indy stardom in this year's Super 8 Tournament.
3/2/02 ECWA Super 8 Tournament Final: A.J. Styles vs Donovan Morgan
Morgan offered a handshake but then slapped Styles. Styles responded with a slap but then they did shake hands. Morgan applied a headlock, Styles tried to push him off but Morgan held onto the headlock. Morgan tackled Styles and they started a criss cross. Styles ducked down but Morgan caught him in a headlock. Style escaped by lifting and shoving Morgan to the mat. Styles applied a hammerlock but Morgan countered with a hiptoss and applied a wristlock. Styles countered and applied a top wristlock but Morgan flipped out of it and tripped Styles. Morgan seamlessly grabbed Styles's leg with his own leg, twisted and turned around, then applied a Mutolock. Not breathtaking, but done in such a neat way you have to see it. Styles tripped Morgan and applied a Mutolock of his own. Styles turned the hold over briefly so Morgan was facing upwards before Morgan reached the ropes and bailed out of the ring. Morgan took down Styles but Styles held on and applied a wristlock. Morgan gave Styles a kneelift and snapmared him. Styles applied a wristlock again but Morgan elbowed him. Morgan won a stiff exchange of elbows and Styles sold them great by tumbling through the ropes to the floor. Morgan then hit a somersault plancha, which looked impressive because Morgan's not that small. Morgan kicked Styles. Morgan caught Styles coming off the ropes with a top wristlock takedown into an armbar/headscissors combo but Styles quickly reached the ropes. Morgan landed some stiff chops in the corner and elbowed Styles. Styles gave Morgan a spinebuster and gained a near fall. Styles kicked Morgan and chopped him. Morgan elbowed Styles but Styles responded with a series of his own elbows and punches in the corner. Morgan gave Styles a lariat for a near fall. He snapmared Styles and applied a chinlock. Styles escaped and shoved Morgan through the ropes to the floor. Styles kicked Morgan twice at ringside, including once against the barricade. Styles then hit his amazing shooting star plancha off the top rope to the floor, nearly overshooting Morgan in the process but hitting well enough to make it work. After some selling, Styles used the barricade and gave Morgan a slingshot somersault senton on the floor. Back in the ring Morgan caught Styles returning with a dropkick to his knee. Morgan applied a legbar on Styles's left leg. Styles countered with kicks using his free leg and reached the ropes. Morgan tied up Styles's leg in the ropes and gave it a brutal kick. Morgan applied a rolling armbar/leglock combo on Styles. Morgan went for a powerbomb but Styles countered it with a cool backside (opponent behind his back) piledriver, a move I've seen Michael Modest use, for a near fall. Styles slammed Morgan and hit his spiral tap (think that's the name) legdrop, a forward twisting somersault top rope legdrop, for a near fall. After trading elbows, Morgan whipped Styles into the corner but ran into a boot. Styles went for a tornado DDT but Morgan countered with a super northern lights suplex in which he knocked Styles hard into the turnbuckles. Morgan blocked a quebrada inverted DDT from Styles and gave him his swinging cradle suplex for a near fall. Styles countered a lariat, and gave Morgan a splash mountain into almost a forwards piledriver/powerbomb (not a straight head drop) that looked spectacular for a near fall. Styles German suplexed Morgan, rolled through and gave Morgan a blue thunder powerbomb variation for a near fall. Styles landed some punches but Morgan countered and gave him a second rope sky-high for a near fall. Styles flipped out of a back suplex attempt but Morgan knocked him for a loop with a lariat. Morgan gave Styles his tiger driver/pedigree combo (arms hooked, lift straight up, drop face down) for a dramatic near fall. Styles flipped out of a powerbomb and gave Morgan his Styles clash for a great heated near fall. Styles missed a lariat and Morgan kicked him. Styles blocked a tiger driver but Morgan countered a German suplex with an elbow. Styles missed a kick and Morgan gave him a second high angle pedigree (that's what I'll call it!) for the pin at 16:11. An awesome match, and you'd never believe these two had never worked together. The first half was entirely Morgan's match, as he dictated the pace and the style. It worked because Morgan's early match work is so solid and smart. He carried