From pushing young stars aside and pushing men in their sixties to the flat out dumbfounded booking, TNA has been nothing but a let down and it got to an all time low when Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff walked into the fray. However, in the past few weeks, IMPACT Wrestling has turned things up to the point where it has been an overall better show than Raw....Raw has been at its worst of all time, arguably, but that is big for TNA to be the most entertaining mainstream product on television.
Firing Vince Russo was the best first step into this process....Anyways, before going on continuously about the improvement of this show, one can only be satisfied that they have been stepping up in time for a their biggest show of the year, Bound for Glory. Is it a perfect show? No, far from it, but Bound for Glory has enormous potential to be a smashing success...or it can fail, as TNA has been known to do over the years. Bound for Glory at least certainly has the "big show" feel to it, which is something neither brand of mainstream wrestling has been able to do well as of late. The card looks solid and the build up for some of the matches has been off the charts. Other matches have not received a portion of what others have. Nonetheless....it's TNA....At least they are improving. I will run down the card for the events happening later on today and feel free to leave your comments!
World Heavyweight Championship: Kurt Angle (c) vs Bobby Roode
Let me start off praising TNA for closing the event with this match and promising no interference. Knowing TNA, interference could still happen, but I truly expect it to happen after the match up. Letting one of the best performers of all time facing arguably the best young star in the industry today, this match has all the potential to be a Match of the Year candidate. Roode has been built to seem he has a chance with a streak of impressive victories, promos, and others putting him over and Kurt has played the classic heel role to perfection. Angle has even built up Roode by stressing the importance of this match, opposed to just talking about how Roode is some "worthless, flash in the pan punk," like so many older stars say about the new generation during feuds. Bobby Roode looks like he has a credible chance, which makes this match feel even better. If TNA keeps the interference minimal and let's these guys go, it could be a fantastic, old school wrestling match between two awesome competitors. In my eyes, I do predict Angle going over as I feel TNA does not have the full confidence of Roode to be the leader for their company, which is ridiculous, nonetheless what guys like Hulk Hogan believe. The outcome may upset some, but I feel Angle gets the win here to retain. If Roode does win, it would be an awesome moment for him and James Storm to celebrate as the show comes to a close. Who knows? My gut says Angle, but I hope I'm wrong. TNA has done great with this feud and hope they do not disappoint.
Predicted Winner: Kurt Angle to retain
Street Fight: Sting vs Hulk Hogan
This could be the biggest clusterf*** of a match up in over a decade as Sting and Hulk Hogan will finally face off to finish this feud. If Sting wins, Dixie Carter regains control of TNA....Dixie also announced she will be there in attendance....Wonder who is going to win? Only a complete and utter moron would believe Hogan will get the win here, as Sting will take the win in this "fight." The build up has been a year long and really...not that well done in the slightest....but what can you expect from these two? You can see that they are trying to make this good, but they can't. This feud was okay twenty years ago, but not in 2011. If kept short with minimal interference, this could be a nice ten minute treat of a street fight. They could make this watchable to an extent if it is somewhat short. I don't expect Hogan to take anything big in terms of bumps, as he really can't anyways. This could either be short and sweet, or the Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler at WrestleMania for this year's, Bound for Glory....Meaning, far too long, too much interference, and a gigantic waste of time. Based on TNA's booking, it will be the latter, which could ruin the entire show if it takes time away from matches with real potential. No doubt Sting goes over here....and as far as which way the match will go, I could honestly not give a fair prediction....But it will either be decent or flat out terrible.
Predicted Winner: Sting
Full Metal Mayhem: Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn
I'll assume that Full Metal Mayhem is WWE's TLC concept. Don't blame me for being unsure, blame the 1,000 names for cage matches TNA has made over the years. This feud has really been put on the back burner, which is a damn shame considering how great this match can be and presumably will be. Lynn has been booked horribly, making me less invested in him than ever before. RVD has not been booked as very inspired either....Honestly, it's TNA's apology to the fans for RVD vs Lynn being canceled at Hardcore Justice last year. I'm not going to complain about match quality, as it can be fantastic, but the build up has been one of the worst on the entire card. Also, this seems to be Lynn's blowoff match in TNA, unless they have someone else to feud with for him afterward, but I doubt it. Either way, RVD takes the victory here in a very good match up.
Predicted Winner: Rob Van Dam
Falls Count Anywhere: Bully Ray vs Mr. Anderson
The nicest surprise in 2011 will square off with the man of 1,000 turns, Mr. Anderson in a Falls Count Anywhere match. Is this a match I'm eagerly anticipating? No, but that does not mean it won't be a nice match at a midpoint of the show. Don't get me wrong, it could be an awful, uncoordinated, and awkward match up given Anderson's ability, but the hardcore aspect gives the two an excuse to make this a brawl and not a wrestling match. However, out of the all the No DQ fights, this is the least interesting of the four matches. The special enforcer mentioned as well as the presumed Abyss interference, really does zero for me as well. Who the Hell is Abyss right now and whose side is he on? Why will there be a special referee? Let me guess, it will be Abyss and he'll make his true full fledged face turn by taking out Ray? Who knows? I really don't care. The brawl will be okay, nothing about decent...and the interference does nothing for me. I'll go with Anderson getting the victory and Ray getting his heat back the following episode of IMPACT...As for Anderson...Who cares?
