Column: The Hardcore Truth-Bound for Glory Report by Zach Fenell on 10/12/2008 at 12:13 AM
Bound for Glory is TNA’s biggest PPV each year but what makes it the biggest PPV of them all? From surfacing wrestling forums and websites it seems some people believe Bound for Glory is just another monthly PPV with an enormous amount of hype. A quick history lesson proves otherwise.
It was in November of 2004 when TNA held their first three-hour “mega” PPV. Back at this time TNA’s Impact! aired on Fox Sports Net (FSN) in an afternoon time slot. I remember reading somewhere that back then Impact! ratings were around .2. The next year was a difficult and exciting year for TNA. They started acquiring more recognized talents such as Rhyno and The Dudley Boyz (renamed Team 3D).
But at the same time they went through a “dark period” during the summer of 2005 where they had no national TV but yet were still having monthly PPVs. Less than a month before their 12th monthly PPV TNA hit on Spike TV and started ascending to new heights. Bound for Glory 2005 was not just another PPV; it was the cultivation of a year’s work and a celebration of TNA making it.
Every year the Bound for Glory PPV symbolizes the new heights TNA has reached and celebrates the success TNA continues to have. Bound for Glory 2006 was the first monthly PPV TNA held outside of Orlando, Florida. Bound for Glory 2007 saw the crowning of the first TNA’s Women’s Knockout Champion.From 2005 to 2007 Bound for Glory has delivered dream matches and some of the best matches in TNA history. The question which lingers is does the card for Bound for Glory IV (2008) measure up and if so can it deliver?
TNA will likely open the PPV with the X-Division Steel Asylum match. While participants for the match have not been announced one can only assume the likes of Jay Lethal, The Motor City Machine Guns, Sonajy Dutt, Petey Williams, Johnny Devine, Curryman, Jimmy Rave, Sharkboy, and Eric Young will be involved. While the match will probably prove to be nothing more than a spotfest it should still be entertaining and fill the roll of the Ultimate X match in 2005, Kevin Nash’s X-Division Open Invitational in 2006, and the LAX/Triple X Ultimate X match of 2007.
While speaking about the X-Division, it is clear that the X-Division has set a high precedent for X-Division title matches at Bound for Glory. In 2005 it was Iron Man II with AJ Styles stepping toe-to-toe with Christopher Daniels. In 2006 Senshi and Chris Sabin tore down the house. 2007 saw a great bout between “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal and Christopher Daniels. Sheik Bashir and Consequences Creed will have their hands full with trying to live up to the match quality of the X-Division title matches but I believe they can do it. They are the fresh blood the X-Division has needed for a long time. If TNA can build a strong X-Division again, Creed and Bashir should be capable of handling the main slots of the division.
Another annual tradition of Bound for Glory is the Monsters Ball match. The Jeff Hardy/Rhyno/Abyss/Sabu Monsters Ball of 2005 still sticks out in people’s minds today. Personally I felt the 2006 Monsters Ball fell short. 2007’s Monsters Ball put the match back in the right direction. 2008 should be just as brutal as the best of them. LAX are not only athletic but great brawlers. James Storm of Beer Money has proven to be great in brutal matches (see his Texas Death Match with Chris Harris and the 2004 Turning Point Six Sides of Steel match). Team 3D has made their legacy in hardcore matches and their promise to bring back an old friend only intrigues me (flaming tables!
). However the most entertaining and intriguing part of the match will be Abyss’ interaction in the hardcore environment. The only thing which will bring this match down is unnecessary special enforcer Steve “Mongo” McMichael. The special enforcer is just another example of TNA overbooking.
To fill the “dream match” aspect of the card we have Jeff Jarrett versus Kurt Angle with Mick Foley as special guest enforcer. Again, I am not happy with the addition of a special enforcer but when you sign a guy like Mick Foley, you have to find a spot for him on your biggest event of the year. The match itself should be interesting because I do not seeing Angle’s style meshing well with Jarrett’s but I am willing to give it a chance.
The main event of the night, Samoa Joe versus Sting is an interesting situation. Many people, myself included believe Sting as a part-time wrestler has no business main eventing the biggest PPV of the year but at the same time I have a feeling the match will deliver. Hopefully things will end properly by having Joe defeating Sting cleaning followed by a handshake to show mutual respect.
Another match worth mentioning is the Christian Cage/AJ Styles/Booker T three-way. The other matches on the card are nothing special but at the same time nothing which will make you want to stab your eyes out with a fork. All together the PPV should provide a solid three hours of professional wrestling, continuing the level of excellence the Bound for Glory PPVs have had.
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