Is AJ Styles Being Buried?

[Dizzy]

AJ has had four successful runs as champion including a great 7 month run his last time out, to say he failed as champion is ignorance to the Jeff Hardy Degree.

He did fail. He failed, to become a Cena like babyface and help the company draw. If you look back at the ratings breakdown, AJ Styles segments or matches drew the lowest amount of viewers.

They turned him heel with Flair to give him buzz and it really didn't work.

 

[Tripleb2k1]

ppl just simply dont know wrestling...AJ, the veteran, is putting over or building up Gunner, the rookie...ppl cant develop into stars if they dont get established

 

[GameOver]

AJ is a great wrestler that's it. He doesn't do well in a leading role.
if AJ was getting buried it woulda happened years ago. He's been there since day 1 and has done a good job og highlighting the better things about TNA, how is that being buried? just cause he loses?

People lose, that's part of the show, everyone can't be undefeated or there'd be no point.

as pointed out, he's been the showcase, the backbone and the conscience of TNA and most recently was seen to be tough as nails in a highlight match in an otherwise pretty crap PPV and unlike some others that get rightly or wrongly portrayed as selfish across the board of the pro wrestling industry, AJ is not afraid to help others get over and try his best to make something for the future of TNA

I think if anything AJ is getting a boost by being one guy they keep turning too to do the job, as they know he'll do it right in ring.

 

[GameOver]

AJ is a great wrestler that's it. He doesn't do well in a leading role.
if AJ was getting buried it woulda happened years ago. He's been there since day 1 and has done a good job og highlighting the better things about TNA, how is that being buried? just cause he loses?

People lose, that's part of the show, everyone can't be undefeated or there'd be no point.

as pointed out, he's been the showcase, the backbone and the conscience of TNA and most recently was seen to be tough as nails in a highlight match in an otherwise pretty crap PPV and unlike some others that get rightly or wrongly portrayed as selfish across the board of the pro wrestling industry, AJ is not afraid to help others get over and try his best to make something for the future of TNA

I think if anything AJ is getting a boost by being one guy they keep turning too to do the job, as they know he'll do it right in ring.

He did fail. He failed, to become a Cena like babyface and help the company draw. If you look back at the ratings breakdown, AJ Styles segments or matches drew the lowest amount of viewers.

They turned him heel with Flair to give him buzz and it really didn't work.

I'd beg to differ that ratings dropped during his matches, during promo's definately that's his weak spot but in ring he is very good and people enjoy the matches, if they don't they don't appreciate good all round skills.

 

[Lancer]

I highly doubt that AJ is getting "buried." He is in a good spot right now...no real feuds or major storylines (other than the Bound For Glory Series), so he is being used to enhance some of the other talent (Bully Ray and Gunner). There is no harm in that, and each of them having a win against him, after hard-fought matches, is good for their careers and for being taken seriously as major players over the course of the next few months.

Plus, with Destination X coming up and being an all-X Division PPV, AJ is booked in a match with Christopher Daniels. There is no malice or bad blood involved in the backstory for that match...it's pretty much about respect and putting on a great match to honor each other and the X Division, and possibly steal the show at the PPV. So there is no need for him to keep winning matches right now to enhance that storyline either.

 

[JGlass]

Lol what!? maybe you want him to be like cena so you can comlpain he never loses. LOL he lost a couple of matches and have won a couple. Hes good and makes his matches more watcheble knowing it can go both ways. You see a cena match and u say cena won. U want a styles match always thinking styles won... god i cant believe some people.

In addition to your pathetic attempt at spelling, grammar, and basic sentence construction, you also fail to say anything even remotely true or interesting about the interesting comparison between the career of AJ Styles and John Cena.

For one thing, to insinuate John Cena never loses a match is absurd. Hell, he just lost one this past Raw. Furthermore, he shouldn't be losing many matches because we as the audience are supposed to believe that he's the best in the world and very difficult to beat.

Much like Cena is the face of WWE, AJ Style is the face of TNA. He stands for everything TNA (is supposed to) stand for, which is wrestling a style that you wouldn't get to see just by watching WWE, and doing it DAMN well. AJ Styles, though, has never been pushed like John Cena. He's looked downright dominant at points, but he's never been booked like an unstoppable force, which is what the top guys should be booked as. It worked for Hogan, it worked for Stone Cold, and it's working for Cena.

