14. AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels (TNA Against All Odds 2005)
TNA earns a match on the list by virtue of one of the greatest matches of the 2000s that nobody talks about. The promotion may be struggling today, but back in 2005 they had nothing but greener pastures in their future. AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels were two of their top talents, exemplifying through their X-Division exploits an alternative to WWE that was reminiscent of the Cruiserweight Division in WCW. In a 30-minute Ironman match that needed extra time to settle the score, Styles and Daniels raised the bar. It was on their backs that TNA was able to garner a TV deal and, though history will likely remember TNA for what they became after they landed on Spike, many fans choose to remember the road that got them there and matches like Styles vs. Daniels that helped create for them a fan base to begin with.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
