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TNA: Bound for Glory- October 23, 2005
by ProjectSelfRevolution

Since Bound For Glory is this Sunday and I made a post at DWB as to which show I should review next, it's only fitting that the response was, Bound for Glory 2005. So I'll do the best I can with backstories and everything. But here we go. The date is October 23rd, 2005.

Preshow Segment: Double J, AMW and Gail Kim are all around a hearse talking about killing off Team 3D and then say someone is leaving in a casket tonight. Whoopie.


Preshow Match: Alex Shelley vs. Roderick Strong vs. Austin Aries vs. Sonjay Dutt.

Backstory: None. A showcase match.

Outcome: Sonjay Dutt via pinfall after a DragonRana on Roderick Strong.

Analysis: Spotfest and make no mistake about it. That's what the X Division is all about and that's about it. These four guys get about twelve minutes to showcase what they can do and it came out pretty well dispite having Sonjay Dutt involved. I won't lie about it, not all that huge on Dutt but everyone hit their spots clean and it really got the crowd pumped for wrestling on this night. It wasn't the best spotfest I've ever seen but it was enough to keep my eyes on the screen long enough for everyone to do a signature move or two. But as the normal with TNA crowds, THEY NEVER SHUT THE HELL UP! Honestly, they're always chanting something it seems. Ugh.

Regardless, this was probably the best preshow match TNA ever held in their time of doing it. Let's face it, when one match has this amount of talent... and Sonjay, it's hard not to do something half way entertaining. If this was a main show match, it would have been a show stealer but since it was a preshow match, it was largely forgotten after it happened because the only regular in TNA at the time was really Sonjay so the whole thing of him going over in the match wasn't a huge problem. Fun match to get the crowd pumped and that's what it was done for. Good job guys. **3/4


Preshow Segment: Shilling from West and Tenay. Then we get those match screens that have everyone in that match on there. Fun. I know all the main matches of the show. I feel so special now. Then we get some stuff from Tenay and West about having every wrestler being ready to take the spot of the injuried Kevin Nash... SHOCK!

Preshow Promo: Raven is in the ring and complains about Larry Zzzz and how he should put Raven in the main event. Although Raven does give an entertaining line, this is pretty dull. After some banter between Raven and Larry, Rhino comes down to the ring and talks crap about Raven and then goes on a GORE streak. Fun. I could see why this was on the preshow though. Pretty meh stuff from Raven however hearing Raven say he would trade this moment for "God's balls in a nutcracker" is probably one of the best promo lines ever in TNA.

Preshow Promo: Backstage with AJ Styles who talks about his Ironman match against Christopher Daniels. He compares his rivalary with Daniels to Georgia/Florida for college football. I find it hard to disagree.

Hype Video: Who cares. Just a bunch of clips from earlier 2005 PPVs.


Opening Match: Samoa Joe vs. Jushin Liger

Backstory: A dream match. Outcome: Samoa Joe via choking out Lyger.

Analysis: This was sadly disappointing. For one, it was the opening match. Two, it was less then ten minutes. Honestly, why would you want to bring in Liger for less then ten minutes. Pretty pointless but the match itself wasn't anything special. Thinking that it has Samoa Joe and Jushin Liger, it'd rock the house no matter how much time it got but that's not the case here tonight. I found it to be very dull and it just served to have Samoa Joe put another notch in his belt for beating people in singles match as he had lost a few multiman matches even though he was never beat in them. As hard as West and Tenay try to shill this match to me as something great, I just can't buy it.

Liger vs. Joe was put in a horrible slot and they just came out with a flat match. I don't know who wasn't ready for this or if neither of them were just not feeling it that night but this was a vastly disappointing match. Joe does get all his normal offense it seems as Lyger does moves that just get a pop out of the crowd. If anything, this match was just more so trying to get the name Jushin Lyger on their biggest show of the year and didn't give a crap what this match did. Still, this could have been so much better then it was. **

Segment: Clips of the TNA Fanfest.

Backstage Promo: Simon Diamond with Diamonds in the Rough. Generic promo from a rather boring team.


Second Match: Diamonds in the Rough vs. Sonny Siaki/Apolo/Shark Boy

Backstory: No idea. I think it's just a match.

Outcome: David Young via pinfall after a Spinebuster on Siaki.

Analysis: This was just one of those matches to get people on the card so they can get a pay day. I just couldn't manage to get excited about this match. It's on the short side and it's just action. Typical face in peril segment but I couldn't care about this match because it's a payday match. Really nothing to talk about. 1/2*

Backstage Promo: Double J is backstage with Gail Kim as Shane Douglas is flapping his gums about god knows what and Jeff gives an answer. Meh. Monty Brown comes in and talks about the Pounce and Lance Hoyt. Weeeee, I don't care!!!