But to answer the question of the thread... no, AJ Styles is not being buried. As someone has already pointed out, AJ Styles will be main eventing Destination X with Christopher Daniels, a guy that he's been able to put on some of his best matches with, and he will likely go over at the PPV. Furthermore, getting a couple of losses hardly qualifies as a burial. Sheamus went on a losing streak that spanned a couple of months in the WWE, but he snapped it by capturing midcard gold and went on to be one of the more dominant faces on Smackdown. AJ Styles has only lost a couple of matches, and all of a sudden you're worried that all hope is lost for him? That's not how it works.

AJ Styles is going to be fine. This is simply helping build up Gunner as well as potentially building a feud between AJ and Gunner or Gunner and Kennedy. No need to fret, the Phenomenal One is still Phenomenal.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

He did fail. He failed, to become a Cena like babyface and help the company draw. If you look back at the ratings breakdown, AJ Styles segments or matches drew the lowest amount of viewers.

They turned him heel with Flair to give him buzz and it really didn't work.

Let's put things in prospective a little bit here. The entire show at that time right after Hogan came in was a ratings breakdown, they were getting a .6 Nielson. NO segments were drawing. Yet at the same time ratings started to come back up DURING AJ's reign.

 

[He's Phenomenal]

To be honest this thread has me a little baffled. How can anyone think AJ Styles is being buried? He's one of TNAs biggest stars and one of their most respected wrestlers. And to the best of my knowledge he's featured on every PPV and every episode of iMPACT! He's one of the top guys in the promotion.

So what if he lost to Gunner. 90% of the roster are gonna be doing that over the next few months. Gunner is on the verge of being THE next big star in pro wrestling and beating AJ just helps him get nearer to that level.

AJ will always be TNAs go to guy. Simply because he is Phenomenal. He can put on a great match with anyone and is great at making his opponent look like a million dollars. That's a real skill as a pro wrestler. AJ is not being buried in the slightest, he's just helping his company produce new stars and move to that next level.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

Also remember, AJ was #1 on the Pro Wrestling Insider's Top 500 List last year. First time ever a TNA Star has taken the top spot. You dont take the top spot on that list by being buried or having failed title runs.

 

[GrandSword]

Also remember, AJ was #1 on the Pro Wrestling Insider's Top 500 List last year. First time ever a TNA Star has taken the top spot. You dont take the top spot on that list by being buried or having failed title runs.

In saying that it will be interesting to see where he comes in this year.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Nah, Styles isn't being buried. One reason is that AJ Styles is TNA's biggest overall success story when it comes to creating homegrown stars. Styles is someone that's in a position to help put over someone else in the hopes of helping them to elevate their career to another level.

As far as Gunner goes, I don't see anything special about him. I think part of the problem I have is that Gunner is someone that TNA seems bound and determined to shove down our throats no matter what. Gunner is someone that TNA has tried to take from being a generic lackey to potential headliner far too fast. Six weeks ago, Gunner dropped the TV title to Eric Young in sort of a tribute match/segment to the Fingerpoke of Doom during a brief feud in which Gunner looked like a complete idiot. He goes from that to where he is now without any real development in his character, little real mic time, is given a few wins over some big names in TNA and people are just supposed to get behind him? Yeah, doesn't really work that way.

While he & Styles did have a pretty good match this past Thursday, it just seemed like kind of a waste of AJ Styles. We're a little over a week away from the all X Division Destination X ppv in which Styles is competing in the headlining match and he loses to Gunner?

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

In saying that it will be interesting to see where he comes in this year.

Yes it will. I'm interested in seeing that myself.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

Nah, Styles isn't being buried. One reason is that AJ Styles is TNA's biggest overall success story when it comes to creating homegrown stars. Styles is someone that's in a position to help put over someone else in the hopes of helping them to elevate their career to another level.

As far as Gunner goes, I don't see anything special about him. I think part of the problem I have is that Gunner is someone that TNA seems bound and determined to shove down our throats no matter what. Gunner is someone that TNA has tried to take from being a generic lackey to potential headliner far too fast. Six weeks ago, Gunner dropped the TV title to Eric Young in sort of a tribute match/segment to the Fingerpoke of Doom during a brief feud in which Gunner looked like a complete idiot. He goes from that to where he is now without any real development in his character, little real mic time, is given a few wins over some big names in TNA and people are just supposed to get behind him? Yeah, doesn't really work that way.

While he & Styles did have a pretty good match this past Thursday, it just seemed like kind of a waste of AJ Styles. We're a little over a week away from the all X Division Destination X ppv in which Styles is competing in the headlining match and he loses to Gunner?

