TNA Heavyweight Championship – No DQ Match
Bully Ray (c) vs. AJ Styles
Borash handled the ring introductions for the challenger AJ Styles and champion Bully Ray. Ray with a big scoop slam and backs off in the corner early on. Ray with a huge clothesline on Styles. Styles fights back with right hands when Ray insults his family. Styles with a huge dropkick on Ray. Styles with an early submission and Garett Bischoff runs down for the distraction on the ramp. Ray has a hammer as Styles bails and backs down Bischoff. When Styles returns, he blocks a shot from Ray using the hammer, grabs it and Ray chops Styles hard sending him flying into the ropes. Another big chop from Ray. Ray with another shot to the back of Styles and another chop in the corner. Styles is back up slapping Ray and daring him to bring it. Styles with huge rights and Ray fires back with a giant right of his own leveling Styles. Ray with a big chop and Styles stays up. Styles kicks away at the leg of Ray and takes him down with a big dropkick to the knee. Knux hits the ring, Styles jumps off the top turnbuckle, Knux catches him and plants Styles with a big chokeslam. Ray hooks the leg and Styles kicks out. Ray gets in the face of referee Earl Hebner arguing over the pinfall. Ray charges, takes out Knux by accident and Styles gets a close roll up for a two count. Ray with a huge kick that launches Styles to the outside. Ray picks up the hammer at ringside, goes to hit Styles with it and Styles kicks Ray in the back of the head. Styles has the hammer. He instead knocks Ray off the announce table. Styles returns to the ring going up top.
Styles springboards off the top rope with a 450 Splash and crashes through as Ray moves. Nasty looking spot by Styles. At ringside, Taz appears to hand Ray a weapon allowing Ray to cut open and expose the ring. Ray spits in the air and catches the spit back in his mouth. Ray jumps up and stomps over the exposed boards. A loud “ECW” chant starts up in San Diego. Ray is calling for Aces and Eights when TNA President Dixie Carter walks out. Dixie asks for security to hand her a steel chair and shen gives it to Ray. Back in the ring, Styles with a springboard forearm hitting the chair into the face of Ray. Styles springboards off the top rope and connects with a huge 450 Splash. Ray hooks the leg of Ray. Dixie yells at referee Earl Hebner to not count the pinfall. Hebner yells back at Dixie. Hebner counts 1 and then shortly after that Ray quickly gets a shoulder up. Styles stares down Dixie as he picks up Ray. Styles looks to go for a Styles Clash when Ray counters and back body drops Styles on the exposed boards. Ray pulls himself up using the ropes and goes to the top turnbuckle. Ray jumps and connects with his back over the chest of Styles. Ray blows a kiss to Dixie, hooks the leg and Styles gets a shoulder up. Ray grabs the steel chair and cracks it over the back of Styles. Ray with a second chair shot to the back of Styles. Ray picks up Styles, attempts a powerbomb, Styles counters and catches Ray with a Pele Kick. Styles with a chair shot to the head of Ray. Styles goes up to the top turnbuckle with Ray down on the mat.
Styles jumps off the top and connects with the Spiral Tap. Styles covers Ray for the pinfall.
Winner and new TNA Champion: AJ Styles
After the match, AJ Styles is handed the TNA Championship and he holds it high with help from referee Earl Hebner. We see a shot of an upset TNA President Dixie Carter watching from the ramp. We see highlights of the match leading to the finish. Back live, Styles continues his celebration with the crowd in San Diego by jumping in the crowd and scaling up the stairs.
Thanks for joining us tonight.