AJ Styles Severely "Injured" Why?

[Rasha]

The end of Impact this week saw AJ Styles being carted off and put in an ambulance after receiving a sit-down powerbomb from Bull Ray off the stage. They spent over ten minutes selling the injury, so it would seem that they're taking AJ out of the rotation for a period of time. My question is... why? Is there some real-life reason that AJ needs time off? Was it a move to increase Bull Ray's profile and also set up AJ for a hyped return? Was it done to find a way to split up Fortune without turning anyone heel?

I'm very curious about the reasoning behind this move. What do the rest of you think?

 

[MachoMadness1988]

My guess is for a few reasons....

1) To help set up Lethal Lockdown. Bully Ray wants to be apart of Immortal, so he tried to impress them. That links him to Immortal. AJ is obviously the leader of Fortune. I think we all can safely say it will most likely be Immortal vs Fortune in Lethal Lockdown.

2) Now this is just my wild guess, but it could be to make people really care for AJ. He was a heel not that long ago, so maybe they are trying to make people sympothize, really care for him again, and a want to see AJ get his revenge.

I don't know how long AJ "will be out", but I doubt it will be long since TNA will definitely want him to compete at Lockdown.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

What happened with Styles tonight was a good way to put heat on Bully Ray. After coming up short in his feud with DeVon and losing to Tommy Dreamer at Victory Road, Ray needs all the help he can get. I'm not buying into Ray as World Championship material, not by a long shot and for obvious reasons, but tonight was a good first step possibly toward making something out of Bully Ray.

I can see Ray as being a solid mid-card fixture in TNA, he certainly brings more to the table than the lines of Gunner, Murphy, Rob Terry and many others. But yeah, I'm not seeing Ray as a legit threat for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

As for Styles himself, well taking out Styles will just cause Ray's stock to rise considerably in the eyes of Immortal. Who knows what's going on with Jeff Hardy but, as of this moment, Immortal is consisting of Gunner, Murphy, Terry & Matt Hardy ring wise so they need all the help they can get.

 

[PGeraSUCKS22]

I'm a bit disappointed how the superstar injured is AJ Styles. I'm not sure if I'm the only one, but I was hoping for 2 things
1. a feud with Flair, which I'm not sure is gonna happen
2. AJ getting a push for the title.
Bully Ray in my book will always be a midcarder and to see him try the main event I wasnt impressed even if he competed or not
I do see all your points with the Immortal vs. Fortune, but I'm a bit disappointed to how its being sold

 

[iwinulose]

yeah hey, i guess it would be bul ray trying to impress immortal so start taking out guys who are high up in fortune to get some attention. now i expect aj to be out for awhile and then come back and lay some heavy beat downs w/ fortune on immortal. maybe aj is taking a lil break to rest his body? maybe he will be back in a few weeks. sorta interesting at the same time disappointed.

 

[nick p999]

i think aj is to get some rest. Bully ray could be used as temperarely as immortal into jeff get on his feet. Bully ray needs all the attention he needs.

 

[GrandSword]

Woah..so he couldn't beat Dvon or Dreamer but he can put Styles out of action....

This might be jumping the gun, but once again TNA originals are buried by rubbish, over the hill never was stars from the WWE. Yeah I know Ray's been in TNA for years but AJ shouldn't be the one who seems to take all these falls/loses. I mean he put Doug Williams over, and for what? Williams has been off tv for ages and they gave the tv belt to Abyss who was "killed" off a seconmd later and the belt retired for ages until Gunner won it in some fixed crappy match...

Sorry for ranting but Styles should be pushed down our throats like Cena is in WWE. Styles should be putting douches like Ray through tables or Styles Clashing Anderson or pinning clean Jeff Hardy... not being taken out by a guy who has fast forwarded into a #1 contedners match when he has beaten anybody.. TNA your logic continues to baffle and your booking continues to bury your homegrown and loyal employees...

 

[coolant]

I think they did this to prove to us that this whole Jeff Hardy thing is a work, and therefore trying to show that they do not want people to feel cheated for buying the last ppv.

Go with me on this, as I know this is WAAAAY the hell out there. But, I am sure everyone noticed that referee used the "X" sign. We all know that is to signal to the back when someone is legititmately injured and cannot continue. We are not supposed to see it on TV. Prior to the "match" between Sting and Jeff Hardy we saw...on camera...the ref give the "X" signal. The camera was panning away just as he was doing it. Also, we have all seen behind the scene footage of wrestler's entrances. There are stage hands and directors at the curtains cuing them as to when to go out. Or at least, the directors are present whenever the entrance footage is to begin whether its at the curtain or in the back hallways. So, no one being around Jeff before he made his entrance is laughable as well.