Actually Gunner does have long term Heavyweight Championship experience, to the casual fan he came out of nowhere but to the person who looks up information he hasn't. Gunner is the longest reigning NWA National Heavyweight Champion in history, defending the belt all over the US for close to two years before he dropped the belt to sign with TNA.

Here is a match for the NWA Future Legends Cup Championship in 2010 between then NWA National Heavyweight Champion Phil "The Universal Soldier" Shatter (Gunner) vs Davey "The American Wolf" Richards in July 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY3JIILB3io

An excellent hard hitting match. If AJ is getting buried it isnt to Gunner, Gunner is damn good and he showed it when he beat Davey Richards in this hard hitting match.

 

[New Hot Fed]

AJ has put over Bully Ray who TNA is booking as a top heel, but in that match AJ was put over just as much as Ray. Both men elevated themselves in a meaningful way.

I had forgotten about the Tommy Dreamer fiasco, that tells you how much I cared about that loss.

So far Gunner and AJ have faced each other three times in the BFG Series with Gunner being up 2-1. Gunner is a guy I am high on and I am thrilled that they are giving him ring time with AJ. Gunner has a lot to work on yet and working with AJ several times a week will get him the work he needs regardless of wins and losses. Remember, Flair was wrestling Steamboat for a long time, hundreds of matches back and forth that nobody saw. It elevated Steamboat's status.

Difference was Steamboat was a great wrestler. Gunner is Sheamus number 2.

If ONLY AJ was putting over someone good.

 

[New Hot Fed]

Buried? Someone needs to go look up what that term means in wrestling. No, A.J. Styles isn't being buried, he is doing his job and doing what is best for TNA. I guess you would rather he be like John Cena and for TNA to build up new talent only for them to job to A.J.? Now THAT would be someone getting buried.

Bully Ray got over as a heel, they needed to elevate him, Ray got the win on Mr. TNA and is now a top heel. Gunner is getting over and oozing potential, Anderson put him over twice and now he's going toe to toe with A.J. Styles trading the wins and losses. It's what you call good business and good booking. Trading off wins in a series of matches with Gunner will do nothing in the way of hurting Styles. Most people won't go "wow A.J. got beat, he sucks! He's buried now!" They will go "whoa, this Gunner dude stood with THE A.J. Styles night after night and won in some really good matches, I guess this guy is the real deal!"



Hey, at least TNA is properly using him now and not trying to sell him as Fat Goldberg.

But Bully is a fat out of shape hasbeen that cannot cut it with AJ in the ring and shouldn't be main eventing in 2011. Bully was already a threat by having no morals and being a backstabber. What would have been logical would have been for AJ to face a lowlife dangerous thug like Bully and beat the odds. It shows that even in sick, nasty fights, AJ can shine. It makes AJ greater. It's like Ric Flair in 89 fighting Terry Funk. They had unshaved pissed off old man like Funk take Flair to the limit in a Funk speciality hardcore table match and Flair rise above it and won. That's how you build your biggest star. That's how WWE did it with Cena.

Bully is great on the mic but he should be a manager in 2011. And Gunner should be a lackey. He has no charisma. His character is that he tries to look intense. That's almost like Roode but Roode is a better wrestler and better talker.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

Difference was Steamboat was a great wrestler. Gunner is Sheamus number 2.

If ONLY AJ was putting over someone good.

Did you see Gunner before TNA, he is damn good, not AJ Styles good, but that is where they are trying to take him.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

But Bully is a fat out of shape hasbeen that cannot cut it with AJ in the ring and shouldn't be main eventing in 2011. Bully was already a threat by having no morals and being a backstabber. What would have been logical would have been for AJ to face a lowlife dangerous thug like Bully and beat the odds. It shows that even in sick, nasty fights, AJ can shine. It makes AJ greater. It's like Ric Flair in 89 fighting Terry Funk. They had unshaved pissed off old man like Funk take Flair to the limit in a Funk speciality hardcore table match and Flair rise above it and won. That's how you build your biggest star. That's how WWE did it with Cena.

Bully is great on the mic but he should be a manager in 2011. And Gunner should be a lackey. He has no charisma. His character is that he tries to look intense. That's almost like Roode but Roode is a better wrestler and better talker.

That's the fault of the writers. Look up some film of Phil "Universal Soldier" Shatter and you can see the differences between Gunner then, and Gunner now. Gunner can go, his character right now is just incredibly restricted.

 

[BenChiefin]

He took some loses to push some people.

He'll come out on top at Destination X.

 

[New Hot Fed]

Did you see Gunner before TNA, he is damn good, not AJ Styles good, but that is where they are trying to take him.

