R.I.P. The Styles Clash 2004 - 2016

[Fugazi]

So, the WWE has completely buried the Styles clash.

First they wouldn't let him debut it at the Rumble even though it was teased, eventually it was debuted, but on Smackdown! against... Curtis Axel? If I recall. Since then I don't think it's ever actually been used to finish a match, but correct me if i'm wrong. Either way it doesn't change the fact that the move has been made to look incredibly weak.

They seemed to have decided to push the calf-crusher as his finisher instead, which is the most bizzare thing in the world because here we have a perfectly good finisher that hasn't been recycled to hell and back and the WWE has, every step of the way, buried it. Do we really need our indie darling to finish with a submission? AJ is explosive and you're gonna make him win all his matches by submission, essentially making sure he can't go over the big names who "never give up".

A few hours ago at wrestlemania, towards the end of the great match, our guy AJ hits the Styles Clash on the grandest stage of them all, only to have it be kicked out of. Not only that but AJ lost AFTER delivering what should be zero-chance kickout finishing move.

I get you gotta make TNA look weak, but the WWE just brutally destroyed quite possibly the greatest finisher on the current full-time roster. Meanwhile I think D-Von(?) got pinned 123 after a super kick.

Why did they do it? IS it because they think it isn't safe? Is it punishment for what AJ did to Miz? Is Jericho gonna do anything relevant tomorrow and on or is he gonna go on tour? Also why did he take haitch's shovel? haitch really needed it later that night and jericho stole it to not only bury AJ Styles but also the Styles clash. why...

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

I also thought the match was definitely over after The Styles Clash. I guess the reason Y2J won at Mania is to throw predictability right out the window this year at Wrestlemania.

Did anyone predict Zack Ryder to be new I.C Champ? Not too many. Y2J wasn't a popular choice either. Baron Corbin was a surprise win. Even Woman's Champion Charlotte was a low pick for winning at WM. League of Nations winning was a low pick. So anyone saying they saw this year's Mania results (Outside Roman) coming is completely full of horse shit.

 

[bjarvis]

I prefer the Calf Crusher. Its a nice tweak on submissions, and the Styles Clash just looks so boring and bland.

Jericho winning is either a big FU from Vince to TNA, or to continue story. Maybe its to thank Jericho (who has a terrible record at WrestleMania) for solidifying AJ Styles in the last 3 months.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Jericho won as he can go right into winning the IC title on RAW or be first to face Roman... Smart booking. AJ has had his big debut... Now like everyone, he has a period where he does things he is told... If he gets through that OK he gets pushed... Its happened for everyone who ever came in from another company. As for the move... Its a risk they don't want to take... Jericho was trusted, but its clear they don't want it used so "killed it" get over it. A year ago you'd have took AJ being in the Battle Royals on the pre show...

 

[xRob13x]

I realize that it's popular, but in my opinion, the move already looks incredibly weak. It's got an awkward set-up followed by just kinda flopping forward. I feel his other finishes are far superior.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Gimmick infringement. It's Michelle McCool's move. It's synonymous with her and was retired alongside her out of respect.

 

[Mr.Maikeru_Sawyer]

Gimmick infringement. It's Michelle McCool's move. It's synonymous with her and was retired alongside her out of respect.

you do know that Michelle stole the move from AJ right. he has been using the move since 1998 that I know of. I remember seeing him do the move during Air Raid's(AJ Styles & Air Paris)WCW Cruiserwieght Tag Team title match. and has been his finisher since 2004 and the very first TNA weekly PPV.
SO GET OFF WWEs nut sack and realize that there is more to Pro Wrestling in the USA than Worlds Worst Entertainment

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Wait? AJ Styles got a spot on a Mania card in a one on one match with the first ever undisputed champion in his late thirties with only a short tenure on the WWE roster and not having to do any NXT time or change his name?

And people are complaining about a move that has seriously injured people not getting used as much or as effectively as it did elsewhere?

I'm happy for AJ. He is talented in a lot of ways. He is far more talented than just one move. And it really is just one move. Now if he could just work on his acting.

 

[Slyfox696]

Wait? AJ Styles got a spot on a Mania card in a one on one match with the first ever undisputed champion in his late thirties with only a short tenure on the WWE roster and not having to do any NXT time or change his name?

And people are complaining about a move that has seriously injured people not getting used as much or as effectively as it did elsewhere?

My favorite part of this thread is acting like Jericho is the first to ever kick out of the Styles clash. I can only assume those who act that way never really watched much of AJ Styles in TNA. Sure Styles won some matches with it, but it is hardly unique for someone to kick out of it.

 

[Gallops77]

It's because WWE isn't TNA. There's more "big" guys that the move either couldn't be used on or would be too dangerous for them. So he's using the Calf Crusher and the Phenomenal Forearm instead because they can be used on anyone on the roster and not just smaller opponents.

 

[rbv13]

you do know that Michelle stole the move from AJ right. he has been using the move since 1998 that I know of. I remember seeing him do the move during Air Raid's(AJ Styles & Air Paris)WCW Cruiserwieght Tag Team title match. and has been his finisher since 2004 and the very first TNA weekly PPV.
SO GET OFF WWEs nut sack and realize that there is more to Pro Wrestling in the USA than Worlds Worst Entertainment

Quick. Look up. Oh shit, you missed it by a mile. Wish you could've seen it. It was awesome.

Styles is lucky they let him use the name AJ. There is and forever will only be one true and her name is Lee.

