CHRISTOPHER DANIELS © VS. AJ STYLES (NWA-TNA X-DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP)
The Wrestling Channel: - International Showdown
(19th March 2005) – Coventry, England
Before the match, we have an interview with reigning and defending X-Division champion Christopher Daniels. Interviewer Nick London asks Daniels how confident he is going into his match with AJ Styles. Daniels says for the last 12 years in the business and 3 years in TNA he's been fighting from the bottom to win a singles championship. 6 days ago, 13th March he accomplished that goal at TNA Destination X.
AJ Styles enters the match first, he was TNA's first triple crown champion, winning the NWA World heavyweight championship, X-Division championship and NWA World tag team championships. These guys have fought since 2001 on the independent scene, including during APW's King of the Indies Tournament of that year, where Daniels won. They've followed each other all over the United States in Ring of Honor and TNA amongst other promotions. AJ Styles has picked up some victories in the UK for FWA.
“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels enters next and he's wrestled in all 3 WWF (at the time), WCW and ECW before going to the indies for IWA: MS and becoming IWGP junior heavyweight tag team champion in Japan (as Curry Man) with some guy called American Dragon. I wonder what happened to him? Daniels has also had success in the FWA being the only non-British wrestler to win their main championship.
Eamon Darcey and “The Twisted Genius” Dean Ayass handle commentary for this match.
This match has the potential to make history. If Styles wins it'll be the first X-Division championship change outside of the USA. These two men are very equal, both as wrestlers and with fan popularity. Daniels has a 3lbs weight advantage over AJ. They go nose to nose in the middle of the ring. Daniels slaps AJ! The referee tries to separate them, but Daniels gets another slap in as he hands over his belt. Daniels hits a series of jabs as the bell officially rings to start the match and a chop sends AJ into the ropes. Daniels sends AJ across the ring and drops him with a calf kick. The commentators talking about Daniels being the master of mind games. He's definitely in AJ's head right now. Daniels beats AJ down with right hands and sends him across the ring, trying to keep AJ off his game, and not think straight. Daniels has a surprising 5-year experience edge over Styles. Styles rolls over Daniels' back and lands on his feet. Styles leapfrogs over Daniels and goes prone, but Daniels holds onto the ropes avoiding the dropkick. Daniels calls for a lariat and gets hit with a quick dropkick! Great agility from Styles! Daniels staggers into a scoop slam and AJ leaps into the air for a knee drop. AJ covers but only gets 1.
AJ brings Daniels to his feet and sends him to the corner with a forearm. Irish whip across a crazy-small ring and AJ sends Daniels down with a jumping clothesline. AJ covers and this time gets a nearfall. The crowd begins duelling chants as AJ hits a delayed vertical suplex in homage to British Bulldog. AJ covers again, wanting to win his title back quick but only gets 2 ½. AJ brings Daniels back to his feet again, not allowing him any rest. AJ hits Daniels with forearms but Daniels reverses the irish whip. Daniels blocks a hip toss attempt but gets clotheslined down. Daniels' head becomes friends with the top turnbuckle before he gets sent across the ring. AJ charges but Daniels sends him over to the apron. AJ blocks a right hand and hits a forearm before ascending the ropes. Daniels is able to meet him there before he can do much. Daniels climbs up for a superplex but AJ fights out of it. AJ jumps off the top rope but Daniels catches him with a T-Bone suplex!
AJ Styles landed badly on his neck, so Daniels now has a target as we've had duelling chants for these guys all match. The end of a three-hour show and the crowd still sounds fresh. Daniels quickly rotates AJ's neck before stomping on it. Daniels lets AJ get to his feet only to drop him again for a back suplex getting a nearfall. Daniels hits a brainbuster but Styles is too close to the ropes. Daniels sends AJ across the ring but he ducks a clothesline, a back elbow is also ducked and AJ comes back with a cross body press, covering for 1. Daniels gets a double-leg takedown and slightly flubs a jackknife cover for 2, AJ rolls through and also gets a nearfall. AJ hits his classic kip up hurricanrana which makes me miss that move and runs into a stun gun over the top rope. Styles turns around into a hard running clothesline and gets a nearfall.
As Dean Ayass mentioned each nearfall is causing AJ to use a bit more energy to kick out, chipping away at him as the match goes on. Duelling chants again by the fans, as Daniels has slowed the pace of the match back down. Daniels joins in with the “Fallen Angel” chants as AJ gets to his feet and he hits a quick suplex, followed up with his seated moonsault. STRAIGHT INTO A CROSSFACE! Now, THIS is a crippler crossface. Daniels has AJ really twisted back, not just further injuring his neck, but spreading the pain all the way down his spine. Styles is close to the ropes but there's no way he can probably tell that.
