TNA Sacrifice: Rob Van Dam Vs. AJ Styles (TNA World Title)

Christy Hemme is backstage with RVD. He says that this is the first of many interviews. He says this Championship is different from many that he's held in the past because he stands for everything the TNA Title stands for. He's the best, coolest, most popular wrestler in TNA, and he'll stay the Champion. He says let Styles complain, because he'll come around that with RVD in TNA, more people will be coming to see him, but more people will see him getting his ass kicked, because he's RVD, and he's the whole F'n show.

TNA Championship Match
Rob Van Dam (c) vs. AJ Styles

We get a video package, mixing in ring footage with backstage 'off the cuff' interview footage of RVD. It sets up the title match very nicely.

AJ Styles is shown backstage, walking to the ringside area with Ric Flair in tow. Styles flips up his hood on his robe before walking out. When he hits the entranceway, he gets a warm reception from the crowd. The Champion is next, shown walking to the ring from the backstage area. When he hits the Impact Zone, the reaction is great, with a ton of love from the fans.

We get formal ring introductions from JB, and like every TNA PPV main event, after much, much, much fanfare, we're finally ready to kick things off.

After a lot of standing around, and some posing from RVD, both go for a kick, with neither scoring. More standing around and a bit more posing. We finally get a lock up, and AJ pulls Van Dam's hair, using it to pull him back into the corner. AJ and Van Dam get in each other's faces, and RVD poses again. AJ tries to interrupt, but he ends up on the recieving end of a clothesline from RVD that sends him to the outside. Van Dam poses again, and AJ uses the opportunity to pull him to the outside, where he goes to work with chops. AJ tries to send Van Dam head first into the entrance ramp, but when he tries for a moonsault off the entrance ramp, RVD avoids it and connects with one of his own before rolling back into the ring and posing again.

AJ is able to make it back into the ring, and Flair distracts RVD, leading to Earl Hebner ejecting Flair from the ringside area. Flair protests, but eventually makes his way to the back. AJ sulks on the outside and argues with Hebner, but Hebner won't budge. Flair goes to the announce table. RVD goes to the outside but AJ catches him with a right hand and rolls back into the ring. RVD tries to follow, but Styles sends him back to the outside into the barricade, and follows him with a tope over the top rope. AJ rolls RVD back into the ring where he stomps at Van Dam. Flair on commentary is very distracting, not in a good way. Styles slams RVD down and hits a beautiful knee drop.

RVD scores with a kick to Styles' face out of nowhere, and he follows it up by pounding on AJ in the corner. Styles is able to charge RVD in the corner, but RVD gets his elbow up. When he climbs the ropes though, RVD finds himself shoved off face first into the entrance ramp. Styles rolls RVD back into the ring and he goes for a quick cover but he only gets two. AJ locks in a rear chin lock with his knee in Van Dam's back for extra leverage. RVD is able to get to the ropes to force a break, so AJ pulls him back to his feet. AJ and RVD trade chops and forearms respectively, with AJ getting the advantage. RVD fights right back with a series of rights, but he runs into a big boot and a tornado DDT from Styles that's good for a near fall.