Styles in the first half while Styles still had the chance to show what he could do. The second half was more spectacular and catered to both men's strengths. Morgan really shined doing his stiff, high impact moves while Styles was his usual amazing self in terms of spots. The last few minutes were really cool in that each successive near fall was more dramatic than the previous one, with the match building steadily over the last 6 minutes until it reached a crescendo near the finish. Although Styles didn't get the chance to steal the show like he usually does in most of his matches, he was still great here and showed he could work well with someone who wasn't a cruiserweight or specialized in spofests. A great way to kick off his year. ****
4/27/02: Low Ki vs A.J. Styles
Ki tripped Styles but Styles got the better of him on the mat. Ki took down Styles and applied a headlock but Styles countered with a headscissors. Ki escaped and gained an early near fall. Styles won a test of strength but Ki bridged to avoid a pin. Ki landed some kicks to Styles's legs from a prone position. They traded roundhouse kicks, with Ki's looking stiffer, and kicked each other at the same time. Styles missed a kick and Ki took him down and applied a front facelock. Styles reversed the momentum and mounted Ki but Ki applied an armbar from his back. Styles countered and applied a front facelock but Ki bridged, escaped and applied a front facelock of his own. Styles kept Ki on his back and landed some punches. Ki chopped Styles. Ki landed some kicks as they locked up and punted Styles in the chest. Ki chopped and snapmared Styles but Styles took Ki down and mounted him. Styles gained a near fall with a small package but Ki escaped his grip and hit a brutal kick right to his face. Ki scored with a brutal roundhouse kick to the back of Styles's head and chopped him. Ki gave Styles another roundhouse kick to his face. Styles caught Ki off-guard and gave him a huracanrana. Styles missed a spin kick but clotheslined Ki for a near fall. Styles started to do a vertical suplex, but didn't let go of Ki as he flipped over, and then gave him a neckbreaker in quite a spot for a near fall. Styles stomped Ki and slapped him. Styles whipped Ki into the corner but ran into a brutal kick to the face. Ki gave Styles a backbreaker and an elbowsmash for a near fall. Ki chopped Styles but Styles chopped Ki and gave him a great enzuguiri and Ki tumbled out of the ring. Styles hit a great roundhouse kick to Ki's head and face on the floor. Styles gained a near fall back in the ring. Styles gave Ki a great brainbuster for a near fall. Styles punched Ki but Ki gave him a koppo kick and a brutal yakuza kick to the face that sent Styles through the ropes to the floor. Ki chopped Styles but Styles blocked a Ki crusher off the apron. Styles dumped Ki back into the ring but Ki held onto him and applied a tarantula-like dragon sleeper in the ropes. Ki gained a near fall and went for a Ki crusher but Styles countered with an amazing DDT. Styles went for a back suplex but Ki countered with a rollup into a dragon sleeper. Styles quickly countered, Ki applied a waistlock but Styles elbowed him. Styles hit an in-ring quebrada into an inverted DDT on Ki in another incredible spot for a pop and a near fall. Styles went for a huracanrana but Ki powerbombed him and cradled him for a near fall. Ki gave Styles a ton of brutal kicks and knees to his chest, head and face, probably about 15-20 kicks and knee strikes in all and gained a near fall. Ki chopped Styles. Ki flipped around Styles and dropped him on his head with a tiger suplex for a near fall. Styles fought back with a clothesline. Styles hit a German suplex and rolled through, then gave Ki a back suplex dropped into a face front slam for a near fall. Ki blocked a suplex and gave Styles a face front suplex of his own for a near fall. Ki landed a couple chops and whipped Styles into the corner, then hit his cartwheel spin kick in the corner. Ki went for a phoenix splash but crashed onto Styles's knees. Styles gave Ki what started like a splash mountain but what turned into a crazy brainbuster for a great near fall. Fans gave them a standing ovation. Styles missed his forward corkscrew flip legdrop. They traded blows and chops. Ki gave Styles a brutally stiff enzuguiri. Ki went for a Ki crusher but Styles countered with a couple knee strikes. Styles went for a Styles clash but Ki countered with a small