Worst in the World: AJ Styles vs Frank Trigg-No Surrender 2008

Last week, I covered Sting vs Tony Palmore from New Japan Pro Wrestling's Battle 7, a terrible match that tried to blend professional wrestling with shootfighting, in this case, kickboxing. This match gave a glimpse into "Inoki-ism", a term used to describe then New Japan owner Antonio Inoki's obsession with trying to combine professional wrestling with real fighting, mixed martial arts specifically, that would ruin NJPW for years until he was forced out of the company. After how poorly this went for Inoki and New Japan, you'd have to be an idiot to try and do what they did by trying to blend MMA and pro wrestling as hard as they did...on an unrelated note, TNA.

Years after Inoki was gone from New Japan, TNA tried to incorporate the world of MMA into their company, usually to poor results. Whether that be signing King Mo, who would wrestle a total of zero matches in his first three-year run with the company, to adding Rampage Jackson to the Main Event Mafia so he could wrestle once and get pulled from all programming thanks to Bellator, to the infamous letdown of the #August1Warning being Tito Ortiz coming out to a near-silent crowd.

However, the worst example of TNA incorporating MMA into professional wrestling was the match they booked between former UFC & Pride FC fighter Frank "Twinkle Toes" Trigg (no, really) against AJ Styles at No Surrender 2008 in "Mixed Martial Arts match." If you want an idea of how bad this match is, here are some things to consider. First is the fact that AJ Styles, one of the best professional wrestlers in the world right now, had a match that was so bad that it was bad enough to put in this series. Second, this match is nowhere online for free. This might just be because of Impact Plus, but I couldn't find this match anywhere except Impact's own streaming service. Which is weird, because Jenna Morasca vs Sharmell is still on YouTube for free. To put that in perspective, Jenna vs Sharmell, which has this:

This is fine, but AJ Styles vs Frank Trigg, they are personally ashamed of and want nobody to witness. But that's why I'm here, to bring attention back to this match. Also, side rant, Impact Plus, fix your sh*t and put time stamps on your shows. I don't want to have to randomly click through a timeline to find a match. So with that out of the way, let's get into this.

For starters, Frank Trigg's entrance music is bizarre. It's a pretty generic rock song, but there are these random "HMMMS" thrown in for literally no reason. Trigg comes out with an American flag before taking the mic and cutting a heel promo on the Ontario crowd. It's a pretty paint by the numbers promo, saying that Canada sucks and running down the sports teams ("Your Blue Jays? Your Maple Leafs? Come on.") before saying he wants to beat up everyone in the crowd and that Styles should be an honorary Canadian because Americans don't want him.

The first round (yes, there are rounds because that worked out SO WELL when they did for Roddy Piper vs Mr. T) starts with Styles whiffing on punches before Trigg slams Styles down with a t-bone suplex before blatantly punching the mat.

I really don't know if Trigg was trying to make it look like he was going for a real punch and Styles moved (which he didn't), or he just didn't care enough to make it look real. Wouldn't surprise me if it was the latter. Styles is able to get to his feet and get to the ropes, which, I'm sorry, breaks the illusion for me. Are you telling me that AJ Styles, who is not a trained MMA fighter, was able to escape and avoid the ground and pound of Frank Trigg, someone who was good enough to fight multiple times in the UFC? I don't buy it. We've seen people with legit fighting backgrounds get demolished in MMA fights with MMA fighters (see James Toney vs Randy Couture.) Hell, if you want a pro wrestling example, CM Punk had two years of MMA training and even then he was still heavily outmatched in his first fight, which went to the ground within 10 seconds and never got back up. I'm just saying, there is zero chance this match would go as long as it did if it were real like TNA was trying to play it off as.

The two trade punches before Trigg goes for some kicks and throwing Styles to the ground. Trigg follows up with some knees before the two fight into the ropes, where Styles finally lands a punch. Styles goes for a double leg takedown, sending the two out of the ring. The two take turns with the ground and pound before the screen goes black for a few seconds. Oddly enough, that would be a red herring of things to come.  Back in the ring, Trigg gets another takedown slam before delivering knees and some playful slaps.

Trigg goes for a kimura lock, but Styles grabs the ropes to break the hold as the crowd loudly chants "WE WANT WRESTLING!"

Back on their feet, the two exchange punches and kicks before Trigg takes Styles down again with a judo-style hip toss. Trigg controls Styles on the mat, kneeing him in the head before spanking him because...

At this point, the crowd is loudly chanting "FIRE RUSSO!" Back on their feet, Styles manages to lock in a flying armbar just before the bell rings, forcing him to break the hold as the first round ends. Now, if you're watching this on Impact Plus, then the match just continues. However, if you are watching this live, the feed gets interrupted right about now and you are treated to straight-up pornography. If that isn't the most "TNA" thing I've ever heard, then I don't know what is.