They can take him whatever they want but AJ jobbing to him is way too much. AJ should be the Cena of TNA. You rarely see Cena lose clean to someone. TNA keep using AJ and Joe to make others look good but meanwhile both wrestlers never get a return on the investement. I read comics and at some point Wolverine was seen as the uber badass but in recent years writers trying to put a new character over would have the new character show up and defeat Wolverine to show how badass that character was because he/she had just defeated Wolverine. But then another writer did this with a new character and then another. And after a while Wolverine had lost to pretty much everybody had become pathetic. Never take your top character for granted. If you see them as top guys, as the best, then feds need to show to the fans that they are the best by having them win most of the time. That's how you cultivate your star, your money-maker.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

They can take him whatever they want but AJ jobbing to him is way too much. AJ should be the Cena of TNA. You rarely see Cena lose clean to someone. TNA keep using AJ and Joe to make others look good but meanwhile both wrestlers never get a return on the investement. I read comics and at some point Wolverine was seen as the uber badass but in recent years writers trying to put a new character over would have the new character show up and defeat Wolverine to show how badass that character was because he/she had just defeated Wolverine. But then another writer did this with a new character and then another. And after a while Wolverine had lost to pretty much everybody had become pathetic. Never take your top character for granted. If you see them as top guys, as the best, then feds need to show to the fans that they are the best by having them win most of the time. That's how you cultivate your star, your money-maker.

Nobody should be the Cena to anything and AJ didn't job. Jobbing is when someone gets run through without a challenge, that hasn't ever happened to AJ in TNA. AJ put Gunner over for the sake of building a character but AJ has also beaten Gunner so it's not like it is a one sided series.

Remember a few years ago, Triple H was on top of the world, the heel of heels, the face of the industry and here came this kid named Shelton Benjamen and beat him two weeks in a row on LIVE television. Triple H put the young kid that nobody thought should ever beat him. Hunter was the Heavyweight Champ losing to a tag team wrestler who was unproven on his own.

I don't think it is a big deal, Harley Race put over Ric Flair, Ric Flair put over Ricky Steamboat, Honkey Tonk Man put over Randy Savage, Jimmy Snuka put over the Undertaker, and Triple H put over Shaemus and Shelton Benjamin. Stars do it all the time to establish new stars, no big deal.

 

[New Hot Fed]

Nobody should be the Cena to anything and AJ didn't job. Jobbing is when someone gets run through without a challenge, that hasn't ever happened to AJ in TNA. AJ put Gunner over for the sake of building a character but AJ has also beaten Gunner so it's not like it is a one sided series.

But AJ has done this for everybody but their mothers. Same as Joe.

Remember a few years ago, Triple H was on top of the world, the heel of heels, the face of the industry and here came this kid named Shelton Benjamen and beat him two weeks in a row on LIVE television. Triple H put the young kid that nobody thought should ever beat him. Hunter was the Heavyweight Champ losing to a tag team wrestler who was unproven on his own.

The thing is, TNA has never booked AJ like the WWE has pushed HHH. Hunter at the time was invincible! That's why him losing to Benjamin was special. AJ losing to Gunner is more like a "not again!" feel.

I don't think it is a big deal, Harley Race put over Ric Flair, Ric Flair put over Ricky Steamboat, Honkey Tonk Man put over Randy Savage, Jimmy Snuka put over the Undertaker, and Triple H put over Shaemus and Shelton Benjamin. Stars do it all the time to establish new stars, no big deal.

Race put over Flair because Flair was freakin fantastic and was the next big thing. And Race was an old vet putting over the next young star. Flair after coming off on top after the series of matchs against Race became the legend that we know. Gunner is older than AJ and he's not that great. Snuka put over Taker when Snuka had become an old hasbeen and had no clout in the biz anymore. It would be like Foley losing to Crimson. Honkey Tonk was around the same age as Savage and BTW REFUSED to put over Savage in a Intercontinental championship rematch. That's why the WWF had Savage won the World title. Finally HHH when he put over Shaemus was a veteran and a legend not still a young man trying to make a mark.

TNA needs to put AJ over big time. He needs to be THE guy. There shouldn't screwing around by putting over guys. He should be seen as unbeatable so that when big matchs happen for the title there should be drama about who can beat him. The same with Joe.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Why is the IWC Complaining again? AJ lost a few matches, He'll win some or lose some. if you want him to be on a winning streak go ahead but I bet once he does people will start complaining how TNA is turning him into a new Cena,