AJ Styles Upset with TNA Management?

[Super Crazy]

PWTorch.com is reporting that AJ Styles apparently lashed out at TNA's creative team recently over what he claims has been horrible booking of him as TNA Champion thus far into his run with the title. The belief is that Styles feels that he is being booked to look like a weak champion as he won the title when Sting allowed him to pin Kurt Angle
, and then he was not booked to go over Angle on Impact last week.

I can see why he would be upset. To help push the younger stars why would you make them look weak? They are supposed to look strong and like they can really fend for their own with the older guys.

I personally think storyline-wise it was dumb to have Sting let AJ win the title. It would have been better if he had of really fought for it. Not to say that he didn't, but for Sting to choose to jump out, while it may be a sign of respect to do so, I can understand why AJ would be upset. No one wants to just be handed the title. They want to earn it.

As far as the Kurt Angle match I'd have to say it is again another dumb move booking wise to have Kurt go over AJ. At the time it was more important to have AJ look good rather then Kurt. With pushing the younger stars and all, why not have AJ go over Kurt? Why not let the face of TNA go over the biggest acquisition from the WWE that TNA has ever seen? would that have been so wrong? In the end they both looked strong and the match ended in a draw. That was a smart move as it made both look good as neither man lost really.

Hopefully AJ is booked strongly from here on in. It would be good to have him win some big matches against the likes of Kurt Angle or another big name in TNA...although there aren't any really.

What is your opinion on the matter?



Do you feel like AJ has a right to be upset with them?

 

[PEP3]

My first thought on reading this is, "What the hell is wrong with these people?" Everyone in TNA seems pissed off about something right now. Whether it's Booker T, who's reportedly so pissed he's leaving, or Styles, it appears everyone has a beef!

While everyone here believes A.J. more than deserves that title, he needs to remember the creative didn't HAVE TO put the belt on him. They could have kept it on people like Sting, Angle, Foley, etc. Booking is showing that they believe he is able to carry the company, he just needs to show some faith.

The time-limit made him look more than capable of standing toe-to-toe with Angle. It put both people over without anyone having to "lose." There's no way Styles could come out of that situation looking weak. Besides, am I crazy, or didn't Styles just get a pinfall on Sting at the last PPV?

A.J.'s being built up as a credible champ, just not in the time frame he seems to think is appropriate. He's shown a LOT of patience during his tenure with the company. Now's not the time to get impatient and pissy.

 

[Pedro08]

I really don't have a problem with how AJ has been booked. Remember, it was only a couple months ago where he was booked to lose some matches, leading to him deciding to quit wrestling. Since then, he went over Sting cleanly and went to a time-limit draw with Kurt Angle in what was a great match. I don't think he looks like a weak champion at all. He certainly could not have expected to squash two of the greats of the business.

 

[BradXXX]

I think AJ does have a point with how he has been booked. I think we all agree it would have been smarter to have had the Angle/AJ match end with something like AJ hitting the styles clash on angle, then having AJ climb to the top to go for the spiral tap, and then have the time limit go off. So that it would look like the time limit saved Angle, not AJ.

But on the other hand, AJ needs to step it up on the mic and with his character. He isn't doing very much with what he is being given. He needs to run with it. Now if someone is writing his promos and coaching him to be the way he is, then I guess that isn't his fault.

 

[NSL]

Where did everyone get it in there head that AJ is one of the "young guys"? He's 33 (I believe) and has been wrestling for 11 years. He's far from being a young guy, but he's not old either. He's in his prime.

As far as the booking, I have no problems with it. Kurt Angle couldn't have looked weak going into the PPV, or else Morgan would have looked weak. Styles looked great going into the PPV, and he did retain. It's not like they took the belt off him after holding it a month. In the end, he'll still be holding the belt, Sting will be retired, and Angle will be a top contender.

The only way this comes out bad is if they take the belt off him before Sting retires. Let Sting go out building up Styles as a deserving champ, and then let Styles go back to being "the man" in TNA.

If anyone should be pissed off at management, it should be Hernandez...