Third Match: Lance Hoyt vs. Monty Brown

Backstory: No video package is shown so I have no idea.

Outcome: Monty Brown via pinfall after a POUNNNNNNNCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!... period.

Analysis: One of the pure power matches that TNA has. It's nothing wildly great and pretty dull overall. Lance Hoyt is a perfect cure for insomnia. He basically offers nothing at all in this match outside of a plancha and an attempted moonsault. On the other hand, Brown has charisma and isn't hugely horrible here. He looks to be focused on beating the hell out of Hoyt during the process of the match but spends far too much time pandering to the crowd at points. Then again, most power matches have a lot of showboating after hitting a move. At one point, Hoyt hits a big boot and celebrates before going to the top and using that moonsault. He doesn't get the win either following the move.

The same goes with Brown at certain points. After the Alpha Bomb, he took to long and celebrated after hitting one of his signature moves. Didn't get the win after the cover. This is a largely pointless match other then trying to show how athletic Hoyt is but seeing fat guys do a moonsault, it's less impressive. The same could be said about this match. Not impressive. *

Segment: West and Tenay talk about Global Impact.

Backstage Promo: Shane Douglas is with 3 Live Kru... I wanna cry now. BG goes on about god knows what. I don't think he even knows. Kip James then come in and offers backup. Konnan gets pissy and walks off. Bleh. Largely unimpressive again.


Fourth Match: Team Canada (Eric Young/Robert Roode/A-1) w/ Scott D'Amore vs. 3 Live Kru

Backstory: No idea. I guess 3LK hates Team Canada, like all the other faces.

Outcome: Eric Young via pinfall over BG James after Roode hit James in the head with a hockey stick.

Analysis: Do I really have to talk about this match? Simply put, you're better off skipping this match. Less said, the better. I'm sorry but I just can't... ugh. This is near the end of WCW stuff here. Just a total wreck to watch. Not fun. Generic to the max. DUD

Backstage Segment: Douglas is now with Larry Zzzz. Douglas mentions all the people that could face Jarrett tonight. Larry makes some explains and that's about does it.


Fifth Match: Matt Bentley vs. Petey Williams vs. Chris Sabin in an Ultimate X!

Backstory: The winner gets to be Number One Contender for the X Division Title. There is a cool hype package before the match with some clips of all three men talking about it.

Outcome: Petey Williams after the X falls into his hands after a botch.

Analysis: First of all let me say this... the whole giant X idea that hangs off the wire is all well and good but they had problems keeping it up this time around. It fell off one time and the ring crew had to put it back up. Then the second time, it happened to fall into Petey's hands which techinally made him the winner. A less then perfect way to end this match. They wound up having a rematch on the next Impact that was even better then this match. Regardless now that I have that out of the way... let's talk about the match.

The whole object of Ultimate X is to make your way towards the title or giant X in this case. But think of the opening match and just take away one person and put the X into effect. The structure of this match or any ladder match is simple, get your opponents out of way before you try and go for it. Most of the time, someone gets caught and is brought down. This makes every Ultimate X suffer in one way or another. In my opinion, you've seen one, you pretty much seen 'em all. This doesn't stop these three from giving it all they have along with hitting their signature moves. This is far from the best Ultimate X match but it's far from the worse. It's right in the middle of the road and largely unexciting which is quickly becoming the theme of this whole show. These three tried so hard to make this great but with the X falling off the wires all the time and just being so formula, it didn't succeed in making a show stealing match. **1/4


Sixth Match: The Naturals vs. America's Most Wanted (c) for the NWA Tag Team Championship

Backstory: There is a hype video that pretty much lets you know what happened so I got no reason to explain a lot of the story.

Outcome: James Storm via pinfall on Chase Stevens following a Death Sentence.

Analysis: This isn't a horrible outing. It was pretty good actually. The whole structure of this match is simple. Naturals want revenge on AMW while AMV is willing to take any short cut to win the match. However, as good as it was, once it got into the ring after a lengthy opening sequence of the floor, it got to be a formula face in peril match. The brawling was a great way to get across the hate in a match like this were both teams know each other so well. Once Storm was taken out for a while following a Powerbomb onto the guard rail, it takes him out for a good few minutes which allows Stevens and Douglas to beat up on Harris for quite a while. The first turning point comes after Gail Kim gets involved in order for Storm to take control on Douglas which leads into the face in peril.