Daniels has his hands clasped over AJ Styles' face, hindering his breathing and vision. AJ somehow shimmies over to get his foot on the rope so Daniels has to break. Daniels takes some more time to chant for himself as AJ takes a breather on the apron, another hot shot by Daniels sends AJ out to the floor. Daniels climbs out to the apron and dives off, hitting AJ across the back of the neck. Daniels strikes AJ at ringside but AJ starts fighting back. AJ Styles gets some momentum but Daniels swings it back his way with a thumb to the eye. Daniels breaks the referee's count before bringing it back in the ring.
Christopher Daniels forces AJ down to his knees on the mat and wrenches his neck back, not relenting on AJ's neck one bit, AJ eventually fights his way to his feet and breaks the hold with elbows, Styles ducks a clothesline, Daniels rolls over him and gets caught with a back body drop. AJ hits a backbreaker into a rib breaker and fires up with forearms. Daniels catches AJ's lariat attempt and hits a complete shot before wrapping himself around AJ with a submission hold. We get the arm-drop response and AJ's alive on the third. Daniels has AJ's whole upper body tied up, so he has to reach for the ropes with his ankle again. Daniels showing his frustration now, but he has to stay focused until the end. He hits AJ with hard right hands (accompanied by trash talk) as Styles gets back to his knees. The final right-hand flops AJ Styles back, so Daniels uses AJ's tights to help him to his feet and sends him across the ring with a german suplex! Daniels covers but AJ still somehow kicks out!
Daniels hits martial arts chops to AJ's neck, and AJ slips out of a suplex when he gets to his feet, Daniels gets a waistlock but AJ elbows out. Ayass talks about Daniels' drop on his neck on an episode of WCW Nitro when he faced Mike Modest (link to the full match) as Daniels grabs the rope and flings AJ across the ring but AJ rolls through and connects with a lethal and very needed discus lariat! Both men are down in the ring, but they break the referee's count at 8. AJ hits a pair of clotheslines but Daniels keeps getting up. Spinning heel kick by Styles keeps Daniels down whilst AJ ascends the turnbuckles. Flying back elbow sends the Fallen Angel out for a powder. AJ leaps over the top rope with a somersault senton to the floor, over the protective mats! We get a replay before AJ sends Daniels back in the ring. AJ Styles wastes no time going for the cover but Daniels still able to kick out at 2.
Both men get to their feet and Daniels reverses an irish whip, AJ counters a tilt-a-whirl but is caught with an STO. Daniels is slow to capitalise but does with a Blue Thunder Bomb for another nearfall. Daniels sends AJ to the corner, then across the ring but AJ catches himself and floats over, knocking Daniels loopy with a roundhouse! AJ backs to the other side of the ring and charges at Daniels, Daniels sidesteps it but AJ catches himself on the second rope, AJ goes for his patented Asai moonsault into a DDT but Daniels fights out. AJ hits a back elbow out of the corner and hits the DDT on the second try. Daniels kicks out at 2 ¾ AJ brings Daniels back to his feet and hits him with a pair of forearm shots, discus lariat gets caught with a uranage, setting up for the BME! 1, 2, No! Daniels pleads with the referee that it was 3, and hits AJ Styles with a flurry of headbutts. There's no winner with a headbutt battle though and Daniels has knocked himself dizzy. PELE BY STYLES!!
Both men are down and AJ Styles needs to cover or get to his feet. The referee begins counting them both down and they slowly stir. Daniels uses the ropes to get to his feet, AJ gets to his feet before lunging to the ropes to stay there. Both men break the count at 8. They meet in the centre of the ring to exchange exhausted forearms, Daniels backs AJ to the ropes, but AJ fights Daniels all the way back across the ring before swinging with rights and lefts against the ropes. Daniels stops himself on the irish whip and catches AJ with a backslide, AJ kicks out and rolls Daniels up for 2. Daniels elbows out of a german suplex attempt but gets sent into the corner, Styles catches a hurricanrana attempt looking for the Styles Clash but Daniels grips the ropes with all he has. AJ swings his boot at Daniels' back and brings him out of the corner but Daniels flips back to his feet! ANGELS WINGS CONNECTS! 1! 2! 2.999! Styles reverses a Last Rites attempt into a sunset flip, and transitions into finally hitting the Styles Clash! Daniels barely saves his title!
“This is awesome” chants have been scattered throughout this match, and 12 years on that still rings true. We get a replay of the Styles Clash as AJ gets to his feet at the count of three. He hits Daniels with hard forearms, Daniels catches the big impact lariat! Last Rites! 1! 2! 3! Christopher Daniels retains his championship in the UK!
This was an interesting match, looking at it now. Daniels had just won the championship but not pinned AJ as it was an Ultimate X match, he'd always really been second (at best) to AJ Styles in the company, never quite reaching the same heights or being able to one-up him. Yet Daniels dominated this match, with AJ only really getting anything in after a mistake by Daniels or having to pull off a signature move out of nowhere. Both men got enough in and the new champion was really made to look strong on foreign soil.The AJ/Daniels/Joe (or any combination) from this time frame was always outstanding and this match is no different. One major thing indies have over WWE is that when they come over to England they don't half-arse their matches, just giving us a few highlights to pop for and nothing more. – Rating: 8.5/10
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