All 5 Wrestlers Who Defeated Sting Clean On TNA PPV

1. AJ Styles (Bound For Glory 2009)

Although the drawn-out TNA Originals vs. Main Event Mafia storyline never had a proper conclusion, the one positive that came out of it was AJ Styles finally capturing the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in September 2009. He technically had held the NWA world title before, but not the rechristened championship. It was disappointing TNA didn't wait until Bound for Glory to do the title change but, if nothing else, it set up a major matchup between Styles and Sting at the pay-per-view. It was interesting that in all the years they spent in TNA together, they had rarely went one-on-one, and when they did, their matches were always saddled with interference and other distractions. Not this time. It was the first clear-cut main event in the history of TNA's Show of Shows, adding an epic feel to the contest that only enhanced fans' excitement for it. By that point, Styles had already left an incredible legacy in TNA, but his transformation into a main event caliber competitor wouldn't be complete until he beat Sting. After doing the j-o-b for Mick Foley and Samoa Joe earlier in the year, Sting's clean loss on this show would mean more than anything, as it cemented Styles as "the man" in TNA and a credible world champion. Thus, no one benefited more from scoring a clean victory over Sting than AJ Styles.