package for the pin at 18:15. The pin looked sketchy because Styles appeared to have his shoulder up before the 3 count and the announcers picked up on it. Otherwise this was a phenomenal match, and not just Styles himself. Pretty much as great a match as you could ask for, with the quick matwork early, the crazy moves late and the stiff strikes throughout. Styles made an incredible ROH debut and truly established himself as a major league commodity. He does many truly innovative spots, but the kind that could resonate quite well in a WWE ring (as opposed to a shoot style or lucha spots). Ki was great as usual, with some of the sharpest strikes I've seen from him. Not quite as amazing as Ki-Dragon from the previous ROH show and a hair shy of the inaugural ROH 3-way dance, but still a fantastic, memorable match and the best match of this show. A high-end ****1/4
8/7/02 NWA TNA X Title: A.J. Styles (c) vs Jerry Lynn vs Low Ki
Ki and Lynn locked up, then both punched Styles, threw him up into the air and down to the mat. Ki and Lynn punched Styles and then traded blows themselves. Ki chopped Lynn but Lynn gave him a great tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Lynn stomped, elbowed and chopped Ki but Ki countered an Irish whip with a dropkick to Lynn's knees. Ki gave Lynn a couple roundhouse kicks but Lynn caught his leg and Styles dropkicked Ki. Lynn clotheslined Styles and snapmared him, then landed a series of punches. Styles powerslammed Lynn and landed punches of his own. Lynn countered a German suplex and went to German suplex Styles. Ki charged but both Lynn and Styles kinda backdropped him. Lynn kicked Styles and gave him a spinning Gori special. Ki dropkicked Lynn causing him to drop Styles back to the mat. Ki rammed Lynn into the corner and punched him. Ki gave Styles a Mongolian chop, slammed him and hit a power elbow for a near fall. Ki elbowed Styles and gave him another Mongolian chop. Styles missed a dropkick but caught Ki charging with a huracanrana while practically on his back in a super cool spot. Styles gave Ki a torture rack flipped into an over the knee jawbreaker of sorts. Styles chopped Ki and gave him a spinning kick. Lynn hit Styles from behind and went for a German suplex but Styles pulled the ref in front of him (but facing away from the action), then countered with a low mule kick. Styles ran across the ring with a swinging neckbreaker on Lynn. Styles punched and kicked his opponents. Styles went for a huracanrana but Lynn countered with a great powerbomb for a near fall when Ki made the save with a dropkick to Lynn's head. Great spot because Styles was angled in a way that even on the way down there was still a chance he could hit the move. Ki and Lynn traded punches but Ki won the exchange with his trademark stiff kicks. Lynn dumped a charging Ki over the top rope to the apron but Ki scored with a roundhouse kick to the head from the apron. Ki bent down between the ropes but Lynn caught him with a legdrop. Styles missed a roaring lariat. Lynn went to roll up Styles, but Ki flipped over both of them and rolled up Lynn AS LYNN GERMAN SUPLEXED STYLES for a double near fall in one of the coolest spots I've ever seen, amazing as well for how well it was executed. Ki gave Lynn a Mongolian chop and some punches, then kicked both opponents. Ki won a great exchange of chops with Lynn but Styles pulled him neck first into the middle rope. Styles pounded Ki but Ki blocked a German suplex. Styles went for a back suplex but Ki countered with a rollup into the dragon clutch in another amazing spot. Ki blocked a kick from Lynn and applied a dragon clutch on him. Lynn escaped and spiked Ki with a DDT for a near fall. Styles chopped and kicked Lynn. Styles whipped Lynn into the corner, backflipped off his chest but Lynn caught him with a kick. Lynn placed Styles on the top rope and gave him a great spike DDT to the mat, while standing on the mat instead of the middle rope, making the move more unique and dangerous. Lynn gained a near fall on Styles. Ki snap suplexed Lynn for a near fall. Ki and Styles traded chops, Styles scored with some elbows but Ki then scored with a roundhouse kick. Ki chopped Styles and double arm suplexed him for a near fall when Lynn elbowsmashed Ki. Styles punched both opponents and gave Lynn a roundhouse kick. Lynn blocked a kick from Styles, flipped Styles backwards by his leg, and Styles flipped right into an inverted DDT on Ki in yet another