A week ago was TNA's biggest PPV of the year Bound For Glory, a lot has happened since then as you may or may not know (there may be some spoilers here) and having watched the event a few days ago and letting my thoughts sink in I am finally ready to unleash my views on the Canned Heat public.
First off watching it on UK TV on Challenge I didn't get to see the Tag Team match but I have been informed it wasn't a great tag match in which Mexican American retained the titles in a result that isn't surprising anyone although I hope Ink Inc get their shot again on a platform for all to see in hopefully a better match than what has been described to me.
X Division Championship:
Austin Aries vs. Brian Kendrick
I wasn't expecting this match to be the first on the card but something had to fill the spot and what I start to the evening it was. Aries had the crowd on side as soon as he hit the stage and thankfully Taz acknowledged this reaction and credited it to Aries history in Philadelphia which is a pleasant change of pace for a wrestling promotion to actually pay attention to the past, especially one outside of their own company.The action was back and forth and both raised their game to the big stage with a mix of high risk and crowd pleasing moments with Aries playing to the chants with a cocky swagger and picking up the clean victory.I was worried that being first was a sign that the X Division has become an after thought for the TNA management but these two put my mind to rest with a solid showing and a good start to the PPV with the crowd adding to the excitement.
Full Metal Mayhem:
Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn
The all ECW match in the ECW home town, this match was always going to be brutal with some crazy bumps and it delivered with 'ECW' and 'Holy Shit' chants ringing out around the arena. The match was a throwback to the previous decade and as a one off was acceptable but I wouldn't want to see these guys risking themselves week in week out with some of the dangerous bumps they took in this bout.
The two delivered exactly what I expected and again Lynn brought the best out of RVD who felt like he was back to his best, the match should signal the end of their mini feud and I would like RVD to move on to bigger and better things and Lynn to focus on either the X Division or try for the TV title.
Triple Threat:
Samoa Joe vs. Crimson vs. Matt Morgan
From my preview you all knew this was the contest I had the least interest in and sadly they didn't prove me wrong as Crimson retained his undefeated streak with a pin fall over Joe in what I felt was a typical triple threat match in which the face's double teamed Joe and then eventually turned against one another.
The result concluded the story of Crimson getting revenge on Joe for putting him on the shelf during the BFG series but in all honesty I couldn't care, Crimson doesn't excite me one bit and should be being built up knocking over jobbers if management want to run with his undefeated streak, he was clearly pulled from the BFG series as he isn't ready for the main event and watching the two together I thought Morgan and Crimson could be paired together to make a giant tag team as both are entertaining in parts but fail to carry that throughout a whole match.
Falls Count Anywhere:
Mr. Anderson vs. Bully Ray Before this match Bully Ray cut a promo laying into the crowd in a promo 101 to draw heat and it was much needed as the crowd were ready the cheer him during this Philadelphia Street Fight.
Like the Full Metal Mayhem match this match was booked purely for the location (the clue is in the name) and provided the hard hitting harder spot fest we expected from these two, although one or two had me worrying about the welfare of the two looking at the piledriver on the floor backstage.
Sadly the botched ending of the match took away from the overall impact as Anderson; who had done well to win over the crowd; missed a flying senton off the top rope which made the finish flat as the following Mic Check through said table just didn't have the same impact.
The result should allow both to move on from this storyline as Anderson proved himself to Bully Ray although I have no idea which direction either will go in.
TNA Knockout Championship:
Winter vs. Velvet Sky vs. Mickie James vs. Madison RayneOnce Karen Jarrett had named herself as guest referee the result of this match and even the finish were pretty predictable which is a shame as it took away from Velvet Sky winning her first championship.
The match itself wasn't great and was a combination of moves we had seen in the build up to the event, annoyingly I found Madison Rayne screeching to be the most entertaining aspect of this match but the fact I could hear her just showed how dead the crowd was for this bout.
Although Velvet has started this reign with a cheap victory I hope she goes on to better bouts and can hold the title proudly.