 

[PEP3]

TNA seems to be lacking the needed upper-mid card wrestler to book Hernandez appropriately, NightShift. They pulled him up toward the main event, then fumbled around looking for where exactly to put him. Having him mixed up in the Nash/Young situation with the Legends (Global) title seems pretty decent. I guess it ultimately depends on what they do with him going forward.

 

[NSL]

Hernandez would have been fine if they didn't make him cash in that damn briefcase already. He could have used it to ME Impact against Styles, and who else thinks that match would have been absolutely epic? What TNA needs is top level heels, and with Booker T gone, and Steiner apparently turning back the clock, Scott Steiner would be an excellent opponent.

 

[Kliq]

As soon as I read that on the Wrestlezone home page I was very confused. Styles beat Sting one on one cleanly. He should have nothing to complain about. Sting putting over AJ at TNA's biggest PPV of the year means for the next couple months he should be quiet about everything that bothers him. Honestly beating Sting means more to me as a wrestling fan than winning the TNA world title.

I know I'm repeating myself, but honestly it is a fact. AJ Styles beat Sting cleanly and he has the balls to complain about the way he's been booked outside of that? What a bitch.

 

[Super Crazy]

Where did everyone get it in there head that AJ is one of the "young guys"? He's 33 (I believe) and has been wrestling for 11 years. He's far from being a young guy, but he's not old either. He's in his prime.

As far as the booking, I have no problems with it. Kurt Angle couldn't have looked weak going into the PPV, or else Morgan would have looked weak. Styles looked great going into the PPV, and he did retain. It's not like they took the belt off him after holding it a month. In the end, he'll still be holding the belt, Sting will be retired, and Angle will be a top contender.

The only way this comes out bad is if they take the belt off him before Sting retires. Let Sting go out building up Styles as a deserving champ, and then let Styles go back to being "the man" in TNA.

If anyone should be pissed off at management, it should be Hernandez...

Hernandez would have been fine if they didn't make him cash in that damn briefcase already. He could have used it to ME Impact against Styles, and who else thinks that match would have been absolutely epic? What TNA needs is top level heels, and with Booker T gone, and Steiner apparently turning back the clock, Scott Steiner would be an excellent opponent.

I didn't necessarily mean Styles was a young guy. I may have said it but I meant he comes off as one of the young guys since he hasn't always been a top TNA in the main events in the last couple of years. He is totally in his prime though I agree.

I also feel they shouldn't have made Hernandez waste his briefcase. I would have made him cash it in against Styles as you said. That match would be awesome. It would be like seeing a Aj battle a bigger version of himself with less moves since Super Mex is extremely agile. TNA is running out of top level heels though and with all of the remainder of the MEM going face supposedly there goes everyone.

After seeing Steiner's showing at BFG though I would say they should throw him in the main event a few times. I'm not saying have him necessarily win but I'm sure Aj and Steiner could have some great matches.

Also I don't see why AJ should be upset right now. The main event for the next pay per view is Joe vs Daniels vs Aj for the World Title. To me this is saying they've all grown up from their days of the X Division and that they are all stars in their own right. Hopefully Joe decides to bust his ass for this match as it could potentially be as great as their match for the X Division Championship a few years back.

 

[PEP3]

We all agree that Hernandez cashing in briefcase when he did was ridiculous. Seriously, who would give up a guaranteed World Title shot in some cluster-fuck multi-opponent match like he did? Getting to main event Impact against Styles would have been an amazing opportunity for both to showcase their skills for a television audience, which is clearly more than the number buying any of their PPVs right now.

It sucks, in my opinion, that Booker T is leaving. I think he would have been a great opponent for Hernandez or contender for Styles.

As for Steiner, he's giving it all he's got. You've gotta give the guy credit. If he suddenly gets a main event push, he's earned it!

 

[Mitch Henessey]

After seeing Steiner's showing at BFG though I would say they should throw him in the main event a few times. I'm not saying have him necessarily win but I'm sure Aj and Steiner could have some great matches.

I'm not a fan of Steiner's, but he did put on one hell of a performance at BFG. He's also a pretty good heel, so I wouldn't mind seeing him in a feud with AJ. I didn't like the the finish to the match at No Surrender, but I see why TNA did it. It provided a good set-up for the match between AJ and Sting at BFG. AJ should be booked strongly from now on. I mean he beat Sting at BFG, something nobody has done (including Kurt Angle) for the past three years.

