Report: Styles Clash banned

[FromTheSouth]

A report that I can't find right now on Sportskeedia.com states that due to a rash of injuries from people taking the bump, most recently Yoshi Tatsu's broken neck, the Styles Clash has been banned by WWE. I've see. AJ use it once and tease it several times since coming to WWE, but I remember his TNA days when he would use it every match. I had assumed that they were building up to make it some kind of super move, like the Tombstone pile driver. It is something for dramatic finishes and even more dramatic kick outs.

For his part, AJ has gone on Twitter to ask where people wheats about the ban because he hadn't. My question is, if it isn't banned, why isn't it used more? If it is banned, why tease it every match?

I never thought it looked that devastating, but if it isnlegit dangerous, then I see why it is used sparingly.

 

[therockiswwf]

If Styles referenced it not being banned, then it isn't banned. The reason is probably due to being able to hit the forearm and Crusher (or killer, can't remember) on anyone. He can't hit bigger guys with the Clash. That or they probably like those two moves more than the Clash. I know this post is short but I think the answer is very simple.

 

[justinsayne]

Pretty sure you're not seeing Styles use it more because Cesaro's Neutralizer is basically the same move, WWE doesn't like guys using the same finishers as other guys, this is also why Hideo wasn't breaking out the GTS, Omoplata crossface, or Busaiku Knee Kick, Punk had established the GTS as his finisher in WWE & had only recently parted ways with them, & Bryan was using the other two moves as his finishers (re-naming them the YES Lock & Knee Plus). Just cause a guy comes in from the indies & isn't doing the same finisher in WWE as he did their doesn't mean the move is all of a sudden band. Vince also likes his talent to have finishers that they can use on anybody no matter how big or small they are, Styles is going to have a hell of a time hitting the Clash on Show's big ass, so it only makes more sense to have him use the Calf Crusher, & Flying Forearm to finish his opponents.

 

[LBGetBack]

Hmmm....Michelle McCool used it safely for years in the WWE. Not sure I'm buying this.

 

[Azane]

I don't think the WWE is stupid enough to do this.

then again... No.

Also, he's using it sparingly, because he doesn't want it to become the Superman Punch, and be boring.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

Every move has risks of injuring another wrestler. It's something you deal with.

It's not like the Styles Clash is riskier than other moves.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

I'm really hoping he's just saving it for a big WM finisher. That said, the calf crusher is a really weak move for someone that has his aerial offense, they need to give him something flashier, it's weird to see this guy flying all over the ring and then win with a submission hold.

 

[MartialHorror]

To be honest, I would've used it as a move Styles dishes out very rarely, destroying everyone who falls victim to it. Sort of like the Tombstone Piledriver. Unfortunately, it lost that impact when Jericho kicked out of it, so now I could care less. If it's dangerous, then yeah, it should be removed from his arsenal.

 

[ajdb]

I wish people would get their scoops from creditable websites.

Apparently, once Styles used it on Axel, Vince (Kevin Dunn) said he wanted Styles to have submission finisher. Apparently, Styles talked them into letting him use the Springboard Forearm as his finisher. He was soliciting names for it on Twitter yesterday, and getting hilarious responses. (People trolling TNA)

My personal favorite was "Xplosion on Impact".

 

[armageddon99]

I believe I read that Vince was worried about it due to a past injury involving another wrestler's neck. But also that it's been allowed before on Jericho and another wrestler. Seems that they are just holding it close, not completely banning it.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

To my knowledge, it hasn't been banned. I read a report earlier this week stating that Vince was initially worried since hearing about Yoshi Tatsu's broken neck, but the move has been allowed to go forward. He's used it against Curtis Axel and Chris Jericho and, again, if Styles himself has stated that it hasn't been banned, then it's highly unlikely it'll be banned. However if I remember correctly, the move is going to be used somewhat sparingly, such as during particularly big matches as a means of building suspense, while Styles' primary finisher is going to be the Calve Crusher.

 

[xRob13x]

Personally, I'm a much bigger fan of his other finishers as I've never once bought the Clash as any sort of devastating finisher, aside from the unfortunate instances when someone has taken the bump incorrectly. The springboard forearm is cool and all, though not as good of a finish as the Calf Crusher. I really enjoyed the springboard 450 that he used now and then to end matches in TNA. Be cool to see him use that now. It's a flashy and believable finish that he can use on literally any opponent.

 

[MizMark11]

I'm pretty sure the article you're talking about said Vince wanted to ban it because of what happened to Tatsu, but then Jericho insisted that they use it in their matches even if AJ had started using the Calf Crusher. Then at the end of the article, it said that since Styles had used the Styles Clash with Jericho and nothing bad happened, it was "okay" to use, but they are still rolling with the Calf Crusher as his primary finisher.

Honestly, I'm fine with that. I know the Styles Clash is his most iconic move, but AJ is good enough to make good matches/moments happen without it.

 

[Prince Vee]

I don't reckon the move is banned from WWE completely albeit there has been a concern whether to use it or not. I don't think a Superstar of AJ Styles stardom would allow WWE to ban the move which made his legacy. Perhaps it isn't banned but maybe AJ will use it sporadically on special occasions. Until then, he can tease the move. If WWE try to ban that move, it will put the relationship between them and AJ in a bad position so I reckon it might not happen.