off-the-charts spot for a great near fall when Lynn legdropped Styles. Lynn then gained a near fall on Ki. Lynn punched Ki but Ki countered a superplex and shoved him to the mat. Styles caught Ki on the top rope with a punch but Ki fought back with a Mongolian chop. Styles elbowed Ki and gave him a superplex AS LYNN JUMPED TO THE MIDDLE ROPE AND SUNSET FLIPPED STYLES for a great near fall. Lynn also gained a near fall on Ki. Lynn gained a near fall on Styles with la magistral but Ki then rolled up Styles right out of Lynn's grip for a near fall. Styles reversed the rollup for a near fall on Ki. Lynn gave Ki a backslide for a near fall but Styles sunset flipped Lynn RIGHT OUT OF THE BACKSLIDE for a near fall. Ki superkicked Lynn and rolled him up for a near fall but Lynn pushed Ki into Styles's grip. Styles went for a Styles clash on Ki but Lynn punched him. After all 3 men traded blows, Styles did a quebrada into an attempted double inverted DDT but Lynn and Ki caught him and slammed him hard into the corner. Ki applied a dragon clutch on Styles upside down in the corner in a spot every bit as amazing as the tarantula, a spot known as the hanging dragon. Lynn broke the hold with a dropkick to both their heads. Ki whipped Lynn into the corner but ran into a boot. Ki countered a tornado DDT, dumped Lynn on the apron and applied a dragon clutch in the ropes. Lynn countered with elbows, then Styles took out Ki with a beyond amazing, perfectly timed double springboard quebrada for a near fall. Styles moved as Lynn gave Ki a slingshot splash for a near fall but broke up the pin. After suplex counters back and forth Styles gave Lynn a suplex into a neckbreaker for a near fall. Ki kicked Styles but Styles countered a Ki crusher. Ki blocked a huracanrana and gave Styles his own Styles clash for a super near fall. Lynn kicked Ki and gave him his own Ki crusher for another great near fall. Lynn kicked Styles but Styles countered a cradle piledriver with an atomic drop. Styles then gave Lynn his own cradle piledriver for a heated near fall. Ki missed a handspring lariat in the corner and took out ref Scott Armstrong. Lynn and Styles traded blows and backdropped Ki over the top rope when he charged, with Ki really flying out of the ring. Lynn missed a lariat and collided with Styles, who rolled out of the ring. Styles clocked Lynn, his usual tag team partner, with a chairshot. Ki covered Lynn for a pin attempt, which Styles tried to break up at the last instant with his top rope somersault twist legdrop but failed and Ki pinned Lynn at 16:12 to win the title. When I first saw this match, it was on a day I was extremely depressed. I mean, absolutely nothing and noone could begin to cheer me up. I randomly played this match on the computer after downloading it and started watching. Within minutes my state of depression had quelled, and by the end of the match I was practically jumping through the ceiling over how great this match was. If a wrestling match could get me out of the depressed state I was in, it HAD to be something special. Ki-Dragon from 3/30/02 remains my favorite and pick for best match of 2002, but this ranks a close second in terms of enjoyment. One of the most amazing spotfests I've ever seen, with amazing and off the charts spots throughout, most involving all three men, most of them being quite complex and difficult to pull off, and most of which were executed with an almost ridiculously sharp quality. Ki was great as usual with his sharp strikes and high impact offense. Lynn was the most solid technical worker of the match and continued to cement his rep as something of an El Samurai of the U.S., as one of the greatest underrated workers this country as ever seen. Styles, though, was the best worker of this match, with his uncanny ability to pull off amazingly difficult spots with precision timing and execution. No out of ring dives, but plenty of top rope offense from Styles, and he has the kind of insane spots that would translate so well on a bigger stage. This was a better match than the 2-23-02 ROH main event, and when comparing both matches, which were largely spotfests, this one wins out convincingly because it was so spectacular. Fans were going nuts for the action in the second half, and clearly appreciated the workers' efforts. Not much psychology, but there didn't have to be at all. I will say, though, that while some might find the closing with everyone using each other's finishers a bit questionable, it was pulled off with such intensity and sharpness that it worked to perfection and drew fans even more into the action than they already were. Best match in NWA TNA history, significantly better than the X title 4-way on 6/19/02, and a match that anyone into great spots must see. This is why I still love wrestling. ****3/4