The second round starts and Trigg quickly takes Styles down and locks in a heel hook, but Styles is able to grab the ropes to break the hold. Back on their feet, Styles lets loose on Trigg with punches and kicks before landing two knees, one right to the balls of Trigg. The referee calls the match, ruling it a no-contest due to an unintentional low blow. Styles argues with the ref as the crowd chants "BULLSHIT!" Styles grabs a kendo stick from under the ring and beats Trigg down to keep the fans happy before Styles goes over to the announce table and yells that he's a wrestler and doesn't do this stuff. Unsurprisingly, this is the last of Frank Trigg in TNA.

The Verdict

I don't know who this is for. It's not for wrestling fans, there's no wrestling. It's not for MMA fans, because this is so obviously not real MMA. You can't put on a scripted version of a real form of fighting and pass it off as real on the same show that had a ladder match where the winner gets to be engaged to SoCal Val and not raise some eyebrows. It's a hideous combination of two things that on there own are fine, but when put together form a terrible, no good product. I'd say Styles looked strong by being able to hang with a legit MMA fighter in his own game, but the believability of that requires you to suspend your disbelief to a degree I don't think a human with a functioning brain can achieve. Avoid this match at all costs.

Rankings (Best to Worst)

1. Rick Rude vs Jake Roberts-WrestleMania IV
2. Too Much vs Al Snow & Head-King of the Ring 1998
3. Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt-WrestleMania 33
4. Vampiro vs Sting-Great American Bash 2000
5. T&A vs Head Cheese-WrestleMania 2000
6. Triple H vs Sgt. Slaughter-D-Generation X: In Your House
7. Konnan vs One Man Gang-SuperBrawl VI
8. Ultimate Warrior vs Hercules-WrestleMania IV
9. Rick Rude vs Hawk-Clash of the Champions XXV
10. Shelton Benjamin vs Viscera-New Year's Revolution 2006
11. Steve McMichael vs Reggie White-Slamboree 1997
12. The Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match-WrestleMania 13
13. Tag Team Battle Royal-WrestleMania XIV
14. The Chamber of Horrors-Halloween Havoc 1991
15. The Natural Disasters vs Money Inc.-WrestleMania VIII
16. Ivan Koloff vs Paul Jones-Clash of the Champions IV
17. ODB, Taylor Wilde, and Roxxi vs The Kongtourage-Genesis 2009
18. Ivory vs Tori-SummerSlam 1999
19. Jerry Blackwell vs Boris Zhukov-SuperClash II
20. Nikita Koloff vs Bobby Eaton-Bunkhouse Stampede
21. Alex Wright vs Steve McMichael-Halloween Havoc 1997
22. The Great Khali vs Kane-WrestleMania 23
23. Savio Vega vs Crush vs Faarooq-Ground Zero: In Your House
24. Total Divas vs Other Divas-Survivor Series 2013
25. The Oddities vs Kaientai-SummerSlam 1998
26. Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice-WrestleMania VIII
27. Paul Ellering vs Teddy Long-Capital Combat
28. Dusty Rhodes vs Big Boss Man-Saturday Night's Main Event (10/31/1989)
29. Tyson Tomko vs Stevie Richards-Unforgiven 2004
30. Kane vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2009
31. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Hog Wild
32. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Souled Out 1997
33. Dustin Rhodes & King Kong vs Awesome Kong & The Equalizer-Battlebowl
34. Finlay & Little Bastard vs The Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman-No Way Out 2007
35. Jake Roberts vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania V
36. Yokozuna vs King Mabel-In Your House 4
37. Dusty Rhodes vs The Honky Tonk Man-SummerSlam 1989
38. Sting & Hawk vs Meng & Kurasawa-Clash of the Champions XXXI
39. Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage-Uncensored 1998
40. Al Snow vs Big Boss Man-Unforgiven 1999
41. Mickie James vs Ashley-Royal Rumble 2006
42. Christy Hemme vs Big Fat Oily Guy-Against All Odds 2007
43. Stevie Ray vs Konnan-World War 3 1998
44. Vampiro vs The KISS Demon-Bash at the Beach 2000
45. Team WCW vs nWo Wolfpac vs nWo Hollywood-Fall Brawl 1998
46. Vampiro vs Oklahoma-Starrcade 1999
47. Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania III
