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Countdown to TNA Bound for Glory
By
SLAM! Wrestling Staff
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Once again, TNA heads into their WrestleMania with a slew of matches that attempt to showcase everything the company has.
Look through the card and you'll see virtually every gimmick Vince Russo and
co. had in their back pockets. It's almost surprising that the whole damn thing
isn't taking place inside a steel cage.
Going into Hotlanta will be an interesting dynamic, because the assumption
is that all the former WCW guys will be instant faces. That may not necessarily
be the case, but there's only one way to find out - tune in tonight for Bound
for Glory!
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MAIN EVENT: TNA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
MATCH
Kurt Angle vs. Sting |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
| WHAT YOU THINK |
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Who do you think will be TNA World champion after Bound For Glory?
Kurt Angle - 25%
Sting - 28%
Knowing TNA, neither of them - 47% |
In a normal world, Angle would win this match clean. Welcome to Planet TNA.
We'll have run-ins a go-go with Sting coming out on top in the end, thanks to
Angle's run in with the law, but as you will see in my later previews, he won't
hold the belt at the end of the night.
Matt Mackinder
Sting won the NWA World title at last year’s Bound For Glory, so does lightning
strike twice? Angle as champ makes sense and he should get a long run in my
opinion. Sting didn’t have much of a run last year. As much as I’d
like to see the Stinger get one last World title reign, I don’t see Angle
losing here. Angle wins, but does Sting tap? I say a cheap finish ruins this
match.
Bob Kapur
Not sure this one shouldn't have been held a year ago right after Sting won
at BFG06 and he was at his hottest. This should still be a pretty good match
- Angle's always good and Sting turns it up for big matches - as long as it
doesn't get hijacked by the Karen Angle circus. Angle retains.
Greg Oliver
I have to give some credit to TNA for building this well, but I'm not sure it's
a real eagerly-anticipated match. The right thing to do is have Sting submit
to Angle clean in the middle. But you know as well as I do that a variety of
people, including Karen Angle, will get involved. I still pick Angle to win
though.
Andy McNamara
With all his legal woes I think the TNA title goes back around the waist of
The Stinger.
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X-DIVISION TITLE MATCH
Jay Lethal vs. Christopher Daniels |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
Having finally got a chance to see Jay Lethal via my Fight Network preview,
I can say that I absolutely hate the gimmick. Daniels needs to go over and go
over strong here if the X-Division has any chance for survival.
Matt Mackinder
The X Division is the pride and joy of TNA and that, hopefully, will be on display
here. I love Lethal’s Randy Savage gimmick, but then, I like Daniels and
his Triple X mates. This match should be a solid five stars and see plenty of
aerial moves and high-risk maneuvers. Lethal is still young and has a lot of
years ahead, so give the belt to the Fallen Angel.
Bob Kapur
In my view, they really weakened Lethal by not capitalizing on his clean pin
of Angle and giving him a strong title run. I think they'll try to do damage
control here and give him the win.
Greg Oliver
Can the X Division belt mean something again? Maybe. Daniels as the centrepiece
makes far more sense to me than Lethal, who is entertaining as a knockoff but
not exactly an original. Daniels wins.
Andy McNamara
Time for Chris Daniels to shine in the sun once more, and it will be lights
out for Black Machismo.
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TNA TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH
Team Pacman vs. AJ Styles/Tomko |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
Yippee - another handicap match. The outcome here is never in doubt.
Matt Mackinder
Really, it’s Styles and Tomko against Ron Killings. Rumors have Pacman
done with TNA after this event, so maybe an angle has Pacman turning on the
Truth and allowing him to get pinned after a Styles Clash by Styles. Whatever
the ending, we’ll have new tag champs.
Greg Oliver
What are the plans for Pacman? Will he be around long-term? It's not like he's
actually wrestling. But hey, while on the subject of football players not wrestling,
since BFG is in Atlanta, why not bring in Michael Vick for a surprise appearance
too? I hope and wish that Styles & Tomko triumph, but my brain tells me
that Team Pacman retains. Or at least Ron Killings does; the other guys doesn't
appear to do much, does he?
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TNA WOMEN'S TITLE MATCH (GAUNTLET MATCH)
Amazing Kong vs. Christy Hemme vs. Angel Williams vs. Gail Kim vs. Jacqueline
Moore vs. Roxxi Leveaux vs. Traci Brooks vs. ODB vs. Talia Madison vs. Shelly
Martinez |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
In true TNA form, a WWE castaway will win the match tonight. My money would
be on Gail Kim to establish the division, as most tend to start with a face
champ, though Shelly Martinez (aka. Ariel) could take it just as easily.
Matt Mackinder
This match is to crown a women’s champ eh? Nice way to do it. If I’m
Vince Russo, I pull a McMahon-esque move and put Dixie Carter in the match at
the very end and give her the belt. No? OK, I’ll be serious and say that
Roxxi chick wins.
Bob Kapur
Internet rumours have Gail Kim winning this match. Sounds good to me. The talent's
there to make this one pretty good. Though it wouldn't surprise me either if
Ugly Naked Guy came out in drag and won.
Greg Oliver
A TNA women's belt, eh? It's hard not to root for Traci Brooks and Gail Kim,
two girls I used to watch on AWE shows out in Scarborough, Ontario. I think
Jackie Moore will win the belt, but one of the new gals - Amazing Kong? Angel
Williams (who I've also watched around Toronto)? - will put in a good performance
to propel herself into the No. 1 contender's spot.
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ULTIMATE X MATCH
LAX vs. XXX |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
TNA put this one together solely for the highspots. I'm excited to see the four
former RoH'ers mix it up, but I'd rather have seen a Texas Tornado match here,
rather than the Ultimate X which becomes just another gimmick match on this
card. XXX wins.
