wrestling / Columns

The Contentious Ten 10.08.12: The Top 10 Bound for Glory Matches

October 8, 2012 | Posted by Gavin Napier

Last week it was WCW, this week it’s TNA. Bound For Glory has become entrenched as not only TNA’s October pay per view tradition, but their “biggest show of the year.” This year, thanks to some sweet videos, it actually feels like a somewhat bigger deal than their other pay per views aside from perhaps Slammiversary. When I started researching this article, no matches immediately jumped out at me as candidates for number one. You would think that’s a bad sign for a column and would warrant a potential change of topic. Once I started looking, though, there’s been a lot of really good matches throughout the seven Bound for Glory pay per views, if not a lot of “defining moments.” Here is my criteria for The Top 10 Bound For Glory matches so that we’re all on the same page:

-Had to occur on a Bound For Glory pay per view
-Match quality
-Significance of the match
-Personal preference
.

No Slammiversary or Lockdown matches on this list. No absolute stinkers. Title matches or big moments get preference in the case that a couple of matches are of similar quality. Finally, what I like gets preference as well. Don’t like it? You’re welcome to take over the column when I run out of lists to make.

As always, as many matches as possible come from Daily Motion in order to allow for as many “on the clock” views as possible.

Matches that just missed the cut: Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson vs. Jeff Hardy (2010), Kurt Angle vs. Sting (2007), Christian Cage vs. Rhino (2006)

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Samoa Joe vs. Sting (2008)size=6>

Tna Bound For Glory 2008 – Samoa Joe vs Sting pt.1 by iturriwrestling

Tna Bound For Glory 2008 – Samoa Joe vs Sting pt.2 by iturriwrestling


This is a valid example of TNA maybe relying a little too much on Sting throughout their history.
-TNA World Heavyweight Title Match

Samoa Joe has a long history of defying stereotypes. He’s agile for a big man, he can wrestle for a brawler, and for a guy that is so popular with the IWC, he can show quite a bit of personality. Sting is just Sting. He’s been around for a long time, and has seen and done just about everything one man can do in the industry without joining WWE. This is a valid example of TNA maybe relying a little too much on Sting throughout their history, though. Sting had been established as “Mr. October” for TNA through his successes at Bound For Glory, and Joe had been established as a pretty successful brawler that was just short of a monster. A win here would have gone a long way towards establishing Joe as a steady part of the main event scene. Instead, he would lose here and spiral through a series of gimmicks such as leader of TNA Frontline, Nation of Violence, being kidnapped, and feuding with Orlando Jordan. Only now is he starting to regain some steam.

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Kurt Angle vs. Robert Roode (2011)size=6>

TNA Bound For Glory – 16/10/11 Part 9 (HQ) by 4-Tellytv

If you ever wanted to see how a finish can drag a match down, here you go.
-TNA World Heavyweight Title Match

Robert Roode finally broke through and became TNA’s first true “home grown” star last year. AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Samoa Joe all had indy buzz before becoming popular with TNA. Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, Sting, Christian Cage, Mr. Anderson, and Rob Van Dam all obviously had experienced some level of success with WWE, WCW, and ECW through the years. Robert Roode was a virtual unknown when he came into TNA, and he gradually rose up the card through Team Canada, Beer Money, and singles runs. Against Kurt Angle, he had the chance to pick up a big win that would put the TNA World Heavyweight Title around the waist of a true home grown talent. If you ever wanted to see how a finish can drag a match down, here you go. The crowd was ready for the win here, but it never happened. Angle retained and you could almost hear the crowd deflate. In hindsight, things worked out okay, as Roode would embark on the longest heavyweight championship reign in TNA history. At the time, though, this was a gut punch.

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Senshi vs. Chris Sabin (2006)size=6>


One of the X Division’s shining moments.
-TNA X Division Title Match

The X Division has been the pride of TNA for a long time, at least when it’s not being overlooked. It, along with the Knockouts, is the one thing that has allowed TNA to declare themselves an alternative to WWE. This match is one of the X Division’s shining moments. While I hated the name Senshi, the quality of work by the former Low Ki never slipped any. A rose by any other name, and all that. Chris Sabin has been one of the most reliable performers in the X Division’s history through the years, with a cruiserweight style that allows him to work well with everyone from Samoa Joe to Generation Me. The result with these two lynch pins of the X Division is one of the better matches from TNA’s biggest show of the year.

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Brian Kendrick vs. Austin Aries (2011)size=6>


This match makes me wish Brian Kendrick wasn’t so weird.
-X Division Title Match

Brian Kendrick is a uniquely talented individual. At the age of 33, he has achieved significant success in WWE, TNA, Ring of Honor, and Japan. He was trained by Shawn Michaels, so he has connections beyond the people that he’s worked for. And yet, despite being in his physical prime, he can’t find work. This match makes me wish Brian Kendrick wasn’t so weird. He and Aries worked exceptionally well together, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Both men have proved that they can regularly provide high quality matches, so working with each other shouldn’t be a problem. And it wasn’t. They put on a show that very nearly stole the show at Bound For Glory last year. The difference is that Aries would go on to do bigger and better things, like holding the X Division title for over a year and then winning the TNA World Heavyweight Title. Kendrick, as per usual, would be his normal weird self until he was out of the promotion and making spotty appearances at indy and international promotions.

