It’s been too long since I’ve previewed a wrestling PPV and tonight is TNA’s biggest show of the year, so let’s see if I can make me some good predictions. they can’t be any worse than my baseball playoff pics, I hope. Speaking of which, Cardinals and Red Sox? I’m having trouble caring less about whether I watch that or not. I didn’t think I could hate the Red Sox anymore than I already do, but the thought of seeing John Farrell stick it to the Blue Jays in the ultimate fashion may be more than I can handle.
Ok, on to Bound for Glory!
Preshow Match: Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian) versus Bromans (Robbie E and Jessie Godderz) versus Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez versus Eric Young and Joseph Park in a Gauntlet Match to face the World Tag Team Champions on the Pay Per View
Thoughts: This is the match that will be on the 1 hour special airing on Spike TV tonight at 7 Eastern, an hour before the PPV starts. Smart to feature this there to build interest and hopefully get a few last minute buys for the show.
If the goal is to make sure that the best match possible takes place for the paying customer, then Bad Influence has to win. I mean no disrespect to anyone else in the match, but Daniels and Kazarian are far and away the best team in the company in every possible way. But if the goal is to feed somebody to Storm and Gunner to make them seem important and memorable for once, then Bromans it is. But this being Bound for Glory, the goal should be great wrestling, so…
Winners: Bad Influence.
Knockouts Title Match: ODB versus Brooke Tessmacher versus Gail Kim
Thoughts: ODB just won the title and I’ve never been a fan of short title runs, but I’d be very surprised to see her retain here. I’m going with Brooke, especially considering her association with Bully Ray. Her win would make it appear like his crew has momentum heading towards his main event world title defense, so it just makes sense. I wouldn’t be shocked to see some Lei’D Tapa involvement at some point, since if we don’t they’ve basically brought her in and made her the mysterious centrepiece of the division for no reason. She’s been portrayed as a heel so far, so maybe the reason she’s attacking everyone is that Brooke paid her off.
Winner: Brooke.
Bobby Roode versus Kurt Angle
Thoughts: Roode needs the win more than Angle does, but this is Kurt’s first match back after his recent legal troubles and stint in rehab plus he just went into the TNA hall of Fame, so I don’t think I like poor Bobby’s chances. But either way I’m looking forward to this match and would be fine with either man winning. Perhaps Angle wins, only to be beaten down after the match to set up a longer term feud.
Winner: Angle
Sting versus Magnus
Thoughts: If Sting wins, these people are insane. Everything involving Magnus has centred around the young guy with all the potential hitting some hard times and trying to prove to himself that he belongs. He’s getting his chance on the biggest stage TNA has, so if he loses clean they might as well cut him loose, because he’s done.
Winner: Magnus.
X Division Title Match: Manik versus Austin Aries versus Jeff Hardy versus Chris Sabin versus Samoa Joe in an Ultimate X Match
Thoughts: I can’t wait for this one. Aside from that time when the X fell down because they didn’t know how to suspend it above the ring, these matches almost always deliver. I love my good wrestling psychology, but a little bit of crazy is nice now and then.
This feels like a match that anyone can win…unless you’re Manik. Poor guy. and to add insult to injury, he’s the champion. Not that you’d know he was the champion based on how much and how he’s been used since he won the thing, but he is. My guess is heel shenanigans by Sabin win the day after so close efforts by everyone else.
Winner: Sabin.
Impact Wrestling Tag Title Match: Gunner and James Storm versus Winner of PreShow Gauntlet Match
Thoughts: This is a hard one to call. James Storm and Gunner have done absolutely nothing for me as tag champs. I think the idea was that by pairing Gunner who could use the rub with Storm who is one of the more over guys in the company, Gunner would be elevated in the eyes of the fans. but instead, it feels to me like if anything it’s actually brought Storm down a notch or 2. The outcome here depends completely on what TNA wants to do. Are they intent on making something out of Gunner and Storm or is it time to end this experiment if you can even call hardly ever seeing the tag champions on TV an experiment? Storm is still over, but he’s getting to the point where the losses and failure are starting to catch up with him. Does he lose and turn heel? Lose and rededicate himself? Or do Storm and Gunner get a big win that might go a little way toward establishing them as something we need to take seriously? If the latter is what they’re after, you could do a whole lot worse than coming out on the winning end of a solid match with Daniels and Kaz. But unfortunately for Storm and Gunner (Gunstorm?), I’m not sure that’s what they’re after.
Winners, and new World Tag Team Champions of the World: Bad Influence.
Impact Wrestling World Title Match: Bully Ray versus A.J. Styles in a No Disqualification Match
Thoughts: I’m trusting TNA to do the right thing here, though I’ll admit that the no DQ stipulation has me a little worried that they might do something stupid. I’m begging you TNA, literally begging you not to get heel Dixie Carter involved in some kind of fuck finish to cap off your biggest event of the year, especially if you’d like me to buy more events in the future. Do what ever Stone Cold Vs. McMahon or Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan ripoff stuff you’d like later on to try to get the belt off of him, but tonight, please do the right thing and don’t screw us all over with awful, overbooked so-called storytelling. Please just pay off the story you’ve been trying to tell for the last 11 months and let Styles beat the odds and complete his comeback from the bottom.
Winner: Styles, or I may riot all by myself.
That’s the advertised lineup. Off the top of my head, there are at least 3 matches that I’m absolutely looking forward to, and I have high hopes that the rest of the show won’t disappoint. It’s a buy based on that alone, but if the rumours of serious financial problems in TNA are true and I’m as certain as I can be that they are, it’s also a buy based on helping to ensure that there is some sort of mainstream alternative to WWE. I’ve said a lot of justifiably mean things about TNA mainly due to Vince Russo, but they’ve made great strides in winning me back in the last few years, so now more than ever I’d like to see them survive so I can preview Bound for Glory 2014. Competition is, to borrow a popular phrase in wrestling these days, what’s best for business.