AJ Styles and the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship
AJ Styles was a product of NWA Wildside, the Georgia promotion based out of Cornelia Georgia. On June 11th 2003, AJ Styles would defeat Jeff Jarrett and Raven in a Three Way Match at Total Non Stop Action’s 49th weekly pay per view at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee. His first reign would last just over 4 months. During this time, Styles would be the first NWA Champion to Travel to Finnland in the modern era.
First Reign Results
06-14-2003 – No Contest with Paul London – National Guard Armory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA – ROH: Night of Grudges
06-28-2003 – Defeated Chris Sabin – Murphy Recreation Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA – ROH: Wrestlerave ’03
07-02-2003 – Defeated Frankie Kazarian – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 52
07-09-2003 – Defeated D-Lo Brown – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 53
07-20-2003 – Defeated Jimmy Rave – Viking Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA – CZW: Deja Vu II
07-23-2003 – Defeated D-Lo Brown – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 55 – Best Of Three Series Match #1
07-23-2003 – Loses to D-Lo Brown – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 55 – Best Of Three Series Match #2
07-23-2003 – Draw With D-Lo Brown – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 55 – Best Of Three Series Match #3
08-06-2003 – Defeated D-Lo Brown – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 57 – Steel Cage Match
08-13-2003 – Defeated Lo-Ki – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 58
08-27-2003 – Defeated Rave – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 60
08-30-2003 – Defeated Kid Kash – Helsinki, Finnland – Valhalla Pro Wrestling: Culture Shock
09-17-2003 – Defeated Jerry Lynn – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 63
09-27-2003 – Defeated Jonny Storm – Helsinki, Finnland – Valhalla Pro Wrestling: Baltic Brawl
10-08-2003 – Defeated Dusty Rhodes – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 66
10-22-2003 – Lost to Jeff Jarrett – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 68
Although he lost to Jarrett, he would regain the title when he defeated Jarrett, six months later at the Fairgrounds. This next reign wouldn’t even last a month, but it would mark AJ’s first title defense in an NWA Affiliate promotion.
Second Reign Results
04-28-2004 – Defeated Ron Killings – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 95
05-04-2004 – Defeated Raven – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 96
05-12-2004 – Defeated Chris Harris – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 97
05-14-2004 – Defeated Danny Daniels – Masonic Temple in Rock Island, Illinois, USA – NWA No Limits Wrestling
05-19-2004 – Lost to Ron Killings – Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tennessee, USA – TNA: PPV 98 (Four Way Deadly Draw)
AJ’s final reign as NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion was also a short run. AJ would again defeat Jeff Jarrett at TNA’s Hard Justice 2005 Pay Per View with special referee Tito Ortiz. This would also be Styles fist victory as champion outside of Tennessee. AJ would take the title to Rome Italy, and Los Angeles California… firsts for this era.
Final Reign Results
06-04-2005 – Defeated Petey Williams – PalaLottomatica in Rome, Italy – EWF: Ground Zero
06-10-2005 – Defeated Lex Lovett – Brandon All Stars in Brandon, Florida, USA – NWA Florida: Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup 2005
06-11-2005 – Defeated James Gibson – Hollywood-Los Feliz JCC in Los Angeles, California, USA – Pro Wrestling Guerrilla: Guitarmagedon
06-19-2005 – Lost to Raven – Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, USA – TNA: Slammiversary 2005 (King of the Mountain Match)
With thanks and credit to Cagematch and Wrestling-Title Histories