AJ Styles Makes Triumphant Return at TNA Slammiversary
AJ Styles made his comeback to the Total Nonstop Action (TNA) wrestling ring this past Sunday night during the Slammiversary Pay-Per-View, marking his first appearance since December 2013. Walking into the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, he entered to his iconic theme music. It brought back some memories, and honestly, I felt the excitement building up as I heard “prepare to fly.”
Styles took a moment to connect with the crowd, enthusiastically declaring, “It’s been a long way. Here I am in this ring of this company where my name was made. I am incredible AJ Styles.” He acknowledged the skepticism about his return: “There was a time when they said you might not be able to come back. But here I tell you the light is a little brighter, here the crowd is a little bigger, Leon (Slater), the talent is better than ever.” It’s hard not to feel a little emotional hearing that.
In another significant moment of the event, Leon Slater defeated Moose, clinching the X-Division Championship, thereby becoming the youngest title-holder in TNA’s history. Styles has often been described as one of TNA’s greatest wrestlers, boasting six X-Division championships and two TNA World Heavyweight Championships. He made the leap to WWE back in 2014.
The night was filled with exciting matches. WWE NXT women’s champion Jacy Jayne faced off against TNA knockout champion Masha Slamovich. Jayne showcased her dominance with a rolling encore move, securing a pin for the win. It was definitely one of the night’s highlights and had whispers of her coming through as a double champion.
Then there were the legendary Hardys—Jeff and Matt—who challenged for the TNA Tag Team Championship in a chaotic four-way ladder match. The competition included names like Nic and Ryan Nemeth, AJ Francis, KC Navarro, Myron Reed, and Zachary Wentz. Jeff Hardy, in particular, still displayed his iconic high-flying abilities, executing two Swanton Bombs on his opponents and climbing the ladder in a bid for the title.
Later in the night, TNA Hall of Famer Bully Ray made his way into the ring, creating stirring moments with the Hardys and hinting at a potential clash at Bound for Glory in October.
In the main event, WWE NXT star Trick Williams faced off against Mike Santana and Joe Hendry for the TNA World Championship. Williams appeared to struggle, requiring medical attention toward the end of the match. But in a surprising twist, he managed to return at the last moment, kicking out and pinning Hendry, regaining the title. Talk about a nail-biter!
The event reached new heights in attendance, recording 7,623 fans, the most for any U.S. wrestling event in history. Those numbers tell you something about the hype surrounding the show!