8/28/02 NWA TNA X Title Triple Ladder Match: Low Ki (c) vs Jerry Lynn vs A.J. Styles
Ki and Lynn traded punches and chops as Styles left the ring to grab a ladder. Ki and Lynn went for a baseball slide but Styles lifted the ladder and clocked Lynn with it. Ki superkicked the ladder into Styles. Back in the ring Ki pounded and chopped Styles. Ki clotheslined Styles but Styles landed some elbows. Styles missed a kick and Ki gave him a roundhouse kick to the head. Ki punched Lynn and did a good fakeout that caused Lynn to miss a slingshot legdrop. Ki kicked Lynn on the apron and gave Styles a spin kick off the middle rope. Ki stomped Styles and went to suplex Lynn back into the ring but Lynn floated over and gave Ki a kick and punches. Ki missed a roundhouse kick and Lynn gave him a great tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Lynn punched and kicked Styles in the corner and backdropped him. Lynn snapmared Ki and applied a Romero special. Lynn held Ki up in the hold and Styles gave him a bulldog. Styles stomped Ki but Lynn punched him and vertical suplexed him. Lynn applied a Boston crab on Styles but Ki gave Lynn three roundhouse kicks to break the hold. Ki stomped Lynn and gave him a knee to the head. Ki slammed Lynn, whipped Styles into the corner and clocked Styles with a great koppo kick. Ki gave Lynn a Mongolian chop and whipped him into the corner. Ki rammed Styles into Lynn in the corner while holding Styles in a Ki crusher position. Ki grabbed the ladder but Styles knocked it into him with a baseball slide kick. Styles propped the ladder between the apron and the barricade. Ki blocked a suplex and chopped Styles but Styles scored with a jumping kick. Styles blocked a suplex and gave Lynn a stun gun into the apron. Styles stood on the ladder but Ki chopped him and they traded blows on the ladder. Lynn then rammed both opponents face first down into the ladder. Lynn brought a ladder into the ring with the edge facing outwards. Lynn knocked the edge of the ladder into Styles's gut with a baseball slide kick. Lynn started to climb the ladder but Ki kicked and chopped him. Ki punched Lynn and set up the ladder but Styles attacked him from behind. Styles won an intense exchange of blows with Ki with a series of elbows but Lynn caught him with a clothesline. Lynn stomped Styles and punched him. Ki chopped both opponents but they caught Ki and hiptossed him into the ladder. Lynn propped a ladder in the corner and whipped Styles in but Styles backflipped off the ladder and over Lynn. Styles kicked Lynn, sprung off the ladder with his legs and went for a tornado DDT but Lynn countered with a great brutal northern lights suplex knocking Styles hard into the ladder. Ki kicked Lynn and went for a pin but the ref wouldn't count because of the ladder rule. Ki whipped Lynn into the corner and went for a tidal wave but Lynn caught him. Lynn went for a running powerbomb but Ki COUNTERED WITH A HURACANRANA AT THE LAST INSTANT KNOCKING LYNN INTO THE LADDER! Amazing spot in terms of creativity and timing. Styles hit Ki with the ladder and climbed the ladder but Ki caught up to him. Ki punched Styles and Styles fell back with his leg trapped and hung upside down on the side of the ladder. Ki gave a trapped Styles three brutal roundhouse kicks. Ki climbed the ladder but Lynn caught up to him and back suplexed him from the ladder to the mat. Styles chopped and elbowed Ki, then kicked Lynn. Styles climbed the ladder but Ki caught him. They traded blows on the ladder and both fell to the mat. Lynn climbed the ladder but both men tipped over the ladder and Lynn crashed head first into the top turnbuckle. Ki grabbed a second ladder at ringside as Styles placed a ladder in the middle of the ring. Styles kicked and chopped Ki. Ki blocked a suplex and kicked Styles. Styles hit his amazing quebrada inverted DDT (backflip off the middle rope, lands on his feet, and gives his opponent an inverted DDT in a seamless, smooth sequence) on Ki. Lynn punched Styles and elbowed him. Styles blocked a German suplex from Lynn. Ki went for a springboard spin kick but Lynn caught