10 Great Wrestling World Title Reigns Marred By Bad Endings

The Main Event Mafia was a cool idea on paper. A bunch of big star veterans putting their skills and money together to take over a promotion full of youngsters who hated them. Sadly, thanks to the ever complicated mind of Vince Russo, the angle was disjointed, confusing and ultimately disappointing.

By late 2009, it had mostly fizzled out beyond Kurt Angle's heel work. When Sting accepted it was time to let a new generation come in, there was hope for a good conclusion. The WCW icon ensuring AJ Styles, the homegrown ace, became champ was a poignant cap-off.

AJ Styles as TNA World Heavyweight Champion just felt right and he did amazing work with The Stinger for Bound for Glory and with Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels shortly thereafter.

With incredible match quality and the crowds behind him, Styles reached the heights many had hoped Samoa Joe would the year prior as World Champ. The first sign of trouble arrived when Styles turned heel and was repackaged as Ric Flair's clone. Watching high-flying, Christian family man Styles try to be dirty-fighting, sleazy Naitch was cringeworthy.

However, Styles' matches were still first class and it was clear fans still enjoyed watching him. It all came crashing down when he lost the TNA World Title to the recently debuted Rob Van Dam on IMPACT. RVD had already wrestled that night, making Styles look especially weak when he crumbled in defeat.

The late stage heel turn and the slightly embarrassing nature of his title loss cheapened Styles' mostly superb reign. The man himself was reportedly miffed at the time and who can blame him?