Following a beat down, the normal hot tag is made and Stevens cleans house. A few nearfalls occur naturally as then Gail Kim gets invovled again. This allows the second huge advantage as Douglas gets handcuffed to the guard rail while trying to take Kim out of the match. This gives the AMW the second advantage which is all they need to win this match. They use a bottle on Stevens' face and that sets up the finish of this match.

This was a really fun encounter. The Naturals thought they could have taken it but AMW had that factor of Gail Kim that was huge throughout this reign as champions. This is the first good match on the show that I really enjoyed that didn't have a three Ring of Honor regulars. These two teams knew what to do and went out and excuted what they wanted to do. ***


Seventh Match: Sabu vs. Rhino vs. Abyss vs. Jeff Hardy in a Monster's Ball 2!

Backstory: Hype video. I love these... makes my job a lot easier.

Outcome: Rhino via pinfall on Jeff Hardy after a Rhino Driver.

Analysis: This is a garbage brawl. Spots with weapons, hardcore, whatever you want to call it. But these four made it fun to watch at times. The brutality level in this match is pretty amazing for a national product like TNA. Sure there isn't a gory amount of blood or light tubes, they make due with what they're given. Chairs, tables, ladders, tacks and all of that good stuff make these four men seem like they went through hell in order to win this match. However, one thing I have to point out... the TNA fans chant E-C-DUB once Rhino is out in the ring. Although ECW was fun, there is zero reason to chant that another promotions show. Small gripe I realize but it's just something more that annoys me about the fans in the Impact Zone. And why is Jeff Hardy covered in alien spunk? Just wondering. If you have an answer, please e-mail me.

But this is a brawl. Nothing in the way of mat wrestling. Almost "bowling shoe ugly" at a few points. But when you have Jeff Hardy and Sabu who are pretty well known for blowing spots numerous times in a match, it's hard not to expect them to do it in this match. But there is too much brawling and not enough weapon usage at time. As West and Tenay shill this match, it makes me wonder how they can manage to keep a straight face most of the time. But it seems like Hardy and Abyss are squared off too much and the same with Sabu and Rhino. In the start, it's pretty much like a tag team match that is a straight up brawl. But once they weapons start to come, the good spots do as well. But as much as there is spots, there is dull filler chair shots that don't mean anything in the long run.

This whole match is just summed up in the typical word of the night... dull. Much like the Ultimate X match, it's got some great points to it but it's just mainly hardly anything memorable in the scheme of things outside of these guys beating the hell out of each other. But whatever. This starts the whole run of Rhino for the big ending of the show. That's just me. You'd be better off finding a CZW match if you want hardcore and violence. I know its TNA and everything but when you tell me blood and violence and huge spots, I want them all the match. Not just here or there. **


Eight Match: Christopher Daniels vs. AJ Styles in Ironman 2 for the X Division Title.

Backstory: Hype Video.

Outcome: AJ Styles wins 1-0.

Analysis: While I'll make it no secret that AJ Styles is probably the most overrated wrestler in the United States, it won't bias me in this review in the least bit. Just thought I'd be honest and say that. West, the big goof, ends up stating the obvious when he says you gotta win the most pinfalls to win the match. In the early going, they make it shown and Tenay reinforces this... both men know what the other can do very well. In the first two minutes, they make it known when AJ attempts a dive and Daniels is quick to block him off. So AJ has to resort in trying a different way to make it through the defense of Daniels. But this whole match is structured like a normal match. It's a mix to start. Then after a few minutes, AJ gets the control by using the high flying moves of his. He manages to keep Daniels put in a side head lock for about a minute before it goes into a grounded head lock. Everything Daniels tries to do in a span of four minutes or so, AJ goes back to the side headlock. Even when Daniels tries to get AJ into a pin, AJ keeps the headlock in until Daniels finally reverses into an armbar.

However, once Daniels tries to work the arm, AJ goes back to the headlock. Smart wrestling for once by Styles... this far. This first ten minutes of so of this match is AJ showing that he can outsmart Daniels in any turn. This isn't a bad game plan but but working that side headlock for so long, it makes AJ look dumb holding off on the big moves in order to get the first pin. But then Tenay and West have to point out that AJ is wearing him down. So that's what AJ wants to do and in the first ten or so minutes, it's exactly what he does.

