Written by: Craig Ferriman (@MrImpact_Blog)
Last Sunday live from the Odeum theatre in Chicago Illinois IMPACT Wrestling presented their biggest pay per view of the year, Bound for Glory in front of a sold out crowd and boy did it deliver. Suprises & variety along with amazing matches, possibly my favourite show of this year. Despite the FITE TV stream having a few signal issues in the beginning it took nothing away from the show.
Call Your Shot Gauntlet Winner: Eddie Edwards 8/10
This was a 20 person gauntlet where the winner would be awarded a trophy which they can cash in for an opportunity at a title of their choosing. Since a lot happened in this match I’m just gonna run down some of my personal highlights, Eddie Edwards after being eliminated last in the battle royal on IMPACT entered the gauntlet at number 1 & both members of Reno Scum entered at number 2. Alot of the people you would expect entered this gauntlet like Cousin Jake, Rohit Raju, Havok, Rosemary, Jordynne Grace & Kiera Hogan. Last to enter the gauntlet was Mahabali Shera who won the battle royal on IMPACT. There were a few great suprise entrants Joey Ryan being one and of course he bought some humour into the gauntlet after he delivered a chain D*ck flip he would eliminate Cousin Jake & Rohit Raju from the gauntlet. Another huge suprise was Smiley Kylie Rae as well as Swoggle & Sabu. The final four were Eddie Edwards, Reno Scum and Shera, Luster the Legend would accidentally eliminate his partner Adam Thornstowe. Then it came down to a one on one match between Eddie & Shera with a returning Brian Stiffler serving as referee, Eddie delivered a Boston knee party for the win.
I love a good gauntlet and that one certainly delivered, I do have a sneaky suspicion I know which title Eddie will be challenging for when we find out the winner of a match happening soon.
Taya Valkyrie (C) Def. Tenille Dashwood: Knockouts Championship match. 8/10
I really enjoyed this match and if anyone could get a good match out of Tenille it had to be the longest reigning champ in Impact history, it was very back and forth and featured great story telling by both as it looked like any one of them could have won this match, John E. Bravo would of course earn his paycheck after Tenille delivered the spot light Bravo would put the leg of the champ on the bottom rope breaking the pin but was seen by the ref and having already warned Bravo in the earlier stages of the match he was thrown out of ringside. But it wouldn’t bother Taya as she would deliver the road to Val Halla for the three and to retain her knockouts Championship.
I didn’t know it yet but a pattern was starting to emerge in how the matches would go, but in this match the Knockouts delivered and proved why impact has the best women’s division in Wrestling right now. I have heard rumours that Dashwood had only signed with IMPACT up until BFG so whether or not that’s true? We’ll have to wait and see but Taya has proved herself once again the best heel champion in Wrestling right now.
The North (C) Def. Rich Swann & Willie Mack, RVD & Rhino: IMPACT World Tag Team Championships. 9/10
The North really are a throwback team and always completely deliver in their matches, it’s great booking because I was slightly worried that the tag champs were actually going to lose this time but thankfully they didn’t. Mack & Swann having only been teaming for a short while are showing that they will be great Tag Team Champions & I know it’s gonna happen soon, but for me the biggest suprise of the night came when RVD super kicked his partner Rhino in the head whilst the war machine was climbing into ring. Many people think it’s because of what happened between the two in the past when Rhino broke Robs ankle in ECW but I guess we’ll have to wait for Rob’s explanation. The North would take advantage of this and deliver their fireman’s carry/ Spine buster for the win and retain their titles.
I really enjoyed this match as all 3 tag teams worked extremely well together and was possibly my favourite match from RVD since his return, Also during the match Mack & Josh Alexander were squaring off and as Willie went for a springboard move Willie accidentally kicked the camera which put it out of action for a few minutes.
It was announced that Joey Ryan had officially signed with IMPACT wrestling.
Micheal Elgin Def. Marufuji 10/10
What a match this was, it was hyped up a lot as a strong style dream match and it completely lived up to the expectation, it was the perfect mix of Marufujis Athletic strong style mixed with Big Mike’s power and quick athleticism. Both men delivered dives to the outside and kicked out of each others finishers, although the crowd took a while to get into it they soon realised what they had in front of them at that was two of the biggest stars in Wrestling and two of the absolute best. Chants of “Fight forever” rang through the sold out Odeum, the match would eventually come to an end after several near finishes when Big Mike delivered a hard burning hammer for the three.