him and gave him a running Liger bomb. Styles brought a second ladder into the ring by throwing it over the top rope, and in the process it hit Lynn in the face. Ki brought the third ladder into the ring. Styles and Lynn traded blows as Ki climbed a ladder. Styles clotheslined Lynn and caught up to Ki as he climbed a second ladder. Styles punched Ki but Ki rammed him into the top of a ladder. Ki then applied a dragon clutch on Styles atop the ladders. Lynn punched Ki and climbed a ladder. Lynn then tipped both ladders next to his and his opponents staggered but somehow kept their balance. Lynn finally tipped Styles's ladder and Styles took a spectacular fall clear out of the ring. Ki and Lynn traded blows atop the ladder. Lynn gave Ki a cradle piledriver off the ladder to the mat in an insane spot. Lynn climbed the ladder and grabbed the belt to win the match and title at 20:07. This was the rematch of one of the greatest spotfests ever, and like most sequels it failed to measure up to its predecessor. Watching both matches back to back, this doesn't even come close. However, I'd suggest you watch this match before their previous classic, because you'll be better able to appreciate just how sensational this match was in its own right. Amazing spots left and right, with phenominal execution and timing. Great use of the ladder because they used it prominently, but unlike some indy wrestlers, these three knew they didn't have to use the ladders for every single spot. Of course they didn't have to, because they had an array of amazing spots on their own without the need for props. Ki and Styles were the best workers of this match, and while Lynn was strong in his work, the ladder based spotfest didn't seem to suit him particularly well. This match fell short on many accords. First, it had much weaker spot-to-spot momentum than their 8/7 match, and it seemed like the ladder interrupted their natural flow and pacing at times. The crowd was MUCH quieter during the body of this match than the last, as it seemed like they expected all the big spots and were only into the spots as opposed to being into any storyline. They did come alive down the stretch, and did pop for all the spots they should have responded to. Again, the flaws in this match are much less noticeable if you see this before their 8/7 match, and doing so will enable you to better appreciate the quality of both matches. ****1/4
10/30/02 NWA TNA X Title: A.J. Styles (c) w/Mortimer Plumbtree vs Red
Styles applied a wristlock and they traded armringers and armdrags. Red gave Styles a drop toehold but missed an elbowsmash. Styles missed a standing moonsault and they had a criss cross. Styles caught Red by his arm and rolled him up for a near fall. Red took Styles down but Styles responded in kind for a near fall. Styles missed a kick and Red scored with a roundhouse kick to his head. They traded waistlocks. Red backflipped out of a German suplex attempt but Styles countered a German suplex with elbows. Styles went for an in-ring quebrada but Red dropkicked him off the middle rope to the floor. Red flipped over the top rope and went for a huracanrana off the apron but Styles caught him and dumped him onto the apron. Red kicked Styles and hit a great tope con hilo in which he both hit Styles well and flew right past him (looked great). Red gained a near fall back in the ring. Red landed some punches but Styles whipped him into the corner. Styles missed a corner splash and Red dropkicked him in the corner. Red stomped Styles but Styles fought back and gave him something like a gut wrench into a diamond cutter for a near fall. Styles stomped Red, kicked him and gave him a running neckbreaker. Styles gave Red a great delayed brainbuster for a near fall. Styles chopped Red, flipped him over and went for a suplex but Red countered. Styles went for a wheelbarrow slam but Red countered with a great Dragon Kid-esque sunset flip for a near fall. Red whipped Styles into the corner but ran into an elbow and Styles hit a moonsault into an inverted DDT for a near fall. Styles applied a chinlock on Red. Red elbowed Styles, ducked a spinning kick and gave Styles a great tilt-a-whirl into a DDT for a near fall. Red kicked Styles and went for a sunset flip but Styles countered. Red countered a Styles clash by grabbing the rope but Styles just pulled him back, flipped him around and gave him a sitout powerbomb for a near fall. Styles rammed Red into the corner, snapmared