Both men shake hands before starting things off. AJ is a little hesitant to lock up, but gets over it quickly, locking in a headlock. Sting fights out and locks in a headlock of his own, but AJ is quick to make his way out of it and connect with a hip toss. AJ continues to try and wear Sting down with another headlock, but Sting fights out and hits his own hip toss.

Sting and AJ continue to jockey for position, with each man trying their own tricks and neither being able to get up on the other. AJ and Sting impress each other with their counters and reversals. Sting hits a big shoulderblock and goes for AJ's legs, but AJ is quick to fight back to his feet.

Big 'TNA' chants as AJ hits a snapmare/kick combo and a springboard knee drop. AJ hits some big elbows to the back of Sting's neck, but when he tries to send Sting into the corner, he's sent in hard, instead. Sting whips him into the turnbuckle again and tries for AJ's legs, and this time, when AJ scrambles, Sting clotheslines him over the top rope.

Sting holds the ropes for AJ to get back into the ring, giving both men fair ground when the lock up again. AJ connects with an enzugiri and he follows it up with a quick suplex. He tries for the pin, but Sting kicks out at two. AJ chops Sting in the corner, and whips him across the ring hard. AJ continues to chop at Sting in the corner, but he gets caught with a duo of faceplants by Sting.

Sting hits a huge back body drop, but AJ is able to fight back with a dropkick. Sting bails to the floor and AJ goes for the dive, Sting moves so AJ goes to the arpon. AJ jumps off at Sting, but Sting moves and AJ connects with the guardrail. AJ stands up and Sting goes for a big splash, but AJ moves and Sting jumps into the guardrail so hard he bends it. AJ is the first man back in the ring and he doesn't want Hebner to count.

Back in the ring, Sting tries for a suplex but AJ fights out. AJ and Sting trade punches, with AJ coming out better, but when AJ tries for a splash, he misses. Sting goes up to the top rope, but AJ catches him in tombstone position. Sting turns it around though, hits the tombstone and pins AJ, who kicks out at two.

AJ is quick to recover as he rolls to the apron where he connects with a big springboard elbow. Styles hits a backbreaker and he tries for another pin, but Sting kicks out at two. Sting sends Styles into the corner, but AJ tries for the moonsault DDT. Both men counter each other a bunch of times, but it ends with Sting hitting the scorpion death drop. Sting hits a splash in the corner to AJ's back and follows up with another death drop, but AJ kicks out at two!