 

[bigbootydaddyV]

My guess is it's not being used because it looks like he's having trouble putting it on guys much bigger than he's been wrestling in the past. Reminds me of when Jericho switched the way he did the lion tamer because he wasn't wrestling cruiser weights anymore so it didn't work as well.

 

[ShinChan]

I hope it isn't banned. I love Styles Clash. I love Calf Crusher too. I didn't like why they let him use this move to Curtis Axel at smackdown. Using it at Fastlane for the first time and against Jericho would have been much better.

I love Springboard Forearm too and I think Styles Clash can be kept for bigger events only.

Not to forget about Spiral Tap either.

​

 

[Vanilla Midget]

I'm surprised that it even made it to WWE TV at all. I hear the argument from people that it isn't actually dangerous unless you take it wrong (the same said for most moves), not unlike another banned move, the Curb Stomp. The Clash and the Stomp are very similar, they're not banned (if the Clash even is banned) because they are dangerous, they're banned because they look dangerous.

The Clash isn't the Piledriver. There isn't a rogues gallery of people with shortened careers and wheelchair ramps due to the Clash. Yoshi Tatsu was on the shelf for a while. Samoa Joe is still doing the Muscle Buster. It's really more about what has the appearance of danger, the Styles Clash has that.

It's just a finisher, and Styles can adopt another. Yes it has history, yes it has a kick ass name, but it's not like he's being told he can't do a basic grapple, it doesn't ruin him as a wrestler.

I like the idea of Styles using the Clash as a special finisher. Finishers are no longer sacred - they are often kicked out of and wind up adopted by new wrestlers as mid match signatures. The DDT is a signature, Cena uses a stunner, the list goes on. What if a wrestler had a special finishing move, one that rarely at all appears in regular matches, but makes those rare appearances.

Seth Rollins has his Phoenix Splash. Kurt Angle kind of had it in the moonsault. Hideo Itami (KENTA) in WWE kind of has it with the GTS (mostly because Punk used the move). Why not adopt a special move that only comes out when everything's on the line? It would be exciting and make the moments feel truly special.

Styles would only bust out the Clash to capture a title, facing a top talent (Jericho, Cena, etc) or at a big event. Styles is never going to be able to hit the Clash on everyone in WWE. What if he fights Big Show? He needs to get another finisher over anyway.

 

[Bischoff's Knob Slobberer]

Who cares basically? Styles looks dumb in the WWE. He looks old and slow and needs to hang up his wrestling boots. Plus he NEVER speaks! Is he a mute now or has he forgotten how to speak? He jobbed to 50 year old Y2J in a horrible match In which I changed the channel. I'm so over this old washed up nobody. Phenomenal????? Lol....I needed a good laugh. Phenomenal at sucking it up in the ring.

 

[Navi]

Who cares basically? Styles looks dumb in the WWE. He looks old and slow and needs to hang up his wrestling boots. Plus he NEVER speaks! Is he a mute now or has he forgotten how to speak? He jobbed to 50 year old Y2J in a horrible match In which I changed the channel. I'm so over this old washed up nobody. Phenomenal????? Lol....I needed a good laugh. Phenomenal at sucking it up in the ring.

Gee Joe you really should decide which side of the fence you're going to come down on. On one hand Styles and his finisher sucks, but a month or so ago he was just fine, as you can see by your own remarks.

Hmmm....what about the calf killer finisher? I know most of you WWE marks don't know anything about that finisher of AJ'S. AJ has a plethora of finishers he can use. He will make his money in WWE and finish up in TNA where he belongs.

On topic, I like Styles and not using the Styles Clash is okay. As others have said he had a number of moves at his disposal so it's not a big deal. I like his Pele kick more.

 

[The Bearded One]

I've never been much of a fan of the Styles Clash, so I wouldn't have a problem with him not using it. Styles would have a tough time hitting it on most of his potential opponent because of the size difference. When he teased it at the Royal Rumble against Reigns it looked awful and completely unrealistic. Plus, there's the reputation of it being a dangerous move, whether it is warranted or not.

I do like the Calf Crusher, but like someone else said his finisher should be flashy like the rest of his move set. I don't have a problem with the flying forearm, but it still seems a bit anticlimactic. I would love to see Styles go back to the springboard 450 he used to finished matches with back in the day (didn't he win the TNA World Title with it?) but I'm not sure if he would still be able to do it at his age on the WWE ropes.

Either way, I won't miss the Styles Clash one bit.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

They want to make the calf crusher his primary finish because Aj is smaller than 85% of the roster, making the SC impractical.



There you go.

 

[Good Golly It's Ollie]

Uh pretty sure it's not banned, after all he did it to Axel on a Smackdown few weeks back (I know you mentioned this in the OP but I feel it's worth pointing out). Anti-climactic after the several teases, but pretty sure it hasn't been banned.

[youtube]68dtOdxPJYg[/youtube]

2:17 for the Clash. There it is on WWE TV.

We had a discussion on the Styles Clash a while back too. Several wrestlers feel it is dangerous because taking the bump is said to be unnatural and goes against a wrestler's instincts (something to do with the head tucking). However it's clear that it's fine if the guy is the right kind of size for Styles and actually knows how to take it, so I think it comes down to Styles working it out with each opponent whether to do it or not.

Possibly the reason they did it on Smackdown is so if anything went wrong it could be edited out?? Just a thought.