This brings to AJ. How? Basically they were going out of their way to break Kayfab on screen with Hardy. Now they were trying to do the same with AJ. Ala, Vince calling out for Paul instead of Hunter or HHH when the Titan Tron came down on him. They are trying to create controversy were there is none.

I am not able to articulate my thoughts when it comes to this as much as I would like, because I do not spend too much time dwelling on it. But this all came to me once I saw the ref make the "X" signal to the back tonight. Kinda pissed me off and proved why I haven't seen but a half dozen Impacts and no PPVs in over 2 years.

My signature says it all. So please, let me have it.

 

[joesgoingtoeatu]

What happened with Styles tonight was a good way to put heat on Bully Ray. After coming up short in his feud with DeVon and losing to Tommy Dreamer at Victory Road, Ray needs all the help he can get. I'm not buying into Ray as World Championship material, not by a long shot and for obvious reasons, but tonight was a good first step possibly toward making something out of Bully Ray.

I can see Ray as being a solid mid-card fixture in TNA, he certainly brings more to the table than the lines of Gunner, Murphy, Rob Terry and many others. But yeah, I'm not seeing Ray as a legit threat for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

As for Styles himself, well taking out Styles will just cause Ray's stock to rise considerably in the eyes of Immortal. Who knows what's going on with Jeff Hardy but, as of this moment, Immortal is consisting of Gunner, Murphy, Terry & Matt Hardy ring wise so they need all the help they can get.

ah see now here lies the problem and you said it yourself. Bully Ray is a solid mid-card fixture, ok fine. But A.J is a main eventer no ? Are they really going to try and sell Ray as a main eventer by taking A.J out ? Has TNA really gone that low ?

A.J probably needed or wanted some time off, maybe he was set to feud with Hardy and now he might be gone so theyre going to let him rest some injuries ? Whatever the reason, it sucks because he belongs in the main event and now once again you have 3 faces in a main event, no dominant heel on the show and im sure were setting up for the predictable RVD or Anderson screwjob joins immortal finish at lockdown. It really speaks to how good the wrestling is, if a show booked this poorly still gets any rating. Its a shame, lot of talent going to waste, because Russo and Hogan/Bischoff experience doesnt know how to book these guys properly.

Not saying id do better but A.J needs to stop being treated like a mid-carder, he should be the face of that company

 

[yeerandee]

mann i just saw it. it looks pretty ruthless. shit look like he could have really fucked his shit up. when the showed bubba looking back, he looked concerned which isnt suppose to be in character. he really landed on his neck. he hit neck first. if it were tables under the sheet. if it is a kayfabe injury i dont know where the fuck theyre going with this cuz lockdown is the next ppv i think and it needs to be fourtune vs immortal.

 

[RobinVanDutch]

I don't know why.., but then again in TNA you never know why.

Anyways, I hope he returns and destroys some guys, i hope he uses his older theme with the long intro. But don't think that will happen.

 

[MB1025]

The people complaining about Bully Ray not being able to beat Dreamer and D-Von, but can take out Styles obviously didn't pay attention. AJ Styles had the upper hand the entire fight with Bully Ray UNTIL Ric Flair came up behind and hit him with the low blow. That allowed Bully Ray to get an already bent over AJ Styles into a sit down power bomb. It is your typical baby face being overwhelmed until there is a big payoff when he wins at a PPV.

 

[CalciferBoheme]

How much you want to bet AJ doesn't miss any time at all?

After the crazy stuff they've had happen to people without any missed time, it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Brahma Bull]

First off, immortal atm consists of gunner, murphy, matt hardy, jeff jerrett(he is working with angle now, but is still part of immortal), rob terry, hernandez still, hogan, bischoff, and abyss once he returns. you are right though. once hardy was taken out, it left an opening for big heel. i think it would be great for tna to turn sting heel and side with immortal. no one would see it coming because sting has never gone full fledge heel, but itll probably be anderson, or even possibly angle.

as to the matter at hand. it was either to get ray over more, have aj become a huge babyface again, or just maybe, aj really needed time off for legit injuries and so they wrote him off to rehab.

 

[peter_midnight]

Why is AJ injured?? Because Russo is an idiot, that's why.

i think it would be great for tna to turn sting heel and side with immortal. no one would see it coming because sting has never gone full fledge heel.

