AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe

[9.0] "I mean come on this match juat kicks ass. This is a pairing of wrestlers that have never missed. Two generational talents going at it for like 15-20 minutes it's glorious. 4.25/5"

[9.0] "[4.5 Stars] I liked this match just a little bit more than the one they had at Turning Point that same year for the X-Division title."

[8.0] "[4.0*] First of all, an important OBS: For everyone complaining about CDs interference, remember this is what set up the best Triple Threat Match of all time between these 3 men on the next month, lol. So, as much as I disliked it, it was to start the build for AJ vs Joe vs Daniels, so it was for a greater purpose. Until this point the match had excellent work and pacing, with AJ trying to neutralize Joe with the quick attacks and reversal sequences, while Joe used his dominance to apply power moves and submissions. AJ took a nasty head bump on the outside and I am glad this did not cause a concussion."

[9.0] "4.5 stars that was awesome indeed doesn't matter if it's styles vs daniels or joe vs daniels or joe vs styles or both 3 in one match it has 99 percent chance of being excellent."

[9.0] "This was a great match and the first between the two in TNA. The overbooking at the end was mildly annoying and the only thing holding this from being a 10 for me, but the fast paced in ring action was great. AJ and Joe have great chemistry together."

[9.0] "This was their first 1 on 1 in TNA, and things start off with a bang. Impact and energy stay high throughout. Christopher Daniels is only mildly annoying on commentary. On the shorter side but that allows for the faster pace which is part of what makes this match great. Fuck finish but it sets up the greatest 3 way of all time between these two and CD."

[7.0] "This was a solid match between two of the defining wrestlers of TNA. Im assuming this is of a lower level compared to their other outings, but if this is a lesser bout then Im excited for whats to come. The chemistry between Joe and Styles is amazing and makes for a really nice back and forth style match. Stiff strikes, athletic moves, nasty bumps and drama. The interference is something Im not too crazy about but as a setup to TNAs most popular match of all time, its excusable. Very solid."

[6.0] "Pretty decent but doesn't touch the triple threat they would have in September or their classic signals bout. I like how the match starts, Styles trying to sweep Joe from under but Joe shrugs it off and delivers a pretty brutal knee from there. Everything from there though is just solid to average although I did actually like the CD interference as it made complete sense as he was on standby, took advantage of the situation and also was in character for him to do so."

[9.0] "This was an awesome match. When Samoa Joe came to TNA, he fit in the X-Division well because could keep up with the high paced action the X-Division was known for. He and AJ Styles have already had a couple of matches before this was, but this was the best one yet, with Styles trying to match Joe's power game with his own. Christopher Danels would help Joe win, which would set up the triple threat match at Unbreakable the next month. ****1/4"

[9.0] "This is such a great match. Sure, the ref bump and interference at the end drags it down a bit, but everything other than that is just awesome. The spot where Joe boots AJ off the apron to the floor looks brutal, and for some reason has always stayed burned in to my memory. Joe has such a confident, dominant performance here. Everything he does looks great. AJ gives an equally strong underdog performance, and it is clear that the two play off each other very well. It isn't their best match (that would come shortly afterwards at Turning Point), but it definitely shouldn't be slept on either."

[8.0] "Not sure why Christopher Daniels had to get involved in this one but this was very good. AJ brings more of a varied style here, while he still uses his high flying ability he brawls more here, although Samoa Joe is much better than he is at that. They pulled off a variety of counters, and did a lot of really good stuff during this match, as I said earlier the only thing hampering this is Daniels involvement.****1/4"

[8.0] "To the shock of absolutely no one this was absolutely great. The only black mark against it was the involvement of Daniels for the finish."

[9.0] "Great match between Styles and Joe right here that was of fantastic quality from start to finish, the first match between two legendary rivals is always very special and here you could feel it just by the incredible atmosphere that was in the building even before the bell rang, it was a real dream match between the top star of the company, the best wrestler in the world against the machine, the new attraction of the promotion, everything was there for them to deliver given the context (final of a tournament and a hot crowd at their disposal) and they obviously did. Two great wrestlers who were made to share a ring together when you see the perfect dynamic they used, they have styles that assimilate so well and Joe couldn't have dreamt of a better opponent than Styles to sell his powerful moves as if his life depended on it. Styles' comebacks were epic, the memorable sequences followed one another and the overbooking with Daniels was the icing on the cake, this was so good."

[8.0] "Incredible. Two of the very best wrestlers in the world, in the midst of a year where they rivaled Kenta Kobashi for the title of Best In The World outright. Perhaps the finish was a little unnecessary, but the actual match was sensational. A stellar display of what made the X-Division revolutionary. The pacing was damn near flawless, as this kept the sense of urgency on high from start to finish. The counter wrestling was surreal, as both brought out high-impact offense in moments that could have simply been desperation or transition. And the storytelling was Grade A, as AJ Styles fought a fearless battle against the most dominant force in the division that The Phenomenal One had ruled since Day 1. There were even subtle moments to display how brilliant these two are, such as Joe dislodging Styles? grip to escape the Muta Lock and Styles doing the same to Joe to break free of the STF before the transition into the Crossface. It was intelligent, explosive, and flush with insane maneuvers that brought the excitement and the suspense to equal heights. This is peak X-Division and a truly phenomenal match. 4.25 stars, 8.5 out of 10. What a battle!"

[8.0] "A short match, but a pretty damn good one. AJ Styles is truly phenomenal, seeing him manipulate joe. ***3/4"

[9.0] "The only sort of negative I can give this match is the interference by Christopher Daniels (and even that had its reasons). Aside from that, Samoa Joe and AJ Styles pull off a classic here. Samoa Joe is known for his strength and Styles his speed and athleticism, but both guys show the opposite as well. Samoa Joe does an awesome tope onto the outside and Styles showcases some incredible strength, lifting Joe up onto his shoulders towards the end of the match. Great intensity here and the crowd was super into it."

[8.0] "Ahrenet what a cool match. I got high on their chemistry the whole match. AJ and Joe are true TNA legends. They took this company to a new level. I'm thrilled."

[8.0] "A great final match for the Super X Cup with a pretty meh finish. Yeah the ending is my biggest gripe with this match. I mean I get that they wanted Daniels to interfere to set up the famous 3 way at the next PPV, but I digress. Minus one point for that interference, but all in all a great first encounter for AJ and Joe in TNA, ****1/4."

[9.0] "Incredible match up here and one that was super enjoyable as well. Liked how AJ had a different approach to this and just took the fight straight to Joe and focused more on the power game and not always having to go to the air to try and get an advantage. Joe was amazing here as well which is really no surprise but I would've liked this more had the ref bump/Daniels interference not happened although it sets up the Unbreakable match very well so can't complain too much. ****"

[9.0] "Great match, the first AJ vs Joe in TNA. My only complaint is with the run-in of Daniels, which took away the chance for a 5 stars match. It's still great to see and the action is amazing. ****1/4"