TNA Wrestling’s annual “Bound For Glory” PPV is the company’s biggest show of the year. It’s on that show that major feuds are ended, storylines are tied up, and new chapters begin. And while this year’s event did all of that, the most memorable events of the show were actually the ones that weren’t traditional matches: Gail Kim’s Hall of Fame induction, and the Decay/Delete “Great War” spectacle.
Depending on whether you appreciate the creative direction of the Hardys lately, the tag team match between them and Decay was either really good or really bad. The introductions for the Hardys (Broken Matt and Brother Nero (aka Jeff)) featured Reby playing the piano (quite well, actually) with Nero taking the vocals. Decay (Abyss and Crazzy Steve, with Rosemary) then entered the ring. As all six jawed in the ring, the bell rang, and immediately, all members of Decay blew mist into Reby’s eyes, kicking off the no-disqualification, falls count anywhere brawl. Some neat stuff early on, like Rosemary hitting Matt with a trash-can Van Terminator and Abyss using a staple gun on Jeff. But then the teams all brawled to the back where the bizarre, surreal stuff kicked in. Too much to describe succinctly, but highlights included: Jeff disappearing after the Lake of Reincarnation (a bucket of mop water) was dumped on him; Jeff smashing pumpkins (nod to Billy Corgan) on Steve and Rosemary; Jeff taking on a jive-talking rapper/jester persona and also resurrecting his Willow character; Matt using fireballs to destroy Janice (Abyss’ bat with nails in it); a drunken redneck appearance; a pickup truck race; and a Vanguard-1 cameo appearance. After that extended sequence, the action finally returned to the ring, where Abyss got sandwiched between thumbtack-covered barbed wire boards, and Rosemary got powerbombed off the ring apron through a table. Finally, Jeff nailed Steve with a Swanton off of a 20-foot ladder through a table to get the pin and “DELETE” Decay’s title reign.
But with the ridiculous comes the sublime, and that is a good way to describe the classy treatment of Gail Kim as she was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame. Former Knockouts Christy Hemme, Taryn Terrell and Kim’s greatest opponent Awesome Kong returned to pay tribute to Kim, with each one noting how Kim not only helped create the Knockouts division, but in many ways changed the way womens’ wrestling is perceived in the business. Dixie Carter then came out with some equally-kind words, before calling out the woman of the hour. An excellent video package followed, wherein many TNA officials and competitors praised Kim’s contribution to the company and the business. Gail then made a short speech espousing her love for the business and thanking, among others, Toronto trainers Ron Hutchinson and Rob “El Fuego” Etcheverria, and “Coach” Scott D’Amore, and many of the women past and present with whom she shared a locker room, in particular Molly Holly. A great moment for a truly-deserving performer, and easily the highlight of the show.
TNA Bound For Glory – Full Results
The opening vignette saw Broken Matt Hardy reading to King Maxell from the Book of War, leading to Josh Mathews and D’Angelo Dinero throwing it to Jeremy Borash for the opening contest.
Match 1: Trevor Lee vs. DJZ (c) – X-Division Championship
This was a good match, with some vintage X-Division action, including a sequence where DJZ hit a somersault dive to the floor, Lee followed that up with a flying dive of his own, and DJZ upped the ante with a super springboard dive. Other good spots saw Lee going for a German suplex but DJZ turning it into a reverse hurancarana, and later, DJZ going for a ZDT but Lee catching him with a standing double stomp. Out of nowhere, DJZ hit a Canadian Destroyer then followed it up for the ZDT for the win.
Winner, and still X-Division Champion: DJZ
Match Rating: 7/10
They showed footage from earlier today when TNA CHampion Bobby Lashley and his opponent tonight, EC3, arrived at the building.
Backstage, Drew Galloway said that TNA management won’t let him wrestle tonight because the doctors haven’t cleared him to compete. But that he wanted the first crack at whomever walks away as champion. He suggested that Billy Corgan was indeed buying the company, so maybe that answers any questions about the future of TNA.
Match 2: “Bound for Gold” 10-Man Gauntlet match to earn a future title shot
This was a 10-man Royal Rumble match as opposed to a traditional gauntlet match, with new entrants arriving every minute. This was pretty meh, with no major highlights. Jesse Godderz and Rockstar Spud started off followed by Braxton Sutter and Eli Drake after that, who quickly eliminated Sutter. Robbie E entered, but didn’t team up with his BroMans partner Jesse, instead trying to throw him out. The dumpy Grado did the Bushwhacker Luke spot, walking in, getting thrown out in a second and walking to the back, without breaking stride. Tribunal members Baron Dax and Basile Baraka got individually thrown out by the BroMans members, so perhaps that will lead to a feud. Tyrus and Spud’s history was brought up, but Tyrus gave him the Batista thumbs down and threw him over. Mahabali Shera and Tyrus went at it, with Shera picking up the big man for a slam, but it got broken up by Drake who tossed Shera over. Godderz, Tyrus, and Drake were the last three in the ring. Godderz threw Godderz threw Drake over the top, but Drake hooked his feet on the bottom rope and he hanged there unnoticed while Tyrus and Godderz battled it out. As Godderz powered up and had Tyrus teetering over the top, Drake climbed back in the ring behind them and threw both of them over, to win the match.
