2005 is widely considered to be one of the greatest years for TNA Wrestling. The promotion truly excelled when it came to in-ring booking. The year also saw new stars join the promotion, boosting the star power in the process.
Stars like Samoa Joe, AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels solidified themselves as the flagbearers of TNA Wrestling. These three men were responsible for giving the promotion its first of the several five-star matches.
America’s Most Wanted vs. Team Canada (Tag Team Title Match – TNA Final Resolution)
These two teams absolutely dominated TNA’s tag team division in 2005. Team Canada knew how to work the crowd. The heat they pulled off in this match made them feel like the ultimate bad guys of the tag team division.
This match featured lots of action and plenty of nearfalls. Chris Harris got a huge pop when he arrived in the ring following a hot tag. The match only got better from there. AMW picked up the win to cap off this great outing.
AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels (X-Division Title Iron Man Match – Bound for Glory)
One of the greatest TNA Bound for Glory matches came courtesy of AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels. These two men spent the majority of 2005 as rivals, engaging in singles and multi-man bouts.
This was just 30 minutes of two elite wrestlers wearing and tearing each other down in front of a red-hot Orlando crowd. They didn’t work at a fast pace like their other outings, but resorted to holds and technical wrestling.
Abyss vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Rhino vs. Sabu (Monster’s Ball Four-way – Bound for Glory)
On paper, this match may seem like an absolute. In reality, it was an absolute mess, but in the most chaotic way possible. All four men beat the tar out of each other non-stop for 11 minutes.
The crowd was heavily invested in this match-up. Jeff Hardy delivered the spot of the night with his Swanton Bomb from the top of the set of the entrance ramp. Sabu’s heel turn on Hardy was another spectacular moment from this insane four-way action.
AJ Styles vs. Abyss (NWA Worlds Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Steel Cage Match – Lockdown)
This match is up there with Abyss versus Kurt Angle from TNA Turning Point 2008. This Steel Cage outing from Lockdown was violent from bell to bell. Styles looked flawless as he pulled off some insane aerial maneuvers to put the much bigger Abyss at arm’s length.
The steel cage surrounding played to Abyss’s strength as an absolute maniac with only pain and punishment in his match. The spot wherein Abyss shoved the referee into the cage, causing Styles to lose his balance, was solid.
Knowing he’d have to become just as violent, if no less, than his opponent, Styles taps into his rage and eventually grabs the win in this bloody and brutal encounter.
AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe (TNA X-Division Title Three-way Match – Unbreakable)
This match truly put the X Division on the map thanks to the tremendous work rate of the participants involved. Daniels, Joe and Styles were three of the best wrestlers in the world at the time and they put arguably the greatest match in TNA Wrestling history at Unbreakable.
From the red-hot crowd to the fast-paced in-ring action to commentary, every aspect came together to create this special match-up. Styles looked phenomenal (no pun intended) with his aerial offense. Daniels was consistent with his overall. Joe was a powerhouse with nothing but chaos in his mind.
These three men would have multiple outings against each other, but none managed to create the magic and intensity this three-way from TNA Unbreakable 2005 did.
Honorable Mentions
- Team 3D & Rhino vs. America’s Most Wanted & Jeff Jarrett (Genesis)
- Jeff Jarrett & Rhino vs. Raven & Sabu (TNA Sacrifice)
- AJ Styles vs. Chris Sabin vs. Petey Williams (Final Resolution 2005)
- AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe (TNA Sacrifice)