Matt Mackinder
Ah, the signature match of TNA. Can Hernandez even climb the ropes and then
the cables? Well, he did just fine in the cage match at the 2006 BFG, so why
not? These are my two favorite tag teams in TNA, so picking a winner is hard.
I’ll go with Senshi and Elix Skipper here and gives Triple X a clean sweep
on the night.
Bob Kapur
This should be the highlight reel of the night, with crazy spots all around.
XXX wins.
Greg Oliver
Shouldn't an Ultimate X match mean more? This feels like an afterthought: "Hey,
we haven't had the X bars across the ring in a while, let's throw these guys
in." XXX wins.
Andy McNamara
LAX just seems watered down and not that interesting to me these days. It should
be an exciting match up but i'll give the nod to XXX.
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MUST BE A WINNER MATCH (Matt Morgan -
Special Enforcer)
Samoa Joe vs. Christian Cage |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
A crooked special enforcer? Nah! Never! Oh please. Cage wins with shenanigans.
Matt Mackinder
This reeks of a heel turn by Morgan. Then again, I thought Angle might turn
heel when he was the special enforcer last year for Sting and Jeff Jarrett.
The end will be tainted, however, as Joe will have the rear naked choke on Cage
and Morgan won’t see it somehow. I’m unsure of the exact ending, but
expect Cage and Morgan to leave together.
Bob Kapur
This one has the potential to steal the show if they don't mess it up with overbooking.
Though with the special ref stipulation, I fear a bunch of shenanigans involving
AJ Styles, Tomko, Morgan and probably others will muck it up. Joe wins, ending
Cage's no-pin no-submit streak.
Greg Oliver
Falling stars are such a beautiful thing. Or are these stars on the rise again?
Could be either depending on what they deliver here, and equally important,
how much time they are allowed to tell a story in the ring. Flip a coin on this
one, I figure, but Samoa Joe wins.
Andy McNamara
Mat Morgan *ugh*, yet another WWE reject. Samoa Joe takes this one.
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TAG TEAM TABLES MATCH
Team 3D vs. The Steiner Brothers |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
Methinks the Steiners are on their way out. Team 3D wins handily.
Matt Mackinder
Maybe 10 years ago this is a dream match, but now? Not so much. The tables gimmick
is wearing thin in my book. I see the Dudleys winning here and in the process
putting both Steiners through tables. They then have a staredown with the new
champs Styles and Tomko.
Bob Kapur
This will be fugly. Team 3-D gets their long-overdue comeuppance.
Greg Oliver
It's hard to get excited about this match, to be honest. Tables match: been
there, done that. Team 3D win, likely with a big schmozz with other teams getting
involved.
Andy McNamara
This is a pick'em in my mind. Lets go old school and say The Steiners.
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MONSTER'S BALL MATCH
Raven vs. Abyss vs. Rhino vs. Black Reign |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
I think it's time to retire this one. The hardcore style seems to have lost
interest in wrestling these days, which is fine by me. Somehow, I'm afraid,
Blackdust wins.
Matt Mackinder
How extreme will this get? Last year’s was decent (remember the Brother
Runt fall and subsequent Abyss elbow drop?) and I would expect nothing less
this year. Abyss juices and takes some nasty bumps, but comes out on top.
Bob Kapur
Taker has the ability to put on some great matches, but I think he’ll have
his work cut out for him here. Maybe the gimmick will help -- if they make it
really violent and bloody, maybe people won’t notice how bad Khali really
is. Taker wins.
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FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT MATCH
Participants TBD |
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SLAM! Predictions
Jon Waldman
Here's where the magic happens. When the match is announced, Jeremy Borash announces
that the winner can use their title match gift card whenever they like. Thus,
the winner here tonight also calls out Sting at the end of the show and gets
the belt. So who does it you ask? Well, let's note that the participants haven't
been announced. This tells me TNA is saving up for a surprise entrant. The fantasy
booker in me says that this individual is Ric Flair, who goes on to have the
usual awesome match with Sting and claim his last title. Of course, that's saying
Flair has indeed parted ways with WWE (a rumour that I less-than-half-heartedly
believe). So let's instead go with the obvious - Kevin Nash.
Matt Mackinder
All the spare parts go at it here. Who gets in line for a shot at Angle? Petey
Williams? Chris Sabin? Alex Shelley? Judas Mesias? No, not a ladder match. Eric
Young? Kaz? Robert Roode? Sonjay Dutt? Shark Boy? Nah. Kevin Nash? Maybe. I
like Chris Harris here. It’d be good if it came down to him and James Storm
wouldn’t it?
Bob Kapur
There are lots of guys here who I could reasonably see getting the win. A random
roll of a 12-sided die says Kaz wins (I know there are 15 participants, but
Wikipedia only lists 12 at the time I'm typing this).
Greg Oliver
Who's even in this? Bobby Roode is still the only one on the undercard that
I can see as a headliner down the road, IF they stop dicking him around and
really pushing him. So I'll pick him.
RELATED LINKS
Angle gets stung at Bound For Glory
Countdown to TNA Bound for Glory
Personal moments abound at TNA Fan Fest
PHOTO GALLERIES
TNA Bound For Glory PPV Gallery 1: Sting vs Angle; Women's match; Samoe Joe vs Cage; Monster's Ball
TNA Bound For Glory PPV Gallery 2: Ultimate X; Reverse Battle Royal; Dark match; Daniels vs Lethal; Tag titles; Tables match
TNA Fan Fest: Gallery 1
TNA Fan Fest: Gallery 2
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
Relive the best of Pacman Jones' TNA career.
Pick up pay-per-view DVDs in the SLAM! Store!
-- compiled by Jon Waldman
