On November 13, 2005, at Genesis, Daniels sustained a (storyline) concussion after being attacked by Samoa Joe and taking a Muscle Buster onto a chair, following a tag match together. At Turning Point, when Joe tried to similarly injure A.J. Styles after winning the X Division Championship from him, Daniels returned and attacked Joe, enabling security guards to protect Styles and restrain Joe. At Final Resolution, Daniels lost to Joe when Styles threw in the towel to protect Daniels, badly beaten and defenseless, from further damage. The next week, Daniels accused Styles of doing this to get the number one contendership for the X Division Title. That night, he cost Styles a match against Shannon Moore by throwing in the towel. At Against All Odds, Joe retained the title in a three-way match against Daniels and Styles. Daniels won the title in an Ultimate X match the next month, and lost it to Joe on April 13, after taking a second rope Island Driver.