I Quit Match:
AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels
The pre match video for this match was awesome showing the history between the two right from the early days of TNA right up to now, it's just a shame and a disappointment that the bout didn't match that awesomeness. What could have stole the show ended up as a promo disguised as a match and proved a point against me when I said that I Quit matches don't stick in the memory, but this will only for the fact Daniels said he was going to murder AJ in cold blood which instantly took me away from the match as it made me feel uncomfortable.
The wrestling that was interwoven between microphones being shoved in each others faces was actually exciting stuff but there was not a lot on show especially for what is the biggest night of the TNA calendar and the end of the match deflated me even more as Daniels quit while running away.
This feud looks like it is far from over but please leave the screwdrivers and talk of murder out of the next bouts and just let two talented guys go at each other with what they do best.
Jeff Jarrett vs. Jeff Hardy
Not a match but a promo / brawl which had no place on this event, it would have worked on the pre show or on Impact but not taking up PPV time, this was obviously the reason the tag match was bumped and I can't really complain as I didn't pay for the event but for all those that did... they paid for wrestling and not a promo!They did the brawl / keep apart thing very well but it shouldn't have been here and my highlight was when the crowd started a D'Lo chant when D'Lo Brown hit the ring to help break the two up.
Sting vs. Hulk Hogan
The 'match' for the company was all stacked in Hogan's favour with the referee being the son of Bischoff (as found out earlier in a off vignette), and Ric Flair coming down to be in his corner but despite all this Jackson James eventually declared Sting the winner after Hogan tapped out.
The match was actually acceptable from the two and wasn't the giant mess I was expecting but it was the post match that grabbed all the headlines as Immortal beat down on Sting until Hogan Hulked Up and helped clear the ring of every one else.
This was pure nostalgia with Hulkamania running wild, hopefully it will be Hogan's last run as a face and allow him to retire as a fan favourite as him using up screen time over younger athletes is starting the wear thin on me, especially with his comments aimed at Roode and Styles. At least Dixie Carter has control back and Immortal's choke hold on Impact has been loosened.
TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match:
Kurt Angle vs. Bobby Roode
What should have been the crowning event of the evening ended flat and in usual TNA manner with a screw-job ending with Angle cheating to win by holding onto the ropes while Bobby was in a ring position which would be usually classed as a rope break although he wasn't touching them.
The ending of the match was not the only problem with the match, it was over in 15 minutes and Bobby Roode seemed to only be allowed to apply the crossface from his arsenal of moves. The crowd was split for the two athletes and I have no doubt these two could have put on a 30 minute plus epic match, of course I don't know how much of the timing was down to Angle's injuries that he seems to be carrying but the title should have changed hands here to give the event some prestige and allowing the event to finish with Roode celebrating with James Storm in the middle of the ring.
Fans have been invested in Bobby Roode since he won the BFG series and that feels like it was all for nothing, yes he gained a massive push and was put over as credible threat by kicking out of three angle slams and controlling some of the match but the moment has been missed, not only does this deflate Roode but also the BFG series, the WWE did not build up the Royal Rumble by having the winner nearly win the title at Wrestlemania.
The result seems to be a direct effect of Hogan saying in the media days before the event that Roode isn't ready for the big time, not the next guy and backing Hardy and Roode's team mate James Storm (who as you all know by now is currently TNA World Heavyweight Champion.. but that's for another day) over him which is quite damning going into the biggest match of your career so far.
Bound For Glory started of really strongly with the first half providing entertaining matches but the latter letting the event down which again in true TNA style is completely opposite to the industry standard, a promo which was pretty much repeated on the following Impact and two matches that could have been match of the year candidates being wasted.
The event may as well have been called Bound For Hulkamania as nothing was outshining Hogan's face turn, as news worthy as it is and a draw for those who do not usually follow or only have an interest in TNA he has buried a few names to do so and those names are athletes who can actually wrestle, logical booking has been thrown out of the window, if the BFG Series is ever used again it offers little hope of the eventual winner gaining the title and once again TNA have left me frustrated and let down!
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