It's been done before, but it needs to be done again. Wrestling fans need to beg and plead with TNA to push AJ Styles into the main event.
AJ Styles' Time
During the early days of TNA, the company relied heavily on a relatively unknown young wrestler who never had an extended amount of exposure on ECW, WWE, or WCW.
He was a phenomenally gifted wrestler who was spectacular in the ring and underrated on the mic (AJ Styles has always been comfortable with his character).
That wrestler was AJ Styles.
While wrestling for a small company in the shadows of the dominant WWE umbrella, AJ Styles began to create a buzz within the internet wrestling community for his continued spectacular performances.
As TNA grew and added more well known wrestlers, AJ Styles accepted a role as a supporting player because it was the right thing for the company. He stayed loyal to the company despite having some interest from WWE.
Now, it's AJ Styles' time to shine again.
Dropping the Belt
In order for AJ Styles to move up, TNA needs to take away the Legends Championship from him.
AJ Styles isn't a legend just yet. The belt was not designed for a non-legend to hold for an extended period of time.
You either want to root for a young babyface to defeat the cocky champion, or you want to see a respected legend do everything that he can to keep the belt.
In either case, AJ Styles clearly does not fit the role of the long term TNA Legends Champion. A guy like Kevin Nash, on the other hand, does fit that role. With his mic skills, he can elevate guys like Jay Lethal, Consequences Creed, Daniels by defending the title against them.
The best case scenario at Victory Road this weekend is for Kevin Nash to steal the TNA Legends Championship from AJ Styles.
Moving Up A Level
TNA needs to figure out how to move AJ Styles up to the next level (the main event scene) while taking a championship (TNA Legends Championship) away from him.
Not an impossible task, but not an easy one either.
At Victory Road, TNA needs to keep the world title around the waist of Kurt Angle. Mick Foley can still be entertaining without the belt because he'll always put on good backstage segments.
AJ Styles can then be utilized as the top challenger for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. If need be, the company can book him to win a #1 Contender's match on an episode of TNA iMPACT! first.
Have him come within an inch of winning the belt on a pay per view before the Main Event Mafia interferes. That will cause the audience to be even more supporting of AJ Styles.
At the following pay per view, have Jeff Jarrett institute some rules that will neutralize the Main Event Mafia. One of the potential incoming stars (Mr Kennedy, Umaga, or Bobby Lashley) can be used in an enforcer role.
AJ Styles and Kurt Angle are more than capable of putting on a match of the year candidate at a pay per view. TNA can increase the chance of winning that annual award by finishing things with AJ Styles being crowned the world champion again.
Closing Thoughts
I really don't care if I sound like a broken record by asking for TNA to push AJ Styles into the main event guy. The guy is easily one of the top overall performers in the entire business right now. I won't stop until I see him get back into the main event. |