Winner: Eli Drake
Match Rating: 5/10
Backstage, JB interviewed celebrity chef, and Gail Kim”s husband Robert Irvine. As he talked about Gail”s induction into the Hall of Fame, Knockouts champion Maria Kanellis and Mike Bennett interrupted him and then trash-talked their respective opponents for tonight, Gail and Moose.
Match 3: Mike Bennett vs. Moose
Moose’s introduction saw the West Orange High School football team come out to introduce him and do the “Moose march” with him to the ring. This was a clash of styles to say the least, and it led to some sloppy moments, including Moose blocking a somersault dive with a semi-botched powerbomb. Nice spot where Moose helicoptered Bennett into the ringside post, but Bennett was able to pop up and back-bodydropped oose onto the steel steps. In the ring, Bennett grounded Moose and worked over the big man’s leg. But the selling didn’t last long, and instead Moose hit Bennett with a few shoulder blocks, a powerbomb, and a clothesline. The two exchanged power moves, with the highlight being Bennett hitting a high cutter when Moose went for a move off the top. After a bunch of exchanges, again, many sloppy, Moose hit a move to get the win.
Winner: Moose
Match Rating: 6/10
Backstage, JB introduced Aron Rex, who would be competing to be the first Impact Grand Champion. Good enough, if unremarkable promo, but Rex looks weird without the beard.
Match 4: Eddie Edwards vs. Aron Rex – Impact Grand Championship tournament finals
For the finals of the tournament, the rounds are 5 minutes long, with the judges using the 10-point-must scoring system if it goes the distance. The first round was pretty evenly matched up until the last 90 seconds, when Eddie took over, including with a big running dive that send both men crashing into the ringside barricade. The second round saw Rex go after Edwards’ leg, busting him in the knee first, and then going for submissions, all the way to the end of the round. During this round, the power went out for a bit, prompting a “pay your light bill” chant, so the ring had to be lit by spotlight for a while. The third round was back-and-forth, with Rex blocking a top rope move and throwing Edwards hard to the mat, and Eddie hitting a big spinning powerbomb and a nice Shining Wizard. In an anti-climactic ending to the match – and the tournament – Rex was declared the winner by a split decision by the judges.
Winner and first ever Impact Grand Champion: Aron Rex
Match Rating: 7/10
Match 5: Decay (c) w/ Rosemary vs. Broken Matt Hardy & Brother Nero w/ Reby – “The Great War” for the TNA Tag Team Chamionship
Winners and new TNA Tag Team Champions: Broken Matt Hardy and Brother Nero
Match Rating: 8/10 if you like this kind of thing
Backstage, JB interviewed Bobby Lashley who will defend his title against EC3 later in a No Holds Barred match – Lashley says that he’ll win.
Match 6: Gail Kim vs. Maria Kanellis-Bennett (c) w/ Allie – Knockouts Championship
On her way to the ring, Maria said that her hand is still broken and the doctor has said she can’t wrestle. But then the naive Allie said that the doctor said that she was indeed cleared, thwarting Maria’s attempt to weasel out of the match. As Gail called her out on this chicanery, Maria sucker-punched her, and then took control in the ring. Frustrated by not being able to pin Gail, Maria tried to cheat, using the brace that she had been wearing on her “broken” arm that Mike Bennett sneaked to her. It didn’t work, and when Allie accidentally threw it to Gail, it got taken out of play entirely after Gail threw it away. The unfair advantage gone, it didn’t take long for Maria to Eat Defeat and lose her title to the Hall of Famer.
Winner and new Knockouts champion: Gail Kim
Match Rating: 6/10
After the match, Mike Bennett said that he was shutting down the show after the way he and Maria were unfairly treated tonight. The lights went out, and when they came back on, Cody and Brandi Rhodes came to the ring, and the two couples squared off. Brandi dispatched Maria and Cody polished off Mike with the Beautiful Disaster, sending TNA’s royal couple scrambling with Allie following behind.
Match 7: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Ethan Carter III – No Holds Barred Match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The main event started off hot out of the gate, with Lashley hitting Carter with a huge surprise Spear in the middle of Jeremy Borash’s in-ring introductions, sending the challenger to the floor in pain. But rather than follow up immediately, though, Lashley waited for Borash to finish the introductions before going after EC3. This delay let EC3 recover and he took the fight to Lashely both in and out of the ring. It then turned into a slobber-knocker, with the men exchanging the advantage repeatedly by hitting numerous power moves on the other, including several Spears by Lashley and a few powerbombs and German suplexes by Carter. In the end, EC3 withstood an assault with a steel chair and was able to stun Lashley with the One-Percenter. He went for another one off the ropes, but Lashley stopped him and threw him off the ropes. EC3 landed on his feet, but Lashley leapt off the ropes and hit EC3 with a Flying Spear off the ropes to get the pin and retain his championship.
Winner and still TNA World Heavyweight Champion: Bobby Lashley
Match Rating: 8/10
Overall Show Rating: 7/10
