The Main Event Feud

[wrestlingfan]

How I would book AJ's return:

TNA begins to build towards Lockdown and everyone is wondering who will be the # 1 Contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On Impact, Hulk Hogan announces a new concept: King of the Cage, where it will be an 6 Man Gauntlet for the World Title. Over the weeks, Hogan has a set of qualifying matches in which Bully Ray, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, Daniels, James Storm, all win. Jeff Hardy who's already in much pressure, still is afraid Aces & 8s might return, and needs someone who can have his back, someone who isn't a 50 year old like Sting so he calls up and old friend.

Then comes Lockdown. After a hard fought contest the last two men standing are Daniels & Jeff Hardy. Daniels using heel tactics manages to use his finisher on Hardy. As he gets ready to pin, the lights go out. Soon AJ's music starts playing and as the lights go on he's back in the middle of the ring and knocks Daniels out cold with a steel chair. He than puts Hardy's hand over Daniels, to retain the title with a loud pop from the crowd. Hardy offers his hand to AJ, and AJ grabs it...and quickly turns it into a Styles Clash. The crowd is now confused on who's side AJ is on.

AJ then comes next week on Impact saying, he doesn't like Daniels, and he doesn't like Jeff Hardy, but one thing he does like is the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and that's something they just can't have. He says he doesn't care who he has to take out to get the gold around his waist whether it's Austin Aries, Sting, or even Hulk Hogan himself. He says he's been sick of a WWE reject from 10 years ago taking away his spotlight, taking away a company that he built, wearing the championship of a company that he put his body and job on the line for. That TNA isn't the same anymore, it's not about wrestling anymore, and that it's about money. But now he's a man on a mission. Not only is he going to restore prestige to the company, but he's also lost his smile. (This would set up AJ as a Tweener)

Hogan than decides to give AJ a chance at the World Championship at a Three Way Dance with Daniels & Jeff Hardy at Slammiversary lifting the ban. At Slammiversary I would have Daniels go over, to become the World Champion for the first time. The next week on Impact however, AJ attacks Daniels backstage injuring and forcing him to vacate the title. Hogan angry at AJ decides he won't give him a title shot so easy, and that AJ would have to enter the Bound For Glory series and win to face the former champion Jeff Hardy for the World Heavyweight Championship. It then comes down to the semifinals, with Bobby Roode vs. James Storm & AJ Styles vs. Austin Aries. In hardfought contests James Storm & AJ come out the winners. AJ in a fit of rage, angry at the man who stole his chance of a title shot goes ape on James Storm to win the BFG Series.

The story then builds up to BFG with Hardy saying AJ is a changed man, a man who's fighting for himself and not the company, a selfish and greedy man, that must be consumed by the creatures of the night. That the AJ Styles we see today lacks honor, that the AJ we see today is no wrestler. AJ responds and says Hardy is no wrestler, Just a daredevil, and decides that their match at BFG needs to end all the speculation...It will be a Tables Ladders & Chairs Match. At BFG in a bloody match, AJ gets the win, becoming the new World Champion and goes from Tweener to the most hated heel in the company...and then the lights go out with Daniels theme music playing as he attacks AJ, cementing his face turn. And AJ (heel) & Daniels (face) feud will conclude for the last time at TNA Genesis.

 

[dirtymagic]

AJ doesn't get another title shot until this year's BFG.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Unless TNA completely ignores their own storyline, Styles isn't eligible to get another title shot until BFG. He was the one that was pinned in a triple threat match between himself, James Storm and Christopher Daniels and the stipulation of the match is that the one that was pinned or forced to submit wouldn't be able to get another title match for about a year.

The booking scenario that seems to be the most popular among the IWC is for Styles to come back, be built up a bit and ultimately go onto win the BFG Series so he can challenge for the title at TNA's biggest show of the year. Sounds pretty simple and logical. As to whether or not he comes back as a face or heel is anybody's guess. For me personally, Styles coming back as a heel is hit & miss. The times in which Styles has been a heel, he's been little more than a clown like when he was part of Christian's Coalition years back or when he was basically molded into a cheap clone of Ric Flair a few years back.

I do think that Styles will get the title at some point this year, though I'm not sure how long he'll keep it. While he's tremendous in the ring, Styles has never been a draw for TNA. But, at the same time, neither has about 95% of TNA's roster aside from the occasional pop in the ratings, so I don't see Styles being champ hurting or really helping TNA.