48. Van Hammer vs Terrance Taylor-Clash of the Champions XVI
49. Junkyard Dog vs Moondog Spot-Wrestling Classic
50. The Undertaker vs Goldberg-Super ShowDown 2019
51. Hiroshi Wajima vs Tom Magee-All Japan Pro Wrestling 1988
52. Jim Duggan vs Big Boss Man-Royal Rumble 1990
53. Meng vs Jim Duggan-Uncensored 1995
54. Jim Steele vs The Equalizer-SuperBrawl IV
55. Sting vs Tony Palmore-Battle 7
56. D-Generation X vs Brothers of Destruction-Crown Jewel
57. Wendi Richter vs Leilani Kai-WrestleMania
58. Edge vs Triple H vs Vladimir Kozlov-Survivor Series 2008
59. Kevin Sullivan vs Dave Sullivan-SuperBrawl V
60. Steve McMichael vs Brian Adams-Road Wild 1998
61. Scott Hall vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl IX
62. Kane vs The Great Khali-Breaking Point
63. PN News & Bobby Eaton vs Steve Austin & Terrance Taylor-Great American Bash 1991
64. Scott Steiner vs Sid Vicious vs Jeff Jarrett vs Road Warrior Animal-Sin
65. Hollywood Hogan vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl 1997
66. Batista vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2007
67.  Sable vs Tori-WrestleMania XV
68. Super Invader vs Todd Champion-WrestleWar 1992
69. King Kong Bundy & Jim Neidhart vs Yokozuna & Jake Roberts-Heroes of Wrestling
70. Sid Vicious vs The Nightstalker-Clash of the Champions XIII
71. The 8-Divas Tag Match-Survivor Series 1999
72. The Fabulous Freebirds vs The Renegade Warriors-Halloween Havoc 1990
73. The Knockouts Gauntlet-One Night Only: Live! 2016
74. AJ Styles vs Frank Trigg-No Surrender 2008
75. Rick Rude vs Masahiro Chono-Halloween Havoc 1992
76. Mike Awesome vs Vampiro-Halloween Havoc 2000
77. Bray Wyatt vs John Cena-Extreme Rules 2014
78. Brothers of Destruction vs KroniK-Unforgiven 2001
79. Mabel vs The Undertaker-King of the Ring 1995
80. Wendi Richter vs The Fabulous Moolah-The Brawl to End it All
81. David Flair vs Kimberly Page-Mayhem 1999
82. The Truth Commission vs The Disciples of Apocolypse-Survivor Series 1997
83. The Bushwhacker vs The Fabulous Rougeaus-WrestleMania V
84. The Beverly Brothers vs The Bushwhackers-Royal Rumble 1992
85. Teddy Long vs Eric Bischoff-Survivor Series 2005
86. Greg Valentine vs George Steele-Heroes of Wrestling
87. Abdullah the Butcher vs One Man Gang-Heroes of Wrestling
88. Major Gunns vs Miss Hancock-New Blood Rising
89. Bradshaw & Trish Stratus vs Christopher Nowinski & Jackie Gayda-RAW (7/8/2002)
90. Triple H vs Scott Steiner-Royal Rumble 2003
91. Hollywood Hogan vs The Warrior-Halloween Havoc 1998
92. Mr. T vs Roddy Piper-WrestleMania 2
93. The Royal Family vs Clowns R' Us-Survivor Series 1994
94. The Blacktop Bully vs Dustin Rhodes-Uncensored 1995
95. Pat Patterson vs Gerald Brisco-King of the Ring 2000
96. The Four Doinks vs Team Bigelow-Survivor Series 1993
97. Sting vs Jeff Hardy-Victory Road 2011
98. Oz vs Tim Parker-SuperBrawl
99. Ultimate Warrior vs Andre the Giant-Saturday Night's Main Event (11/25/1989)
100. The Doomsday Cage Match-Uncensored 1996
101. Kane vs The Undertaker-Judgement Day 1998
102. Rebel vs Shelly Martinez-One Night Only: Knockouts Knockdown
103. Kaitlyn vs Maxine-NXT (10/19/2010)
104. Sabu vs The Sandman-November to Remember 1997
105. Seth Rollins vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt-Hell in a Cell 2019
106. The Bushwhackers vs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff-Heroes of Wrestling
107. James Storm vs Chris Harris-Lockdown 2007
108. John Laurinaitis vs John Cena-Over the Limit 2012
109. Ultimate Warrior vs Goldust-In Your House 7
110. Los Villanos vs Los Psycho Circus-Triplemania XXIII
111. Jenna Morasca vs Sharmell-Victory Road 2009

Thanks for reading. Be sure to share this post and leave any suggestions for matches you'd like to see covered here in the comments below. I already have a few that I will get to, but there's still one more TNA match I want to cover while I still have my free trial of Impact Plus. It's yet another match TNA doesn't want you to see and has alluded me ever since I started this series. But now...it's time. Until next time...