 

[Azane]

Michelle McCool was doing the Faithbreaker while AJ was still in the indies (TNA is considered Indy by PWI and a few other sources now)

WWE already buried this move by having a Diva (granted she was dominant at the time) use it.

 

[Sean Valjean]

Didn't Jericho kick out of the Clash at Fastlane? I'm pretty sure he did, so Mania wasn't that big of a surprise. Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

While the Clash is synonymous with AJ, I've always found it to be kind of awkward to execute. Plus he can't really hit it on big guys without it looking a bit sloppy. The Calf Crusher can be applied to anyone, and AJ usually catches opponents with it in very slick fashion. The Phenomenal Forearm looks cool, highlights AJ's explosiveness and high-flying prowess, and can also be executed on any type of opponent. For those reasons, both are just better finisher options.

I'm sure he'll still bust out the Clash now and again as a sort of "behind the glass" emergency finisher, but I'm personally fine with it not being his main finisher anymore. This is the evolved, WWE AJ not the TNA/Indies AJ we've seen for years.

 

[jokaly]

I also thought the match was definitely over after The Styles Clash. I guess the reason Y2J won at Mania is to throw predictability right out the window this year at Wrestlemania.

Did anyone predict Zack Ryder to be new I.C Champ? Not too many. Y2J wasn't a popular choice either. Baron Corbin was a surprise win. Even Woman's Champion Charlotte was a low pick for winning at WM. League of Nations winning was a low pick. So anyone saying they saw this year's Mania results (Outside Roman) coming is completely full of horse shit.

Well, that's not exactly true, because if you follow the betting lines on a site like 5dimes during the week leading up to any PPV, you'll pretty much know the results before the matches take place. For instance, Y2J, Charlotte, Ryder, Taker, Reigns, League of Nations, all were heavy favorites. They even had a prop bet for whether the rock bottom would happen in ring, and that was laying money, so you knew rock would be involved in some degree of physicality.

 

[Vanilla Midget]

There's that word again. If the Styles clash was being buried then Bo Dallas would have kicked out of it on the pre-show, not a six time world champion and nine time intercontinental champion on the main card at WrestleMania.

I don't completely agree with the Styles loss, but this is his first WrestleMania (hopefully of many) and Jericho did just put Styles over in three consecutive matches. There's definitely a perception of Y2J losing too much during the part timer portion of his career, so this win dispels that a bit I guess.

I would have personally booked Styles to miss the Clash last night, but Jericho kicking out is a symptom of a bigger problem in WWE, kicking out of finishers. Mania has become notorious for multiple finishing moves and kick outs. This is far from a first. The DDT is a signature move that people kick out of, as is Cena's stunner.

I'm personally surprised the Styles Clash even made it to WWE TV. The Clash hasn't been used, not because it is dangerous, it is because it has that look of danger. This is the same reason the curb stomp is banned.

AJ looked great last night, despite the loss. Generally AJ's most hardcore fans tend to be the ones most miffed about the Styles Clash, and it makes sense. You have a sense of nostalgia for the move. It's the move he got over with you, it's the move that won him world championships. Is he defined by one move? Is he therefore a worse wrestler and not worthwhile entertainer without it?

The man makes the move, not vice versa. It would be great for wrestling, WWE especially, to allow finishers to become more sacred. Having certain stars with a regular finisher, then an additional mythic rare finisher that only comes out at special occasions. That special finisher shouldn't be kicked out of though.

 

[Onaliseth]

It's a good thing, the Styles clash looks terrible. It's right down with Zig zag and MVP finisher as the worst finishers ever.

 

[BenChillin]

To me, it looks like we're gonna get match 5 at payback. I bet it'll be 2 out of 3 falls. Payback. Which doesn't matter nearly as much as Mania, is where AJ wins.

Same thing with Sasha maybe.

 

[The Bearded One]

The Styles Clash would just be an extremely weak finishing move. It doesn't look like it hurts that much, has a clunky set up and isn't the most visually appealing move. I don't have a problem with it being a signature move that's teased some, but it's nowhere near good enough of a move to be a finisher, especially for a wrestler the caliber of AJ Styles.

I think the Calf Crusher is a really good submission finisher, and I wouldn't mind the springboard 450 being his other finisher. Isn't that what he used to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for the first time?

 

[laodaron]

Just watched Raw. What were you saying again, OP?

 

[Fugazi]

Just watched Raw. What were you saying again, OP?

I came RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW

to say sorry to everyone here.

i was wrong. i was so wrong

forget this thread exists. i apologize to all of you.

 

[DCLXVI]

Just listened to Bret Hart burying the Styles Clash and saying he could do it to his little nephew and not hurt them. He said he knew he'd hurt guys in the past with it but it was silly. lmao

 

[DCLXVI]

He said it looked like you tickled the guy's belly or something and the Wrestlezone affiliate podcaster kept calling it the "calf crusher" which is his submission, not the Styles Clash. C'mon Wrestlezone.

 

[manstis1804]

The Styles Clash is the weirdest move. The set-up is ridiculous, the impact isn't great. Yet, there's something about the move that is so satisfying when he hits it. Maybe it's because of the wonky set-up, like he puts a lot of work into hitting the move, good to see it pay off!

I understand WWE de-emphasizing the move, but I can't get with the springboard forearm as a finisher. I've always loved that move, but make it his finisher and I'm not into it anymore.