 

[SUBMIT2GR8NESS]

Saying AJ should be mad at TNA is so stupid. Sure he could be booked with better competition. I could see him face Abyss, finally get him out of that so called fued with richards. Or maybe he could wrestle some new faces like Hernandez or Morgan who are strong and athletic for thier size. One person who should be po'd is SAMOA JOE. Look back a couple years ago and compare that joe to "the nation of violence" joe. If you ask me he's not as viscous as he once was. He was a deadly submission mission but now he's some taz rip-off.
(If you think im right about Joe respond)

 

[yur_momma]

do i have to remind everyone that it was posted by nick paglino (the same guy who posted the misinformation about ozzy/BLS and more recently the wwe pulling tna youtube videos story)
not only is it a nick paglino story, he didnt do any of the work except copy and paste from pwitorch.com.
until i hear aj or samoa joe say it, its bullshit. heck, nick paglino doesnt ever fact check, so i doubt he even got the story from where he says he did, it was probably sent to him and as usual he just ran with it.

 

[drondog]

Can anyone see TNA turning into WCW right before it collapsed. I was watching Impact tonight, and first segment is Rhino out on "live" TV airing out the backstage dirty laundry? Russo started doing this in WCW with Hogan, Goldberg, and Flair and shorly after that the company went under. The backstage problems and plans should stay backstage and off the air. I know it's an angle but that reminded me so much of WCW days when Russo put it outta business!!! Give it time he'll do the same to TNA, go to youtube and type in RUSSO ON TBN, You can see russo talking to sting about GOD, and how he's so change, from what I heard backstage Russo is the same idiotic, manipulative, backstabbing, child he always was. Wanting his ******ed non-comedy sketched programs, and his inability to tell a story. TNA jumps from idea to idea and never tells the whole story, the don't know how to build up a feud, yes it gives you fresh matches every week, but it's not the point.

I'm glad booker is gone, but they should've done a little more with him, isn't Russo the one who was all over bookers nuts 10 years ago building WCW on the "new guys" now he's giving all the old timers the glory, Steiner yea he's trying but the guy is in so much pain and has to kill himself to do it. Scott you've earned our respect, leave before you cripple yourself. Nash we all know your one of the three reasons WCW tanked, leave TNA and take Russo with you before you kill that company with your ego, and your tired "elbow in the corners, sidewalk slam, powerbomb" crippled limp to the ring and RETIRE, your not even relevant anymore, and you never wore, you rode someone's coat tails your whole career, Shawn, Hall, Hogan, Joe, Kurt. "Big Sexy" you look like a 80's rockstar that never put down the dope.

 

[CaptainZaltan]

Gotta disagree about Angle needing to look strong going into BFG. Angle is established, 100%. He could lose every match from now until the end of his career, and beating him would still put his opponent over. Not saying that AJ should have beaten Angle clean on free tv, but there was certainly no need to make it look as though he were about to tap out to the ankle lock in the middle of the ring if not for the time limit. Also, wouldn't losing cleanly to AJ give Angle more of a believable motivation for turning face again?

As for the strength of AJ's booking so far, it's really a mixed bag at best. Despite already being a triple crown winner and having defeated some big names, he was portrayed as little more than a goofy midcarder during both Christian and Angle's alliances. A world title run...even the occasional win over a veteran....doesen't mean you're 'made' in TNA (Rhino, Raven, Truth, etc). And beating Sting doesen't 'make' you either. Ask Abyss.

IMO, Kurt Angle is the guy to beat in TNA. Now AJ has already beaten Kurt, but it still feels to me as though Kurt is on another level than AJ in terms of kayfabe, and that AJ has something to prove against Angle. AJ has also been one-upped by Joe and Morgan, and if he were to go into a match against either of those two, I would consider him an underdog. This is not to say that he has been booked to look weak...just that he could be booked to look stronger. Given the number of times that AJ has been set up to be the no.1 guy in TNA just to be shunted back to the midcard, I can understand him being a little concerned about things.

