Where Does This Leave AJ Styles Now?

[jtolliver23]

After watching Chris Sabin win the World Title from Bully Ray tonight, I am left pondering, where does this leave AJ Styles now? I, along with many people, felt like AJ should've been the one to win the Bound for Glory series and then he would go on to face Bully Ray and win the title at Bound for Glory signaling the end of the Aces & 8s...so what happens from here? Will Bully Ray win the title back from Sabin in the next few weeks and restart the reign of A&8s? Or should somebody else win the Bound for Glory series now? I personally feel that it should still be AJ who wins the tournament, thus coming full circle from the stuff that happened last year. But, I'm not entirely sure that will happen. What does everybody else think?

 

[multiverseman.com]

They insinuated for weeks that Styles was the key to beating A&E. They pushed him and then dumped their plans and had Angle pin him for no reason. So where does it leave Styles? It leaves him nowhere.

Sabin was all set to go for the title and then they stuck Aries in there for no reason. Then they took him right back out. Then they stick the title on Sabin. TNA is so confused right now.

Of the current roster, the following has had the world title: Sabin, Joe, Angle, Sting, Anderson, Abyss, Bully Ray, Styles, Roode, Hardy, Storm and Aries. What's so special about it if everybody on the roster has had it?

 

[GoochOwnsYou]

They won't keep the title on Sabin for long. He's either a minor destraction and Bully Ray will get the belt back, or they realise the Aces & Eights is ratings poison and they put the title on Sabin while they think up a new plan.

 

[steve_smith]

They insinuated for weeks that Styles was the key to beating A&E. They pushed him and then dumped their plans and had Angle pin him for no reason. So where does it leave Styles? It leaves him nowhere.

Sabin was all set to go for the title and then they stuck Aries in there for no reason. Then they took him right back out. Then they stick the title on Sabin. TNA is so confused right now.

Of the current roster, the following has had the world title: Sabin, Joe, Angle, Sting, Anderson, Abyss, Bully Ray, Styles, Roode and Aries. What's so special about it if everybody on the roster has had it?

They could have had AJ do a coup on the X division title rather than Aries last month. Bully Ray would have been forced to defend against AJ tonight. AJ wins the title. Kurt Angle takes his place in the BFG series and wins it. They have a final classic 5 star match at BFG. They build it like crazy. They discuss over and over how Angle beat him at Slamiversary. Then AJ comes out to his old music at BFG and beats Angle in a 5 star match of the year (maybe with crazy stipulations). People start talking about how great TNA is again........ Oh if only................ God damn it.

 

[MrPlatano1989]

They insinuated for weeks that Styles was the key to beating A&E. They pushed him and then dumped their plans and had Angle pin him for no reason. So where does it leave Styles? It leaves him nowhere.

Sabin was all set to go for the title and then they stuck Aries in there for no reason. Then they took him right back out. Then they stick the title on Sabin. TNA is so confused right now.

Of the current roster, the following has had the world title: Sabin, Joe, Angle, Sting, Anderson, Abyss, Bully Ray, Styles, Roode, Hardy, Storm and Aries. What's so special about it if everybody on the roster has had it?

Most of those people have been with the company for over 7 years, sounds like a good amount of time to be a world champ at least once

 

[Odisho]

I could dig an AJ Styles vs. Chris Sabin main. Event at BFG

 

[rokuma]

If this is the 1996-1997 Sting angle all over again, Chris Sabin's victory is Lex Luger beating Hogan for it on Nitro. Bully Ray will win it back shortly and then AJ will still beat Bully Ray for the title at BFG.

 

[TellMeWhy]

If this is the 1996-1997 Sting angle all over again, Chris Sabin's victory is Lex Luger beating Hogan for it on Nitro. Bully Ray will win it back shortly and then AJ will still beat Bully Ray for the title at BFG.

So now we have psychics on this forum? The possibility of Hogan getting in the ring with Bully Ray at BFG is more of a reality than Ray winning back the title. I think Sabin will hold onto the belt and give us a 5 star match against either AJ Styles who can break Sabin's knees with the calf-killer submission, face off against A-double in a rematch and give us another epic match, or give us a fresh match with Magnus, or with Samoa Joe. AJ Styles isn't lost. He's an anti-hero who can lean toward his heel side to play to Sabin's heroic story and underdog role. You don't necessarily need Bully Ray as world champ for AJ to be effective in his new role.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

They insinuated for weeks that Styles was the key to beating A&E. They pushed him and then dumped their plans and had Angle pin him for no reason. So where does it leave Styles? It leaves him nowhere.

Angle unfortunately had to win that match against Styles due to Rampage's debut. Angle couldn't have said "To be the best Rampgae, you have to beat the best" if he got his ass handed to him days prior. Styles did beat Angle a bit later.

BUT with additional hindsight, why even do that if Rampage joins the Mafia? That debut segment shouldn't have even happened.