Predicted Winner: Mr. Anderson
I Quit Match: AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels
When TNA Creative has nothing for AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels, the answer is to always either tag them up together or feud with each other. As good as this match will be and as good as these two have improved in their backstage segments as they weeks have drawn closer to Bound for Glory, I wish this storyline had been for a championship or some compensation, opposed to the, "I'm jealous of you," storyline they have done with these two at least once a year. However, this match I feel has been built up a tad better than the matches on the lower mid card and it will be another classic between these two. The "I Quit" stipulation adds a nice, new touch, which makes this bout between these two different than their previous encounters. I believe this match will be very back and forth in the ring to begin, and the violence will turn about on the outside as the bout goes on. This can be a potential show stealer, given it gets a good amount of time, and I feel TNA will allow them to get a good twenty minutes. As for the winner, I can only imagine AJ Styles going over here, given how I doubt they will get the babyface to say, "I Quit." A swerve would be excellent, if Daniels were to win this clean, but I doubt it. With the hopes of Daniels winning, I still believe Styles goes over here in what could be a show stealing encounter.
Predicted Winner: AJ Styles
Samoa Joe vs Matt Morgan vs Crimson
The battle of the big guys, and I must once again say as much as I wish I cared for this match, I do not. Matt Morgan was thrown in the mix and Joe deemed it to be a Triple Threat match at Bound for Glory. Is there really a winner in this match? What is the incentive to win? The other two guys who lose really can not afford it, unless TNA is just going to throw them under the bus once again. As good of a match these guys can have and I feel they will have with limited time, I just do not know what to say I'm looking forward to from a storyline perspective. They have all been booked so inconsistently and last time I checked, they were all babyfaces, although Joe is likely heel for the 324857759393493th time this month. This match will be a well wrestled bout, which is good, but they could have made this match so much better if they at least made this a #1 contenders match for the World Championship. That alone would have made this match stand out more than it will. Crimson goes over here to increase his winning streak of sorts in a decent match up. All three guys will wrestle their hearts out and they will do well considering they are all solid in the ring, but there's just nothing to really care about.
Predicted Winner: Crimson
X Division Championship: Austin Aries (c) vs Brian Kendrick
Let me just say, I'm not a Brian Kendrick fan. His character is confusing and half of the time, his promos make literally no sense whatsoever. I just do not buy the guy as a leading babyface for the X Division. Austin Aries on the other hand, is exactly what makes up an awesome leading heel for this division. Both guys can certainly go in the ring, which will make this match exciting, but again, the interest in Kendrick's character bores me and makes me not want to see him capture the championship. Not that I feel it will happen anyways, as Aries has been just as good as he has been in this stint as X Division Champion. The build up has been okay, and Kendrick has been booked (poorly) with an advantage coming into this match, as he had the upper hand last week on, IMPACT. However, Aries goes over here as he needs a big win like this. Kendrick should not be the top babyface for this division and needs to step down or completely change this character after tonight.
Predicted Winner: Austin Aries to retain
Knockouts Championship: Winter (c) vs Mickie James vs Velvet Sky vs Madison Rayne
The Knockouts division is just another division that has fallen so far since its inception a few years ago. One of the personalities that I do have to give big props to is, Karen Jarrett, who really is a fun character to have in an authority role for the Knockouts division...Nonetheless, I'm not all that excited for the match, itself. I'm not all that high on women's wrestling to begin with, and although the match looks solid on card, I feel as though this could end up being a typical TNA clusterf***. I do hope it can live up to the potential that these women can perform on, but I wouldn't be holding my breath for a show stealer from these women. If they can keep it without interference and give it more than two minutes, this could be a great match. The reason I doubt is due to TNA's very inconsistent booking. As for who wins? It is a tough one to call, but I have to say that there will be a new champion, and via coin toss, I say that Mickie James goes over here. Sure, Rayne has a good chance with her pairing with Karen, but I say Mickie gets the rub because she is the biggest name in the match on the biggest event of the year. Do I like it? Not really, but I'm not very enthusiastic on this division anyways. Mickie goes over in a solid match, if done correctly.
Predicted Winner: Mickie James to capture the title
World Tag Team Championships: Mexican America (c) vs Ink Inc
When I look at this match, I only think of how far TNA's tag team division has fallen. Mexican America is awful and Ink Inc came out of practically nowhere for this match up. I feel race gimmicks are a few decades old already and Ink Inc seems very one dimensional, although they are a good enough tag team. The hype has been somewhat inconsistent, which doesn't help me care much for either team. I will never be a fan of Mexican America, as they are dangerous in the ring and obnoxious on the microphone. Both teams will try to put on a good match, but I feel this will be one of the most forgettable bouts on the card. I feel as though Mexican America prevails in a below average tag team match up. Again, don't expect all that too much from the wrestlers involved or the women cheering on their respective teams. It's a very dull match and hard to become excited for. Nonetheless, I see no real reason to take the belts off of Mexican America from a storyline perspective. Again, they could throw it on Ink Inc...but it's not like the tag team division matters to this company anyways.
Predicted Winners: Mexican America to retain
Extra PPV Notes
Jeff Hardy, James Storm, and Jeff Jarrett are the three biggest names currently not booked for the event. Jeff Hardy is advertised to appear and I do see himself and Jarret having an impromptu match. I see Hardy going over as TNA will presumably start to build him as the top babyface he should have been booked as in the first place, not that horrible heel garbage they tried to do. As for Storm, I see him coming out at the end of the main event or taking out someone during the match that tries to screw Roode out of the victory. I also expect some celebration of Dixie and Sting following Sting's match with Hulk Hogan. Hopefully all the good matches get a decent amount of time, as this show has such potential. This could either be the beginning of a brighter future for this company, or it can be just another reminder that this company is going nowhere. Also, I will be providing live coverage, so look out for that!
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