10 Wrestlers Banned From Using THEIR OWN Moves

3. AJ Styles

Nakamura Samoa Joe Muscle Buster
WWE.com

The Styles Clash has a strange history, one that scuppered its pioneer from using it for a few weeks in WWE.

For years and years, AJ Styles executed his unique facebuster variation with zero incident, which was very impressive, given the rapid and convoluted set-up spots he dreamed up in Ring Of Honor in particular. While counter-intuitive for his opponents to take - unlike the vast majority of throws, the head mustn't be tucked - AJ's safety record was near 100%. Provided that one crucial step was taken (or rather not taken), the landing was as gentle as wrestling gets.

That was until AJ left TNA in 2014 and left a veritable spree of injuries in his wake. Both Yoshi Tatsu and Lionheart suffered broken necks, while others were only narrowly spared such a significant injury.

New Japan did an altogether too successful job of marketing the Styles Clash as a dangerous move to capitalise on the controversy; WWE were reluctant to let him use it, and he didn't, despite Michelle McCool using her own variation a few years prior, until Chris Jericho per Inside The Ropes slyly pitched it to Vince without telling him the name, and kicked out to prove it was safe.

In this post: 
Samoa Joe
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!