This is a terrible idea and exactly the type of logic Russo has used to turn Sting heel I think 5 times by now. Just because no one would see it coming doesn't mean you should do it. No one saw David Arquette as world champion, was it a good idea? NO. Turning Sting heel has been done (coincidentally only by Vince Russo) and has NEVER worked. The fans don't like it, Sting doesn't like it, no one buys into it and it just doesn't work.

The best thing TNA can do is fire Russo. Since they wont, I anticipate the rise and fall of TNA dvd to come out sometime next year.

 

[snoopy]

As long as Aj is at Lockdown that's all that matters. He will probably make his return at the lethal Lockdown to be in the match from the start or when it's time for the final member of fortune to appear in the match his music plays the crowd goes wild I markout and Aj destroys some fools! And that will be great!

 

[GrandSword]

I'm all for AJ coming back and destroying fools!

Yep Fortune vs. Immortal needs to happen in the Lethal Lockdown match this year and AJ needs to be apart of it. Every year he does some sort of sick spot off the top of the cage.

And I guess getting Ray a known hardcore wrestler involved in that match is a good idea. Hopefully there is a stip that whoever loses has to disband, and it's this joke of a stable immortal who really doesn't have anyone except Bischoff and Hogan (who's never there)

 

[Prince Punk]

They simply injured Styles to further Bury their product.

Currently TNA is the Hulk Hogan show. Sting was right about that. And that's the big thing. You can't have Sting join Immortal. Who would face off against Immortal at that point? They would have very limited ring skill. But all of the drawing power. There would be no credible feud. WCW survived off the fact that they had Sting to fight with the NWO. RVD is the laid back pot head and Anderson is the ass hole who wants the title. With AJ gone that leaves no one to face off against immortal except for Sting.

Also seeing Bully Ray dominate in that 4 way match up was horrible (though the match itself was not that great and the finish was lame) Ray will be turning 40 in July.... 20 years of wrestling already there is no chance that he will have anywhere near enough gas in the tank to become a credible main eventer. He is already limited in the ring.

But hey it's TNA so who knows what is going on...

 

[UnBEARaBULLfan]

First off, immortal atm consists of gunner, murphy, matt hardy, jeff jerrett(he is working with angle now, but is still part of immortal), rob terry, hernandez still, hogan, bischoff, and abyss once he returns. you are right though. once hardy was taken out, it left an opening for big heel. i think it would be great for tna to turn sting heel and side with immortal. no one would see it coming because sting has never gone full fledge heel, but itll probably be anderson, or even possibly angle.

as to the matter at hand. it was either to get ray over more, have aj become a huge babyface again, or just maybe, aj really needed time off for legit injuries and so they wrote him off to rehab.

Hernandez is not apart of Immortal he was hired muscle for a week he has his own faction now.

Turning Sting heel has never worked and it never will fans wont buy it and have never bought it, and I dont know how you can see Angle being apart of Immortal with all the bad blood between him and Jarrett, it wont work or make sence.

AJ being hurt is a total work to get bully Ray over and make him apart of Immortal, now we'll see Matt Hardy & Bully Ray against Beer Money in some form or fashion until AJ returns at Lockdown or the Impact before Lockdown.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Officially? To legitimize the idea of getting Bully Ray into the main event picture in TNA and as muscle for Immortal. No better way than for him to come in and take out one of the major proponents against the stable, especially that brutally. Worked wonders for Abyss a la the RVD manslaughter, so it should work wonders for Ray here, too.

Unofficially? Dunno, maybe AJ's original hip flexor wasn't quite healed right? Perhaps he just wants a little time off for now?

 

[JJYanks121]

Officially? To legitimize the idea of getting Bully Ray into the main event picture in TNA and as muscle for Immortal. No better way than for him to come in and take out one of the major proponents against the stable, especially that brutally. Worked wonders for Abyss a la the RVD manslaughter, so it should work wonders for Ray here, too.

Unofficially? Dunno, maybe AJ's original hip flexor wasn't quite healed right? Perhaps he just wants a little time off for now?

So, this would be attempt #4 at muscle for Immortal then? First Abyss (who lost to everybody), then Rob Terry (who lost to everybody), then Hernandez (who is as useful as dogshit on a shoe), and now we're suggesting that Bully Ray will be the muscle? I dunno man, fool me once........but fool me 4 times?