All that being said (and as always, if this story is true), I'm willing to give both AJ and TNA the benefit of the doubt in this case. I trust that A.J probably has some legitimate concerns, but that TNA has no reason not to try and make his title run a successful one.

 

[Ballin247]

Watch he walk right out of the company. That would be awesome. It would be even better if a few of his close friends walked out with him. Then AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Daniels, and Eric young suddenly show up at a WWE event like the Radicals 10 years ago. They would attack some douche bag like Dolph Ziggler or Jack Swagger and then demand contracts. idk, maybe. lol. Hopefully then WWe will acknowledge who they are. They don't have to acknowledge TNA straight forward, just to what they used to do with WCW and say that they are from "down south". Those who know these guys will know what they mean and also TNA won't get a free plug.

 

[klunderbunker]

Eh, I could see his point but I think he's wrong here. The problem is he's starting to look like Punk during his first reign where he wins but not in a dominant fashion. However, he won clean at BFG over a legend in Sting. That's probably the biggest win of his career and it was a great moment. The match could have been better, but the ending was exactly what it should have been. AJ looks to be shifting towards the things he needs to be doing: wrestling in big matches and having great battles before winning in the end. If they go with that, his reign will be great. I guess I get where he's coming from but I don't think it's that bad at all.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Well, I agree he should have gone over Angle. At the very least, TNA should have recognised the point of time limit draws - to make both wrestlers look credible. AJ certainly didn't seem credible when he was locked in an ankle lock, ready to tap and got saved by the bell.

 

[H33LTurn]

Sting letting aj win kinda ruined the whole little sting retirement tour tna is "secretly" pulling off. yeah i agree with aj the booking soo far has been horrible but if i was champion i would just keep shut and enjoy the gold around my waist.

 

[Dexter]

Hitting on a few points here:

AJ's gripe with TNA - He's jumping the gun. Maybe they ARE booking him wrong, but it's just as likely that they're in the formative stages of setting up a longish title run. I'd give it at least a month or so before I started crying foul. And of course, just a reminder that this is all RUMOR, and it's entirely possible that he's said nothing of the sort, which is likely the case.

AJ vs Kurt - Match of the year, and it ended the way it had to. Both looked great going into BFG, and by not giving away a clean ending, they save this match for a future PPV, which is exactly what it sounded like they were doing judging by Angle's promo Thursday night.

Hernandez's Case - Yeah that was a little odd, but I will give them this. Having him blow the case like that keeps it interesting. If the Feast or Fired case results in winning the title as it has 100% of the time with the Money in the Bank case in WWE, it loses some of its excitement. Someone wins the case and you immediately say "yup, he'll be world champion within a year". No surprise when it happens. Have someone waste it once every so often, and it ends up being more interesting in the long run. Yeah, they did that at Hernandez's expense, but they're booking him strongly for the most part so I think they'll make it up to him sooner rather than later.

 

[PEP3]

The thing is, they could have had Hernandez cash the case in one week on Impact and still not walk with the belt. At least he'd have gotten a solo showcase for his skills, gotten to face the champ 1:1, and kept the scene unpredictable by not winning the strap. They could have easily had Eric Young or Homocide interfere, costing Hernandez the win to keep that feud going without costing Hernandez any momentum by dropping the match to the champ.

 

[Dexter]

The thing is, they could have had Hernandez cash the case in one week on Impact and still not walk with the belt. At least he'd have gotten a solo showcase for his skills, gotten to face the champ 1:1, and kept the scene unpredictable by not winning the strap. They could have easily had Eric Young or Homocide interfere, costing Hernandez the win to keep that feud going without costing Hernandez any momentum by dropping the match to the champ.

True, but then again, the way they did it, he got to main event a pay per view. Yeah, he was main eventing it as part of a big clusterfuck with 50 other guys or whatever, but hey, he's still main eventing a pay per view. That has to count for something.

 

[PEP3]

Dexter, I understand your point, but did he REALLY main event a PPV?! Didn't he basically get eliminated before the match even started? I didn't see the PPV, only read about it here, but I think that's what I remember.