10 Biggest Non-WWE Matches Of The Last Decade

Sting was cast in the familiar role of selfless industry veteran tasked with putting over a homegrown TNA upstart when he stepped into the ring with AJ Styles at October 2009's Bound For Glory V.

This was a function he also performed at the previous year's event - on that occasion meeting Samoa Joe - but it felt more meaningful this time around (at least in the moment). At last, a genuine passing of the Impact torch, with The Phenomenal One, a downtrodden bridesmaid for so long, finally wearing world title gold.

In hindsight, the match doesn't seem quite as significant. AJ was kept in the role of TNA's leading man for all of a few more months before Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff got the keys to the kingdom and decided that their ratings battle with Raw should be spearheaded by a more recognisable face.

But in a transformative year where America's number two wrestling promotion tentatively looked like it might be on the cusp of upsetting the status quo (or at least seducing a few disenfranchised WWE fans), this was a big headline-maker.