Background: In the continuing rivalry over the NWA World Tag Team Championship, champions Christopher Daniels & AJ Styles took on LAX in the main event of a UWF-TNA co-promoted event attended by yours truly.
Capital Punishment
Richmond, VA
September 29, 2006
Christopher Daniels & AJ Styles vs. LAX
And dey was a clubberin’ early thanks to Christopher Daniels telling off Konnan before pie-facing the LAX’s manager. Getting tossed to the floor, AJ couldn’t save his partner from getting avalanche splashed by both opponents. Breaking free of Konnan’s illegal grip, Styles climbed onto the apron to double dropkick his opponents before joining Daniels with the double team back drop. Homicide was furious, grabbing the broken guitar Jeff Jarrett used in the previous match to threaten his opponents. The referee finally settled things down, allowing for Homicide and Daniels to go one on one. Daniels had a death grip on the headlock. Even when it seemed Homicide would get free, “The Fallen Angel” found another way to keep his grip. And when Homicide did free himself, he ran into a leg lariat topped by a double team hip toss. AJ tagged in, getting thumbed in his eyes for his trouble. Hernandez became the legal man, feeling Styles’ dropkick that put him on the floor. Homicide got dropped as well, causing Konnan to get involved by tripped Daniels. Christopher Daniels left the ring in hopes of attacking Konnan again when he ran into a Homicide lariat.
With the fans rallying behind “The Fallen Angel”, Daniels couldn’t stop a Hernandez slam into Homicide’s diving head-butt. The referee couldn’t control the anger of Styles, missing an illegal double team from Homicide and Konnan. It seemed Homicide had this one in the bag after the doomsday elbow drop, but Daniels refused to stay down as the fans tried to get the champion back in this one. Utilizing the slingshot, Homicide sent Daniels flying into Hernandez’s overhead belly to belly suplex. Homicide’s Three Amigos connected seconds later; giving him the belief he could channel Eddie Guerrero to execute the frog splash. Homicide hit nothing but canvas, allowing Daniels to tag out to the house of fire known as AJ Styles. The springboard forearm connected on Homicide as did the back flip reverse DDT on Hernandez courtesy of Styles. Homicide fought through the pain, hitting not only a lariat on Styles, but also countering the German suplex to set up the ace crusher. Daniels ran in, uranage slamming Homicide in position for the Best Moonsault Ever. Instead, Daniels had to land on his feet to avoid hitting the mat; falling right into Hernandez’s clutches for the Cracker Jack. Hernandez wanted to fly, but got kicked to the floor instead by Styles. “The Phenomenal One” got a running start, downing everyone with a somersault plancha. Konnan ran into the ring, shoving the referee out of the way as Styles and Homicide reentered the ring. Instead of hitting AJ, Konnan accidentally hit Homicide and knocked him out. After getting leveled by his opponents, Konnan couldn’t stop Hernandez from feeling the BME-frog splash combo that gave Styles & Daniels the pin fall victory to retain.
Winner: AJ Styles & Christopher Daniels (15:12)
Is It A Classic: Did these two teams ever have the chemistry of a lifetime, or what? They could never have anything less than a great match, and this one was no different as they tore the house down. A hidden gem in this feud that everyone who remembers the golden era of TNA fondly should see.