Big Mike surely has to get another opportunity at the world championship & I know some felt Marufuji wouldn’t give his all for this match, but he is a legend in Japanese wrestling and never fails to give his all in any match up he has.
X Division Championship ladder match: Ace Austin (C) Def. Tessa Blanchard, Jake Crist, Acey Romero & Daga. 10/10
The X Division stars never disappoint, this match was given all the potential to steal the show and wow did it. So many amazing spots and star quality show throughout the match, really making the most of the ladder stipulation. Ladder matches have always been my favourite stipulation and this match reminded me why, there was a great tower of doom spot with Ace Austin on the top rop as Tessa set up a ladder in the corner as a bridge, she stands on the ladder putting Ace in a superplex position & is Joined by Daga then Joined by the champion Jake Crist but Acey Baby would powerbomb them all off the ropes but Ace Austin clung onto the top rope saving himself. Another ladder was bridged from the apron to the guard rail Daga would dive over the top rope and deliver a huge destroyer to Jake Crist, that would take Daga out of the rest of the match, Acey would be taken out after Tessa pushes him off the ladder to the outside through a table.
Whilst Tessa was left alone in the ring and the crowd were solidly behind her but Dave Crist would come to ringside but is swiftly taken out by Tessa with a dive to outside and goes back to the ladder but then comes Mad Man Fulton but Tessa would deliver a hurricanra which sends Fulton head first into the ladder, Tessa then again begins to climb getting fingertips on the title. Jake Crist runs up trying to save his championship but after being slammed head first on top of the ladder falls down through a table inside the ring, Tessa reaches for title again but after springboarding from the ropes Ace Austin jumps onto the ladder and extends his Cain. Delivering a blow to Blanchard and as she falls Ace pulls the title down.
I said the day of Aces Debut that he will be X Division Champion by the the end of the Year and I’m happy to say I was right, Ace is perfect for the X Division Championship. I know some are disappointed that Tessa Blanchard didn’t win but this is far from over.
Moose W/ Frank Trigg Def. Ken Shamrock 7/10
In a match I wasn’t too sure about thinking that Shamrock may not be able to go or that it was very much overhyped but complete respect to Ken, 55 years old and diving over the top rope. Delivering suplex’s and yeah there were some sloppy moments but it was never going to be Flair & Steamboat, but thankfully the right result took place with Moose picking up the win. He did have a little help from Trigg when he removed the turnbuckle pad and slid a chair into the ring however the chair would be used on Moose by the first champion in IMPACT history, Shamrock would lock on the Ankle lock but Moose would keep finding ways to escape it. Mr IMPACT Wrestling Would soon deliver the No Jackhammer needed spear and beat Ken Shamrock.
The next IMPACT Wrestling PPV was announced for January 2020 and is called Hard to Kill.
Main Event: World championship Match. Brian Cage (C)Def. Sami Callihan. No DQ 10/10
The champ and challenger didn’t wait for the formal introductions and went at it straight away, Cage just started to dominate from the outset. A few minutes it the champion got the claws from his wolverine entrance costume and ran them over the head of the Death machine instantly busting him open. Brian Cage was pissed and took out all his anger out on the man who had made their rivalry personal when he attacked his wife twice, Callihan would get short bursts of offence but it would soon turn back in the favour of the world champion. Cage even powerbombed Callihan into the ring post, Callihan delivered his Cactus special piledriver through a guardrail that was balanced on the ring steps and a chair. Both men kicked out of moves that should have ended the match but as soon as Cage delivered the drill claw the match was over and as I’m sure others were I was suprised by that result. Thinking that Callihan would win the world championship but I don’t think this is a one & done feud.
Overall rating: 9/10
So that was Bound for Glory and I really enjoyed it all, last weekend impact wrestling gave us 4 shows and 3 ppv quality shows from Prelude to Glory live on IMPACT plus and All Glory live on Twitch. The AXS tv Era has officially begun and IMPACT Wrestlings redemption is in full swing, I wanna take this opportunity to thank Anthem Sports and Entertainment as well IMPACT Wrestling for making me proud to be a fan of Wrestling and Impact wrestling. So proud I’ve now officially been a fan of IMPACT for 7 years and I will never stop being a fan of IMPACT Wrestling because they are #HardToKill.