him and punted his back hard. Styles missed a clothesline but superkicked Red for a near fall. Styles applied a front facelock. Red fought back with punches but Styles whipped him into the corner. Styles ran into a boot and Red hit a Red star press for a near fall. Red landed some punches but Styles caught him and went for a Styles clash. Red countered, Styles lifted him for a powerbomb, but Red countered with a lightning quick Dragon Kid-esque (again) huracanrana for a near fall. Red landed more punched but Styles kicked him and gave him a splash mountain into an over the knee jawbreaker of sorts for a near fall. Red whipped Styles into the corner and gave him a roundhouse kick to the head. Red gave Styles a great spinning kick in the corner for a near fall. Plumbtree grabbed Red's leg on a criss cross and Styles knocked him for a loop with a lariat. Styles went for a spiral tap but Red crotched him on the top rope. Red went for a top rope huracanrana but Styles countered and went for a superbomb but Red countered that with a huracanrana in mid-air. However, Styles rolled through upon impact and pinned Red at 12:39 to retain the title. Not the best X title match or the best match for either man, but this has to be considered a big success. Red is very hit and miss, still, albeit less than he used to be, in terms of hitting his spots. His focus, selling and transitions are still weak, but he has shown considerable improvement from 2001. Working with someone like Styles can only help him, because while Styles is a spot machine himself, he has a much better sense of pacing and knows how to string together hot moves effectively. Styles carried the match, laying it out well from start to finish while catering to Red's strengths. Red was given the chance to hit just about every big move in his arsenal, many for near falls, and he was up to the task. In particular, some of his spots were breathtaking in their quickness and Red shows some athletic similarities to Dragon Kid. Still, this was Styles's match and he showed once again why he's one of the true breakout talents of 2002, carrying Red to one of his best 5 singles matches. ***3/4
11/6/02 NWA TNA X Title: A.J. Styles (c) w/Mortimer Plumbtree vs Jerry Lynn
They traded armringers and wristlocks early on and Styles armdragged Lynn. They traded hammerlocks. Lynn gave Styles a fireman's carry takedown and applied an armbar. They traded armringers and Lynn gave Styles a float over armdrag. Styles took down Lynn with a headlock but Lynn countered with a headscissors, and Styles escaped. They did the same headlock-headscissors-kipup sequence with the roles reversed. Lynn applied a headlock and Styles countered with a top wristlock but Lynn ultimately overpowered him and reapplied the headlock. Styles elbowed Lynn and applied a headlock. Styles tackled Lynn and they had a criss cross. Both men blocked hiptosses. Lynn gave Styles a legsweep but missed an elbowsmash. Styles missed a somersault legdrop and Lynn armdragged him. Styles backed Lynn into a corner and landed some punches but Lynn responded with kicks and a punch. Styles whipped Lynn into the corner, Lynn jumped over Styles and Styles backflipped over Lynn. Lynn hit a second rope cross bodyblock but Styles gave him a legsweep. Lynn clotheslined Styles for a near fall and applied a chinlock. Styles fought back and raked Lynn's eyes. Styles punched Lynn but Lynn gave him his great spinning tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall. Lynn applied an over the knees surfboard on Styles but Styles jumped on him and gained a near fall. Lynn kicked Styles but Styles fought back with punches and an elbow. Styles went for a tilt-a-whirl headscissors but Lynn dumped him neck first across the top rope for a near fall. Lynn stomped Styles and rammed him into the corner. Lynn chopped Styles hard in the corner. Styles whipped Lynn into the opposite corner and charged but Lynn dumped him to the apron. Lynn punched Styles, rammed him into the turnbuckle and knocked him off the apron to the floor with a second rope dropkick, with Styles taking a great flip bump. Styles brought Lynn's neck down across the top rope. Styles went to jump into the ring but stopped and Lynn missed a legdrop. Styles kicked Lynn through the ropes but Lynn knocked him off the apron with a legsweep. Lynn punched Styles and rammed him into the ring steps. Lynn whipped Styles towards the corner of the barricade but Styles