After those first ten minutes, Daniels finally gets his first real impact move in on Styles after an attempted top rope move in the Exploder Suplex. This turns the tide for Daniels as he starts to wear down AJ with anything he can think of much like the way AJ did to him. So as you can imagine, Daniels seemingly goes after the head of AJ. Once AJ tries for a couple of flash pins, Daniels gets him in the Koji Clutch which nearly beat him eight months ago at Against All Odds. But the main difference in this situation is that Daniels uses it way sooner then he did in their first iron man match. AJ knew how to get out of it and that's a sign of using that play off of the first Iron Man match and how well they know each other.

After Daniels only gets control for five minutes, AJ regains it back and starts to bring out the high impact moves that would hopefully gain him the pinfall go one up on Daniels. The last fifteen minutes of this match is worked like a normal X Division match. A ton of moves thrown out at each other in order to get that meaningful first fall. During this time though, both men put it all on the line. Daniels even busts out a tope in order to get this advantage in the match. AJ does the same with a Somersault Plancha. So like I said, normal X Division fare right now with these moves. It's nothing bad though as they are hitting them clean and Daniels nearly kills AJ with a Backdrop Suplex off the apron. While it doesn't quite have the same effect as other moves off the apron seen as in Japan, it's pretty risky.

Basically this match is divided into two parts. The mat worked part which takes up the first half of the iron man match and then the all out assault to end the match. That's something you usually see in X Division matches but this was given time to tell a story at times. That story being that both men knew each other's moves greatly and the finish plays off of the Unbreakable three way match where AJ is able to counter that Angels Wings into that pinning press and Daniels was able to kick out of it until they reverse moves and AJ finally gets the Styles Clash. Very smart finish considering what the X Division is known for. So basically, when you break down this match, it has nearly everything that means something to the X Division. The mat work, the high impact moves and flash pins.

This was an excellent match. Probably the best match either man had in 2005 in TNA. While it's nothing near to what they could have done, they had to keep everything exciting for the Impact Zone fans which really haven't seen a whole lot of mat wrestling so they couldn't keep. For a comparison though, this is like Low Ki vs. American Dragon from Ring of Honor's first Round Robin Challenge. The first half of the match was the wrestling and the second was the high impact in order to put the opponent away. While that Ring of Honor match wasn't iron man, Styles and Daniels never made me believe that this was an iron man match until there as about ten minutes left in the match. Regardless, this was my "Match of the Year" in TNA for 2005. ****1/4


Ninth Match: Ten Man Gauntlet to face Jeff Jarrett right after.

Backstory: They needed an opponent for Jarrett since Nash was unable to wrestle that night.

Outcome: Rhino wins it.

Analysis: I am unable to do it as the DVD always cuts out right after this match starts. I could watch it on fast forward but Gauntlets are hard to rate anyways.


Main Event: Rhino vs. Jeff Jarrett (c) for the NWA World Title.

Backstory: Rhino won Monster's Ball, he won the Gauntlet all in one night and now he has to wrestle a third time against Jeff Jarrett with Tito Ortiz as the ref.

Outcome: Rhino via pinfall after a Gore.

Analysis: This is basically a mauling. Jarrett is fresh and hasn't wrestled all night. While Rhino was beaten down. He was hurt, he was tired. So basically this match is Jarrett beating Rhino down a lot. However, Rhino refused to stay down. He refused to quit. Once Jarrett tried to introduce his guitar to finally put Rhino down, Ortiz took it away from Jarrett and that enabled Rhino to hit the Gore. That's about the whole match. So it wasn't as much of a match as it was a beating with someone going over Jarrett in order to make the fans happy. 1/2*

Final Segment: AMW comes down to the ring to help Jarrett beat down Rhino even more after the match. Jarrett basically got up after getting pinned to help AMW beat down Rhino. 3 Live Kru come down to help Rhino and then Team Canada comes down to beat down 3LK. The casket gets into the ring as Team Canada and Jarrett attempt to put Rhino in it. But before they could, TEAM 3D come back from the dead to clean house and take care of the bad guys. They put Eric Young into the casket as Rhino makes his way to his feet as all the faces celebrate to end the show.


Final Thoughts: As being billed as their big show of the year, it was so lackluster and dull, it was pathetic. TNA continues to suffer from very weak Pay Per Views that usually have one to two good matches per show and thats it. That's all they could muster back then and now. If not for the pre show match, the Tag Team Title match and the Iron Man, this show would have been a total write off. But the only match to even track down from this show is the Iron Man match. This could be classified as a one match show but what are you gonna do? Thankfully I only paid $1.99 for this at a Gamestop because it was anything more, I would have been ripped off. Skip this show and just download the Iron Man match, it'll save you time and your sanity.

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