AJ Styles vs. Roderick Strong (ROH TV) Match Review

I wouldn’t say this is a forgotten match, as how could it be really? After all, this is not just AJ Styles’ return to Ring of Honor but the wider wrestling world in general, kicking off the finest campaign of his career. It is January 4^th 2014 and ROH are fittingly in Nashville, at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds of all places. Almost exactly one month prior, Styles had concluded his TNA run with a match against Magnus, shifting the promotion’s future in doing so.

Hilariously, that title tilt hadn’t even aired at this point, being broadcast on the Thursday following Styles’ Ring of Honor return. Beyond that context, this comeback match may occasionally appear on your timeline for other reasons, namely Roderick Strong’s penchant for taking the Styles Clash in unsurprisingly sadistic fashion. It is more than either of those things though, even if not a complete presentation of this pairing.

Strong and Styles had worked prior to this, obviously, being somewhat frequent foes in in the mid-2000s. This was their first meeting since 2006 though, and really only their second or third shot at something substantial. It is, as you’d expect, very good. Even with a misstep or two, Styles’ intent is clear, throwing himself into the ballgame with a visibly motivated performance. He gives Strong an awful lot here, which is very much to the match’s benefit.

Both Strong and Styles are offensive dynamos, of course, but Strong is the 1-seed at this juncture. That’d be less clear by the end of 2014, as Styles somehow got sharper as his unofficial world tour took shape. Nonetheless, their collective athleticism continually jumps off the page, shining bright in stunning flashes. It’s actually the other side of this that’s most striking though, as there’s a noticeable polish to this reunion.

The work remains explosive, but it’s equally much more mature, placing those snappy sequences with tremendous efficiency. The fleeting increases of pace feel incredibly earned as a result, emerging steadily from more cerebral building blocks. That more tactical duel sets the tone, giving the match a scrappiness that remains in attendance throughout. Both Strong and Styles are masters in that regard, particularly in this decade. It’s an almost unfair middle ground, knowing better but still having the physical weaponry to execute as though it’s 2005.

In fairness, Strong somehow remains in a similar zone an entire decade later. Either way, this is a relatively restrained outing, embracing its setting as a television cut. The outline is a simple one, with Strong steering the ship as its heel. Within that, there is an idea of Styles having ground to make up after so long in TNA. Obviously, that seems insane now and probably then too honestly, but perception is reality and Styles had spent quite a few years as a television character that occasionally had a chance to wrestle good matches.

It’s a tough line to walk, and one that Steve Corino struggles with slightly on commentary, pointing out that ROH matches are longer without really having a logical explanation for that contrast. It’s fake, is the actual reason of course, but that’s probably best avoided within your sport style presentation. Anyway, Strong actively tests Styles on the mat, then naturally taking a shortcut once that route doesn’t get him any closer to victory.

The match’s lead flaw, outside of its built-in limitations, is a surprising one, as Styles is unusually wasteful with his selling. Strong attacks the back with his typical ferocity and it doesn’t really change Styles’ approach much, instead coming and going without much impact beyond its initial crunch. Thankfully though, the momentum shifts enough that it’s not too jarring, with Strong’s outright control segment being relatively brief.

It is a shame that these two never got a chance to do something more expansive, only meeting in further multi-man scenarios under the ROH banner. They did wrestle in the 2014 Battle of Los Angeles, as Styles famously exited the tournament via DQ, being protected as the reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion. That match isn’t much though, meaning that this effort was never truly built upon. In 2019, Strong and Styles shared a Survivor Series triple threat match with Shinsuke Nakamura. Hilariously, that’ll likely be their final clash.

Regardless, it’s a lovely little match that’s most notable for Styles’ ultimately defining attitude. He talked publicly about the importance of bringing his best, refusing to approach ROH the way that veterans had so often approached TNA. He’s not yet razor sharp at this juncture, but that motivation is palpable, gleefully diving back in the ROH deep end. Again, I wish it was the setup for a classic sequel but as is, it’s a real treat: your ideal TV main event.