 

[OG Mark]

Correct - AJ isn't eligible for the title until BFG.... UNLESS he comes back, wins the X-Division title from RVD and uses that avenue at Destination X (thank you, Austin Aries). Taking the X-Belt from a face RVD continues building the imminent AJ heelish heat and gets him back into the WHC picture. Now the next question - with TNA moving to 4 PPVs a year, does that caveat still apply? Do they use one of the monthly Friday shows as a "Destination X" style event?

 

[wrestlingfan]

I would have TNA lift the rule that he won't get a title shot for the year.

 

[kcordloh]

Correct - AJ isn't eligible for the title until BFG.... UNLESS he comes back, wins the X-Division title from RVD and uses that avenue at Destination X (thank you, Austin Aries). Taking the X-Belt from a face RVD continues building the imminent AJ heelish heat and gets him back into the WHC picture. Now the next question - with TNA moving to 4 PPVs a year, does that caveat still apply? Do they use one of the monthly Friday shows as a "Destination X" style event?

No, the loser is not eligible to fight for the World Title until BFG.

Therefore, AJ cannot backdoor his way into the title match. I wouldn't put it past TNA, but they have a simple and possibly great story already lined up.

I'd go a step further, have AJ make the final 2, but lose the BFG series if they want him heel. Have him go on a pact of destruction, then finally win the belt at Lockdown 2014.

However, the simple story is he comes back, starts winning, regains his confidence, becomes a happier non-pathetic babyface, wins the BFG, wins the title, and his redemption story is complete. Sort of what 2012-2013 should have been for John Cena. (Lose everything, multiple times, go away, come back, slowly win until he finally gets another shot at the Rock, and wins. Boom, redemption story).

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Correct - AJ isn't eligible for the title until BFG.... UNLESS he comes back, wins the X-Division title from RVD and uses that avenue at Destination X (thank you, Austin Aries). Taking the X-Belt from a face RVD continues building the imminent AJ heelish heat and gets him back into the WHC picture. Now the next question - with TNA moving to 4 PPVs a year, does that caveat still apply? Do they use one of the monthly Friday shows as a "Destination X" style event?

Destination X is gone and I have a feeling that the stipulation of the X Division Champion being able to challenge for the title is gone as well.

TNA has already had one X Division themed ppv that they've taped called X-Travaganza. They taped it earlier this month but it won't be shown on ppv until early April. Without giving away any spoilers, the show was a complete throwaway with none of the matches having any bearing or meaning beyond that single night. TNA has another X Division themed show coming up later this year that will be devoted to the X Division World Cup Tournament. That ppv will mostly consist of various tag team matches with the winning team ultimately winning the World Cup. They haven't announced when it'll be taped and when it will be shown, but it's the second to last of the One Night Only shows, so I imagine it'll be late this year.

So yeah, the stipulation is almost certainly gone. I've personally thought Styles should've been involved in the X Division again for a long while now rather than just, for the most part, aimlessly float around the mid-card. Which is, let's face it, how he's spent the majority of the past few years.

 

[THEHEAT]

Yes AJ would love to make a World Title run against Hardy or Daniels or both in a 3 way match, but i don't see that happening after TNA announced he is not eligable to wrestle for the World Title until this years BFG. AJ told Dixie he is going to do things his own way, refering to not wanting to be the face of the company anymore. I see AJ turning heel and playing a role in the A&8's high archy when he does return, another great swerve!

 

[ABMorales787]

 

[TLC]

Are you an idiot? Why would you turn Styles heel when he sucks as one? And why would you turn the most entertaining heel TNA have right now into a face?

 

[wrestlingfan]

Are you an idiot? Why would you turn Styles heel when he sucks as one? And why would you turn the most entertaining heel TNA have right now into a face?

TNA is already headed with Styles going into a more heel direction.

& Daniels makes a good face also. Just see his promos with Joe back in 2009 over the X-Division Championship.

 

[ABMorales787]

TNA is already headed with Styles going into a more heel direction.

& Daniels makes a good face also. Just see his promos with Joe back in 2009 over the X-Division Championship.

Daniels has by far always been better as a heel. Unless he's Curry Man.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Daniels has by far always been better as a heel. Unless he's Curry Man.

AJ could be a great heel if they gave him like a Y2J gimmick (minus the Millenium Countdown).