From 2002-2004, Amazing Red and AJ Styles had several memorable battles as opponents and teammates in TNA and ROH. Styles would go on and achieve more success than Red in terms of championships and eventually making it to the WWE in 2016. Red has to be credited for some memorable moments in the early days of TNA and was often times on the rise in the X-Division.
However, injuries due to his style prevented Red from reaching the fullest of his potential. By the time February 2014 came around they were both in different aspects of their careers. Styles had left TNA and working for NJPW while Red was focusing on his own independent wrestling company named HOG, or House of Glory.
It could be possibly the last time they’d meet in the ring on February 15th, 2014 for the HOG promotion. The match has a no disqualification stipulation.
They shake hands before locking up with Styles backing away for a clean break in the corner. The referee threatens a clean break in the corner and is reminded by the fans it is no disqualification. Red arm drags Styles a few times and gets a near fall with a rollup. Styles kicks Red in the midsection and taunts the fans with the advantage. Red arm drags Styles a few more times and kicks AJ to the floor. Red comes for the ropes and fakes out a dive landing on the apron. Styles yanks on Red’s leg causing Red to hit the apron shoulder first. AJ drops Red throat first across the guard railing. Styles slams Red face first into the table at ringside. Styles tosses Red into the crowd and they continue to battle in the crowd. Styles drops Red on top of a trash bin and they head back towards ringside. Red backdrops Styles on the floor and hits AJ with a water bottle. Styles hip tosses Red into a wall close to the ring. AJ misses a clothesline and hits the ring post instead. Red goes to the top rope and hits a missile dropkick. Red forearms Styles in the ring but Styles stops Red with a clothesline.
Styles drives Red down with a backbreaker and delivers an elbow strike. Styles continues his offense with a dropkick to keep control of Red. Styles catapults Red throat first into the bottom rope. Red rolls to the floor where Styles rams Red into the apron and delivers a kick. Styles delivers a knee drop and the fans are chanting they want a chair. Red hammers away on Styles dropping him with a right hand. Styles misses a splash in the corner. Red begins to fight back with strikes and a standing hurricanrana. Red dropkicks Styles in the corner followed by a few forearm strikes. Red plants Styles with a tilt a whirl DDT for a two count. AJ drops Red across his knee but only manages a two count on the cover. AJ puts Red on the top turnbuckle but Red leaps off and eventually kicks AJ. Red snaps Styles over with a hurricanrana for another two count. Red kicks Styles but gets dropped on his head and Styles hit a brain buster but Red is able to power out before three. Red kicks Styles on the top rope to stop AJ. Red gets caught on a hurricanrana attempt and Styles hit the Styles Clash, but Red kicked out!
AJ shoves a female fan in the front row and grabs her chair. She proceeds to enter the ring and checks on Red. She’s begging Styles to stop and he threatens her with the chair. The referee prevents AJ from using the chair and the fans boo that. Red kicks Styles and the female hit a head scissors off the middle rope. Red leaps off the top to hit a swinging Flatliner. Red has the cover and wins the match.
AJ worked well as a heel here, but the no disqualification stipulation didn’t seem to warrant what we got here from these two. They’ve always worked well together and that was the case here, as well. I enjoyed the action and the finish involving the female fan protects Styles in someway but still gives Red a huge victory in his own promotion. It’s safe to say they had better matches 10+ years ago, but this was still appreciated and fun to sit through. ***1/4
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