TNA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: "The Icon" Sting vs. champion "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles: TNA has to be careful with the way they book this match. Although it’s being billed as the possible "final curtain" for Sting, most reports are indicating that he has no intention of leaving TNA until sometime in the early part of next year, so I’m not sure that "passing the torch" to Styles tonight is the way to go here. In a way TNA has already dropped the ball with this match because they gave it absolutely no time to develop. I think back to when Sting was battling Hogan for the WCW Title, when Sting was the face and Hogan was the heel leader of the NWO. That was a program that really had legs, and once Sting finally won that belt, you could wait a second longer for it to happen. I feel quite the opposite in the current TNA situation, as Styles already holds, the title and there’s little to no room for either guy to go from here. I know most will argue that Styles needs to retain here or he’ll end up looking like a paper champion, but I feel the opposite. I think TNA needs to put Sting over tonight, and on Impact he can say that Styles got the win at last month’s PPV, but when it comes down to it, he can’t beat Sting one-on-one. This can lead to a long feud between the two that eventually sees Styles prove that he can beat Sting by defeating him once and for all. Sting can then retire, and Styles will have earned his "torch." Given TNA’s past, I doubt this is the direction in which they’ll go, and its more plausible that Styles will retain and Sting will work his "retirement" tour with various other talents, but I think in the long run it just won’t be as meaningful.
Nick’s Pick: Sting
Who Will Win: AJ Styles