jumped up and over the barricade! Styles caught Lynn with a kick as Lynn went to climb over the barricade. Styles punched Lynn but Lynn fought back and brought Styles's head down across the barricade. Styles jumped off the barricade but Lynn gave him a dropkick in mid-air. Back in the ring they traded punches, and Lynn won out. Styles threw a charging Lynn through the ropes to the floor and Plumbtree stomped Lynn when Styles distracted the ref. Styles knocked Lynn off the apron with a baseball slide kick. Styles then hit one of the greatest simple slingshot topes you'll ever see, showing such sharp form and extension and gained a near fall back in the ring. Styles went for a powerbomb but Lynn countered with a huracanrana. Lynn kicked Styles and went for a piledriver but Styles backdropped him. Styles clotheslined Lynn for a near fall. Styles applied a modified stretch plum on Lynn (of course not as good as Kawada but still solid). Styles went for a Styles clash but instead applied a modified Boston crab when Lynn slid underneath him. Lynn reached for the ropes but Styles pulled him back to the middle of the ring. They traded punches and Styles landed a couple roundhouse kicks but missed a third. Styles went for a huracanrana but Lynn countered with a flip slam in which Styles landed front first. Plumbtree distracted the red when Lynn went for the pin. Lynn went for a German suplex but Styles countered with a low mule kick and gave him his usual incredible in-ring quebrada inverted DDT for a near fall. Styles whipped Lynn into the corner, jumped and backflipped off his chest but ran into an elbow. Styles elbowed Lynn and did a Toyota roll but Lynn caught him and gave him a sitout powerbomb. They traded blows again. Lynn backdropped Styles and gave him a couple clotheslines. Styles whipped Lynn into the corner and went for a tornado DDT but Lynn countered with a great northern lights suplex that knocked Styles HARD into the corner for a near fall. Lynn confronted Plumbtree and Styles went to punch Lynn but hit his manager instead when Lynn moved. Lynn rammed Styles and Plumbtree into each other, kicked Styles and gave him a cradle piledriver for a great near fall. Sonny Siaki appeared at ringside. Lynn gave Styles a TKO style diamond cutter for a near fall but Siaki pulled the ref out of the ring. Plumbtree wedged a chair between the ropes in a corner. Lynn punched Styles and after some reversals and counters Styles rammed Lynn head first into the chair. Styles sunset flipped Lynn for a near fall as the ref was out of position due to the heels. Styles seamlessly lifted Lynn up and gave him a Styles clash for a dramatic near fall. Lynn crotched Styles on the top rope and gave him a top rope superplex for a great near fall. Styles countered a backslide and gave Lynn his flip piledriver of sorts for a near fall. Lynn countered a powerbomb but Styles countered a cradle piledriver. Lynn countered again and gave Styles a cradle piledriver for the pin at 21:06 to win the title. A very different match from many of the X division classics, but perhaps the most technically great of this group of matches. They really took their time much more than usual, as they started with simple work and exchanges and a somewhat slow pace before kicking it up a notch. Not psychologically riveting, but solid and the moves had more meaning than usual. Once they went to their big moves, this turned into the outstanding match you'd probably expect. Lynn isn't nearly as innovative or daring as wrestlers like Styles or Low Ki, but very solid in his work and his big moves usually resonate with more meaning than most cruiserweight style workers. Between the big moves the selling was much stronger in this match than previous matches because they took their time to sell. The near falls down the stretch were great and sometimes quite dramatic. Fan reaction seemed cold in between big spots, as if they had been desensitized to a slow-build style. They did come alive for the last few minutes, though, with each big move and near fall drawing a slightly bigger reaction than the previous. The outside interference was the lone sour point of the match, and messed up the flow a bit in the second half. Still, this was an outstanding match. Lynn showed his underrated excellence once again while Styles really had a chance to shine with his great spots. ****
Next Article: Best of 2002 Part 2
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