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AJ Styles vs. Sting (2009)size=6>


Psychology usually trumps workrate.
-TNA World Heavyweight Title Match

Sting’s continual success and ability to work against men twenty years or more his junior in TNA should prove something to the IWC: Psychology usually trumps “workrate”. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat may be the “best” match at Wrestlemania III, but Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant was the match that everyone was paying to see. Sting isn’t the same guy that went 45 minutes with Ric Flair, or had an awesome series of matches against the Great Muta. He’s a long way from it. What Sting is, though, is a 30 year veteran that knows how to put a match together and have a crowd hanging on every bump and spot. When you put him together with a guy like AJ Styles, that can make anyone and everyone look good, odds are you’re going to come away with something special. There was this idea that Sting “passed the torch” to AJ, as the standard bearer of TNA, but that’s a false impression. AJ has been the standard bearer for TNA from day one, and nobody can replace what Sting has brought to the table throughout his career. Still, a great match from two great pros.

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Amazing Red vs. Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin vs. Suicide vs. Homicide vs. Christopher Daniels – Ultimate X (2009)size=6>

Ultimate X Match Bound for Glory 2009 by Rene-y2j-Madsen

A potentially overcrowded mess turned into something pretty good.
-TNA X Division Title Match

Gimmick matches can be good and gimmick matches can be bad. When a gimmick match like Ultimate X hangs around (no pun intended) long enough to become a “trademark” match for a company, it’s usually a good thing. Ultimate X has had its ups and downs through the years, but this was definitely an up. With six men involved, a potentially overcrowded mess turned into something pretty good. The match had an excellent flow from six men that were familiar with each other. There were no “anchors” like we’ve seen in the past with ladder matches or Ultimate X Matches – think Hernandez in an Ultimate X or Big Show in a TLC match. With six men flying around the ring and a gimmick that lends itself to daredevil spots, Ultimate X lived up to expectations and then some.

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Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett (2008)size=6>

TNA Bound for Glory 2008 Kurt Angle Vs Jeff… by TheRealCodyMorgan

TNA Bound for Glory 2008 Kurt Angle Vs Jeff… by TheRealCodyMorgan


Never underestimate old school wrestlers.
-Mick Foley as special enforcer

Jeff Jarrett takes a lot of heat on the internet because of his political maneuvers that have kept him in the main event of TNA through the years when some (many) felt like it was time for him to let new talent take over. Kurt Angle takes a lot of heat on the internet because of his apparent insanity, alcohol and drug problems, and Twitter rants that he’s seemingly never responsible for. When it comes to getting in the ring, though, never underestimate old school wrestlers. Jeff Jarrett was raised on and in Memphis wrestling, which has been a staple of the wrestling industry for decades. That style will never fade away completely, for the simple reason that it works. Kurt Angle is a throwback wrestler, with a legitimate amateur background and a style that lends itself to realism. Jarrett and Angle played off of each other exceptionally well, and this is arguably the best of their series of matches together.

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Motor City Machine Guns vs. Generation Me (2010)size=6>


Watch those flippy bastards go.
-TNA World Tag Team Title Match

There’s a reason that promotions like Ring of Honor and CHIKARA always enjoy a certain level of success. While they may never reach the heights of WWE, WCW, TNA, or ECW, certain niches of people are always going to be willing to spend money to see them. This match is an excellent example of why. The Motor City Machine Guns and Generation Me are both teams that are right at home in environments that place an emphasis on fast paced action over being able to cut awesome promos. What these guys lack in mic skills, they make up for in the ability to work a match at 100 mph and hit huge spots in rapid succession. While some old school fans may decry the lack of psychology involved in such matches, just click play on the video above and watch those flippy bastards go. You’ll be entertained, psychology or not.

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Latino American Xchange vs. AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels (2006)size=6>


Two of TNA’s greatest tag teams make some magic.
-NWA TNA World Tag Team Title Match
-Six Sides of Steel

TNA has prided itself for a long while on having exceptional tag team wrestling. Through the years, they’ve hosted a significant number of teams that were either established as great – Team 3D, The Steiners, The New Age Outlaws The James Gang – or that earned the respect of fans while in TNA – Styles and Daniels, LAX, America’s Most Wanted, Beer Money, Team Canada, Triple X, Lethal Consequences. This doesn’t even include teams such as the MCMG’s and Generation Me that were established on the independent circuit before coming to TNA. In this match, a blowoff to a feud that had already seen multiple gimmick matches, two of TNA’s greatest tag teams make some magic. All four men are on top of their games and understand what’s necessary for them to pull this match off. Everyone plays their role perfectly and LAX would be absolutely on fire for a good while after this win.

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AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels – Ironman Match (2005)size=6>


This is why people wanted TNA to build “home grown” stars.
-TNA X Division Title Match

AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels were able to get brief appearances in WCW before Vince McMahon bought the promotion in 2001. Styles was a part of a tag team with Air Paris that challenged for the short lived WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Titles. Christopher Daniels knocked himself senseless and got beaten up by Scott Steiner. That was as much “mainstream” wrestling exposure as either of these guys had until they joined TNA. The two men had undeniable chemistry in the ring, and have been responsible for several of TNA’s greatest matches and moments both as partners and opponents. A match like this is why people wanted TNA to build “home grown” stars so badly. Not only did they put on a great match and steal the show at Bound For Glory, but they made the X Division Title mean more when they were feuding over it than it would for another six plus years when Austin Aries was heading into Destination X with it. This year’s Bound For Glory looks like a great card, with several matches that could potentially land on this list when it gets revisited in the future. For now, though, this is the best.

I apologize that I couldn’t get more of these in DailyMotion for you guys. The upside is that several of these came from TNA’s official YouTube channel which allows for higher quality video. You guys make use of our shiny new comments section below, and I’ll join in the discussion now that things are a lot more interactive. Suggest future topics, tell me what I missed, ask why certain things are where they are. While you’re at it, you can find me on Twitter @GavinNapier411. See you in 7..6..5..


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