AJ Styles: The Phenomenal One’s 10 Best Matches Prior to Joining WWE

9. Vs. Kota Ibushi – 2015 G1 Climax First Round

When Styles left TNA at the end of 2013, he had many options on the table as far as getting work. With his resume and reputation, “Mr. TNA” had his pick of the litter in the industry and for the first six months he toiled around the indy wrestling scene in promotions like Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, and Heartland Wrestling Association before bringing his talents to The Land of the Rising Sun in May of 2014. Styles wasted no time in NJPW making an impact, snatching up the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first match before losing it and then winning a second one nine months later.

It was during his second reign with that belt where he’d first encounter Ibushi, the 32 year-old Japanese stand out. The duo headlined the Invasion Attack PPV in April of 2015 and put on a show-stealing performance that night. However it was just two months later during the 2015 G1 Climax that Ibushi and Styles produced their best stuff. The only area that their first encounter faltered was the length of time. At Invasion Attack, the pairing went at it for 27 minutes and because of that, it dragged ever so slightly. For this match, they only went 19 minutes yet managed to pack even more action in. It was a track meet from beginning until the breathtaking end which saw “The Golden Star” even up his career record with Styles.

Six months after this bout, Styles found his way to the WWE. Six months after that, Ibushi did the same albeit in temporary fashion as he wowed the WWE Universe en route to the semifinals of the Cruiserweight Classic. Ibushi now remains a fixture in NJPW and to this day this match with Styles ranks right up there with anything “The Phenomenal One” did during his stunning run in Japan.