Truth is, I think Ray did an admirable job yesterday and even earned "IMPACT player of the week" honors on my website, but is he a main eventer? Will he win the AJ feud? Are you really going to have him go over AJ freakin Styles? If you do, you are essentially putting more stock in Bully Ray than AJ. The beatdown was good, but he will be rendered useless sooner than later and probably just be another failed muscle for Immortal.

Might I suggest a legit main event talent, perhaps an asshole? Remember I am predicting that to happen in about a month..........

 

[Clem]

I can grasp fundamental reasons WHY this angle might've happened, but they're not reasons i particularly like.

1 - They needed to establish Bully Ray on the main event level.
2 - They wanted to set up an AJ vs Ray feud.

Neither of which I could give a flying fig about. Bully Ray should categorically not be on the main event level. He's midcard at best and that's being generous. He's like Tommy Dreamer, a solid, respected, garbage brawler who you can trust to cut a good promo, but their in-ring work isn't really upto much. Also, why the hell would we even want to see the eventual match?!?!

 

[It's Damn Real!]

So, this would be attempt #4 at muscle for Immortal then? First Abyss (who lost to everybody), then Rob Terry (who lost to everybody), then Hernandez (who is as useful as dogshit on a shoe), and now we're suggesting that Bully Ray will be the muscle? I dunno man, fool me once........but fool me 4 times?

Truth is, I think Ray did an admirable job yesterday and even earned "IMPACT player of the week" honors on my website, but is he a main eventer? Will he win the AJ feud? Are you really going to have him go over AJ freakin Styles? If you do, you are essentially putting more stock in Bully Ray than AJ. The beatdown was good, but he will be rendered useless sooner than later and probably just be another failed muscle for Immortal.

Might I suggest a legit main event talent, perhaps an asshole? Remember I am predicting that to happen in about a month..........

Better late than never, I guess. The real issue with this whole thing is that Immortal was simply never given the real muscle it needed off the bat. "They" being Hardy, Jarrett, Abyss, Hogan and Bischoff wasn't enough as Hogan & Bischoff aren't active wrestlers, so the real in-ring ability was significantly small, albiet the Hardy turn itself shocking.

They've been struggling ever since to really maintain the rank their name accompanies, which is why I think the Ray move is actually a good one in this case. Guys like Terry and Hernandez were fodder. Terry is greener than grass and absolutely incapable of being the muscle in a stable that's supposed to be that big, and Hernandez is still a tag-team power house, not a great singles wrestler of any kind. With Ray they actually get the vocal with the ring work, so the addition actually makes a lot more sense, especially if you take into account his history of winning [tag team] championships.

I doubt Ray is put over AJ, though — the injury angle IMO is designed to fast-track Ray a bit to make him worth of the spot he put AJ in the begin with, so I'd imagine when AJ does make his return it'll be as a means to put Ray (and Immortal) down. It depletes the power of Fortune/faces and adds to the power in Immortal again because of it (not counting any further on their side).

Immortal could certainly use a little boost, but IMO this is all leading to the third Millionare's Club v. New Blood angle, or MEM v. Frontline II. That line Sting used about the "50 guys in the back" screams war is on the way to me, which tells me he's likely to rally a number of them heading into Lockdown. Hell, I could even see a couple "TNA Originals" making a return to boost the face ranks.

 

[ABMorales787]

Why? Why not? It's six weeks 'till Lockdown. That's a hell of a long time. There's plenty time to build a good story and it just happened to kick off big time. 2 or 3 weeks out of the picture won't hinder AJ in the least seeing how Fortune can pick up the slack while he's out. It was a great way to impose Ray into the top tier of TNA's heavyweights and establish him as a big heel. Let's face, when it comes to TNA, heels aren't in the company's strong points right about now and haven't been since the MEM days. Hardy was unstable, Abyss was not legit and Jarrett was just too over exposed in TNA's earlier days. Ray is easily the best heel in TNA from a verbal stand point, so it's fitting that he's placed in a main role. What better way than taking out TNA's heart and soul, AJ Styles? Sure, AJ won't be around for a bit, but it's still a long way 'till Lockdown. No way TNA plans to run the show without him unless he is actually hurt.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

While it was a great way to generate some heat for Bully Ray, now we have one guy left who looks like he could be legitimate competition to Immortal, and he's 51. If AJ needed to take some time off for whatever reason, then it's fine, and TNA was left with no choice, but if consciously putting AJ out for a number of weeks simply to thrust Bully Ray into the main event, then it's just yet another stupid move coming out of TNA creative.

But I guess there's really no telling until we get some legitimate news rather than fan speculation.