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

6. Vs. Chris Sabin Vs. Petey Williams – TNA Final Resolution 2005

Just before the Styles/Daniels/Joe feud started, AJ, already a 3-time X-Division titlist walked into TNA’s January 2005 pay per view as one of the challengers. In this bout, he would be taking on two of the very best, yet criminally underrated talent in the history of TNA in Chris Sabin and Petey Williams. But what happens when you combine superstar power with pure, untapped talent? You get this masterpiece Ultimate X match from the 2005 Final Resolution show.

For those of you who don’t know or don’t remember the rules of this type of match, here goes. Two intersecting, diagonal cables hang above the ring with the X-Division title dangling in the middle. From there it’s a no disqualification, no holds barred fight with the goal being to capture the title belt. And when you factor in that these matches were contested with members of the richly talented X-Division, usually insanity ensues. It’s like a ladder match on steroids.

As of this writing, there have been 41 Ultimate X matches, and this, in this writer’s opinion was the best of all of them. And when you see three of the X-Division’s best ever competing in it, that’s hardly a surprise. Sabin, already a two-time divisional champion going into this match, and eventual 8 time champ along with a TNA world title to his credit, was the other challenger on this night and he was brilliant as usual. And Williams, the under-sized Canadian who fought his way to the title on the strength of his highlight reel Canadian Destroyer finisher, did much of the same.

But unfortunately for those two, they happened to run into a guy that was slowly but surely turning into the best wrestler on the planet and when the smoke cleared, Styles was holding his fourth X-Division strap. It was another notch on AJ’s belt but it was a career booster for the two men who matched him move for move that night.