AJ Styles vs Low-Ki - NWA-TNA 9/25/02 2 Out Of 3 Falls

 

Nashville crowd loves Low Ki and hey we even get an AJ Sucks chant. I could watch these two wrestle forever. Always great chaining at the beginning even if it always ends with that cool kick by Ki. Low Ki is a great offensive wrestler has that perfect babyface shine offense, it pops up, but keeps stuff in the back pocket for later. I liked AJ mocking Low-Ki's kicks to the chest only to eat a kick to the head. Great way to work in some character work. AJ hotshots Low-Ki's crotch into the top rope. Strong, short heat segment with great fists and chops from AJ. Double clothesline is the reset. Ki get the tap out from the Dragon Clutch to win the first fall. Very good opening fall. Low-Ki 1-0.

 

Second fall sees AJ out of desperation pull Ki's tights so he goes throat first into the ropes. Perfect heel move. Again another great short heat segment with a delayed vertical, knee drop some taunting and lots of booing. AJ comes up short on a baseball slide and Ki spins him around hits him with a wicked kick. Low Ki grabs the Dragon Clutch on the outside, but AJ drops back onto the ramp. A countout victory for the second fall would have been nice. Instead AJ rolls through a hurricanrana for the win. Decent. Tied 1-1.

 

Awesome third fall! Ki is pissed he lost on a roll through so he kicks AJ in the head. AJ retreats to the outside. Ki goes for a kick but AJ catches the foot and slams it into the barricade. Great selling by Ki and awesome leg work by AJ. Loved the super Kneecrusher from the top. Spinning Toe Hold! Ki gets a spike hurricanarana (AJ is good at taking that move) for a hope spot. He goes for Ki Krusher, but AJ moves the ref away to kick him in the balls. Ki is writhing in pain and Styles Clash picks up the victory.

 

Awesome first and third falls, second fall was good. These two have amazing chemistry with each other. ****

These two sure wrestled each other a lot in 2002, didn't they? This wasn't their best match together, but I thought it had excellent psychology for a 2/3 fall television 'cruiserweight' bout. (I can't help but think of it as one with Tenay on commentary, and the fact that the whole X Division thing doesn't really gel with me as someone watching this stuff for the first time twenty years later.) It's been interesting to watch Low Ki go from East Coast indies to a national promotion like this, and Japan as well, and not trade away a ton of his persona.