Of the current roster, the following has had the world title: Sabin, Joe, Angle, Sting, Anderson, Abyss, Bully Ray, Styles, Roode, Hardy, Storm and Aries. What's so special about it if everybody on the roster has had it?

I don't see that as an issue at all. All of those men have been deserving world champs all are main event caliber with the exception of Anderson IMO and I'm sure if you look any other wrestling company you'll find a ton of guys in there who have won their world title at one point or another..

 

[TellMeWhy]

They insinuated for weeks that Styles was the key to beating A&E. They pushed him and then dumped their plans and had Angle pin him for no reason. So where does it leave Styles? It leaves him nowhere.

Sabin was all set to go for the title and then they stuck Aries in there for no reason. Then they took him right back out. Then they stick the title on Sabin. TNA is so confused right now.

Of the current roster, the following has had the world title: Sabin, Joe, Angle, Sting, Anderson, Abyss, Bully Ray, Styles, Roode, Hardy, Storm and Aries. What's so special about it if everybody on the roster has had it?

This is nothing. Do you want me to run down a list of former world champions running around on the WWE roster:

I can start with Y2J, Rob Van Dam, Brock Lesnar, Mark Henry, Jack Swagger, Kane, Miz, CM Punk, Orton..... and I'm not even touching the tip of the iceberg

 

[rokuma]

So now we have psychics on this forum? The possibility of Hogan getting in the ring with Bully Ray at BFG is more of a reality than Ray winning back the title. I think Sabin will hold onto the belt and give us a 5 star match against either AJ Styles who can break Sabin's knees with the calf-killer submission, face off against A-double in a rematch and give us another epic match, or give us a fresh match with Magnus, or with Samoa Joe. AJ Styles isn't lost. He's an anti-hero who can lean toward his heel side to play to Sabin's heroic story and underdog role. You don't necessarily need Bully Ray as world champ for AJ to be effective in his new role.

You must've missed the word IF in what I said. You don't have to be a psychic to read.

If you really think Sabin is going to hold onto this belt for a while, I think you will be highly disappointed. Not saying I wouldn't want it to happen (I'd love to see matches against Aries, AJ, Joe, etc too), but there has to be a conclusion to the whole Aces and 8's storyline....soon, I hope.

 

[The Eighties]

Nothing has changed, Sabin won the belt to give the MEM a strike on Aces & Eights, an angle that will almost certainly last until BFG. He'll drop it back to Bully Ray within the next few weeks and it will be Bully vs AJ or Joe or Magnus at BFG for the title IMO.

 

[The Hardcore Kid]

This is nothing. Do you want me to run down a list of former world champions running around on the WWE roster:

I can start with Y2J, Rob Van Dam, Brock Lesnar, Mark Henry, Jack Swagger, Kane, Miz, CM Punk, Orton..... and I'm not even touching the tip of the iceberg

WWE also has two world championships, and triple the roster.

 

[wrestlingfan]

Sabin will lose the belt soon, they just did this so it wouldn't look as if the buildup for Chris, was pointless.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

It's not exactly clear at this point, but my guess is that Styles will still win the BFG Series. With the exception of Magnus, Styles is really the only wrestler in the BFG Series that has a real sense of freshness about him. TNA has given Magnus a big lead in the BFG Series so far but, personally, I'm not sure being in the Main Event Mafia is going to be that big of a boost. He's being completely overshadowed by Angle, Sting & Jackson at this point and, in my opinion, that's sort counteracting the chances of him using the BFG Series use to majorly elevate his career. With the exception of Jeff Hardy, Styles is really the only participant in the Series comes across as a big deal and legit contender at this point. There's still a lot of time left in the BFG Series, so these aren't aspects of the series that can't be rectified.

One reason why I'm thinking Styles will win the BFG Series is because I simply don't expect TNA to give Sabin a long run with the title. I think they'll have him drop it back to Bully Ray in the near future. Maybe we'll know something more about the title scene over the next months this Thursday. Even if Sabin does retain the title up to BFG, Styles in his current tweener role still has a strong chance of winning the BFG Series to challenge Sabin.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Here is an alternative idea and one whose storyline arc could begin as early as next week...AJ isn't destined to face the World Champion - rather he will face Jeff Hardy. Why? Well AJ is going with this lone wolf "No One" shtick at the moment and Hardy is the "Charismatic enigma" - who is the true guy marching to his own drum?

Styles / Hardy is a true marketable match (especially with the right build) and one that doesn't require a belt. As such, it would be perfect for BFG and make it a Number 1 contender match and Styles vindication can still be adhered too.

In the past, the semi-finals of the BFG series happened at PPV so the following idea would not be overly viable as it would be screwing fans purchasing the show looking a final. However, on free TV, we can have an AJ / Jeff semi that doesn't have a finish for any number of reasons meaning the winner of the other semi faces the World Champion at BFG and Styles / Hardy still have the unfinished business.