ABYSS VS. AJ STYLES

The winner of this match gets an NWA World Heavyweight Championship at next month's Hard Justice event. Mike Tenay and Don West handle the announce duties for this match. AJ Styles makes his way down first, I can hear Don West's shout way over AJ's theme tune and I don't like it. Anyway, Abyss walks down the ramp as Don says AJ has admitted he's scared of what Abyss can do, that fear is soon overcome as he leaps over the top rope onto Abyss through the door to jump-start the match. He tries to whip Abyss into the guardrail but Abyss stays put. Abyss reverses the second attempt and AJ slides under the guardrail, flying back at Abyss with a springboard hurricanrana and sends Abyss head first into the guard rail on the other side. Abyss meets the announce table and they walk around ringside. Abyss cuts off AJ's attack with a knee to the gut. Abyss tries to whip AJ Styles into the guardrail again but AJ uses the ring steps to get on to the guardrail and onto the bleachers. AJ Styles hits a flying forearm over the fans!

AJ Styles sets Abyss up next to the guard rail but Abyss avoids the charge so AJ crashes into the crowd. Abyss sends AJ into the railing in the bleachers and stalks him up the steps to the nosebleeds. AJ fights back with kicks to Abyss' legs and chest but is thrown into the back wall. Decorated with chicken wire for the event. They make their way back to ringside, with AJ getting sent over the guardrail. Abyss seems affected by the crowd chanting for Styles but keeps on the attack, getting closer to the cage door. Abyss takes a walk which gives AJ a chance to rest, AJ chops Abyss and knocks him back with right hands. AJ weakly throws Abyss into the guardrail and goes back to the cage door. Abyss slams the door into his shoulder and the second hit gets AJ right in the face! That looks brutal every time I see it. Abyss swings the door into AJ's head again and that's enough to bust him open so Abyss goes to work on the cut.

ABYSS VS. AJ STYLES (Steel Cage match

TNA Lockdown 2005 (24^th April 2005)

Abyss slides a steel chair into the ring, then throws AJ in too. He picks up the bag that is presumed to be thumbtacks from under the ring and now the match can officially start. Abyss wedges the chair between the ropes and knocks AJ down with a right hand as the fans chant for the thumbtacks. Abyss wraps the chain around AJ's neck but AJ plants his feet, not going anywhere before he frees himself. Abyss knocks him down with a big boot, retrieving the chain and wrapping it around a turnbuckle. AJ Styles tries to fight back but another shot to the midsection cuts that off. AJ gets his foot up to stop him going into the chain turnbuckle but can't force Abyss into it either. AJ Styles gets a run-up but Abyss sends him overhead and he lands on the chain! Abyss military presses Styles and throws him into the cage. AJ takes a second trip into the steel and Abyss covers, getting the first nearfall of the match.

Abyss cranks on AJ Styles' neck but AJ makes it to his feet and frees himself with elbows. Abyss ducks early on a backdrop and AJ kicks him in the face, AJ picks up speed again but runs into another military press. This time Abyss lets him freefall to the mat and goes to unwrap his chain. AJ Styles is sent into the ropes and gets lifted overhead again but counters with a DDT on the chain. AJ Styles gets in some rights and an enziguri, coming off the ropes with a headscissors to take Abyss down. Abyss is in the corner but he avoids the charge, AJ leaps up to the top rope, using the cage for balance and moonsaults back, but falls off Abyss. AJ is sent into the corner, but he lifts himself over Abyss, sending him into the chair. AJ Styles hits a german suplex but can't keep the bridge so he covers Abyss for 2. AJ tries for a Styles Clash but Abyss is too heavy, AJ lands on his feet from a back body drop attempt but is caught in the chokeslam, AJ counters rolling Abyss up for a nearfall.AJ hits a clothesline in the corner but the second attempt is cut off with a Blackhole Slam by Abyss for a close nearfall.

Abyss empties the bag of thumbtacks onto the mat and sends AJ Styles into the ropes. AJ counters the Blackhole slam and looked like he was trying for a Styles Clash but gave up on the idea. He tries to soften Abyss up with rights as he rocks precariously over the thumbtacks but is cut off with a kick to the gut. AJ Styles fights off a powerbomb with rights and hits a Styles Clash into the thumbtacks! AJ covers 1, 2, 2.9! AJ Styles climbs to the top of the cage, but Abyss grabs the referee by the throat and throws him into it, knocking AJ off balance to the outside of the cage. Abyss grabs the chain and heads up to meet AJ, choking him with the chain as AJ hangs there. Abyss grabs AJ by the throat, looking to bring him back in the ring but AJ bites at his fingers, AJ Styles gets back in the ring with a sunset flip powerbomb that was meant to send Abyss into the tacks again, but they seemed to be short. AJ Styles covers and wins the match.

WINNER: AJ STYLES

I have always enjoyed this match, with the pre-match crowd brawling and a natural way for weapons to be introduced into a cage match. There were a few rough moments including unfortunately the finish, but it didn't take away from the match too much. AJ Styles made Abyss look like even more of a monster than he is then showed the world why he's “The Phenomenal One” by overcoming the monster on his way to face the champion next month. – WORKRATE: 2.75/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 3.5/5 OVERALL /10

This match is available on the TNA release “Phenomenal:The best of AJ Styles volume 2”