TNA Bound For Glory 2010 PPV Review

Bound to Please

By Phil Allely

TNA’s flagship pay-per-view Bound For Glory had to pull off an awful lot to please its loyal fans, the event promised a new world champion, RVD’s revenge bout with Abyss, Mickie James first PPV appearance, the EV 2 and Fortune feud was to culminate in Lethal Lockdown and after some teases Abyss would finally reveal who ‘They’ were, so did 10/10/10 ultimately fulfil its obligations?

Opening things with a bang were Generation Me who took on the Motor City Machineguns for the Guns World Tag Team Belts. Shelley and Sabin proved once again just how slick a unit they are, systematically picking apart their younger rivals. The bucks did get in some great looking double teams and near falls against their more experienced and confident opponents, but a final flurry of tight ring work by the Detroit natives put their dreams of gold to rest.

A sexy looking Mickie James featured in the TNA Knockouts Title match, holding the action together well in her role as special referee.

The four-way battle saw Knockouts champion Angelina Love defend against, her Beautiful People partner Velvet Sky, returnee Tara and Madison Rayne. The match itself saw some decent action, the finish saw Tara sneak the pin and belt for herself much to Rayne’s dismay. Post-match James lamped a mouthy Rayne to ignite a possible feud.

Oddball team Orlando Jordan and Eric Young were up next battling the colourful duo Ink Inc. Jesse Neal and Shannon Moore were on form throughout. Their bizarre opponents were fun, but a tad too off kilter for many in attendance. Young’s comic turns however were spot on, Moore pinned Jordan to end proceedings. EY’s increasingly erratic behaviour causing his own teams loss.

The UK’s own Douglas Williams represented Fortune in his quest to recapture the X Division Title, current champion Jay Lethal of course had other ideas. Both men used their particular talents to their own ends, Williams utilising his mat based style, whilst Lethal tried his best to fly and use his speed. Lethal was lucky to steal a three count as he rolled through on a William hurricarana. Lethal received a post victory beat down by newcomer Robbie G after his win.

Rob Van Dam then finally got his hands on Abyss, seeking revenge for the brutal and bloody beat down that saw him lose his beloved heavyweight championship. The best place to do this was of course a Monster’s Ball match, where weapons are welcome and rules don’t exist. Van dam started fast on the offensive, taking the action in and out of the ring. Incorporating everything from chairs, barbed wire boards, tables and trashcans, the brawl lacked blood, but had some very good, back and forth action, featured some risky moves, career shortening manoeuvres and nasty falls. RVD pulled off the win with a nice frog splash.

Handicap rules were to the fore as Samoa Joe and Jeff Jarrett faced off against the trio of Kevin Nash, Sting and The Pope. With some bitter attitudes on hand, the teams recent war of words became a stiff reality. The numbers game proved to be the deciding factor though, the end coming when Jarrett turned on his partner Joe, leaving him to take the a three man beating and Nash powerbomb for the loss.

Team 3D made a special appearance to announce their retirement, the 23 time former tag team champs asked for one more match with the Motor City Machineguns before hanging up their boots.

Lethal Lockdown was everything it should be, a full throttle cage match where all hell breaks loose and the opposing teams finally get the chance to work through their differences with the cage and weapons as added extras. Mick Foley and Ric Flair had a brief ringside brawl before the EV 2/Fortune team stepped inside, Fortune having the man advantage throughout the first portion of the ten man event.

Flair’s foot soldiers took control from the outset, having a fired up Foley, Flair and the remaining team members at ringside helped keep the crowd pumped up as well. EV 2 however quickly clawed back some leverage of their own with each fresh man who entered, the extreme team proving to be better at handling the brutal setting.

The blood flowed freely from the onset, the teams brawled and when the cage top lowered the adreniline in and out of the ring began to pump big time. Kazarian and Stevie Richards took to the cage roof, the weapons were used by all and sundry and the teams took the war to the ringside area as well as above and in the ring. Brian Kendrick’s timely surprise appearance on the cage top gave EV 2 and nice assist. Dreamer ended the war by pinning recent nemesis AJ Styles whilst his weary team mates battered Fortune about the arena.

The main event promised a new TNA World Heavyweight Champion and the trio participating all seemed equally likely candidates. Kurt Angle said he’d quit if he was beat, Mr Anderson is a star on the rise out to prove a point and Jeff Hardy sits atop a short list of men who deserve a long world title run, if they can keep their noses clean.

After trading moves and match advantages, Angle made his move, nailing some brutal looking two man suplexes, a cool double ankle lock and more ludicrously insane moves, before Anderson and Hardy took their turn in the spotlight.

The finish was a shock for many reasons, after the many near falls, moonsaults, Angle Slams, swanton’s, mic check’s and obligatory ref bump, the title went to the unpredictable Hardy, but he had a bit of help.

Prior to his win Eric Bischoff and an on-crutches Hulk Hogan appeared and in a major swerve turn Jeff turned heel to join them, blasting both opponents with the walking aids, to gain an easy pin.

The crowd were obviously stunned, as we saw a newly heel Hardy deck an enquiring RVD, he joined a smiling Hogan, Bischoff, Abyss and Jarrett, subsequently revealing them to be the mysterious ‘They’ as the PPV went off the air.

Bound for Glory was perhaps TNA’s best offering of 2010, a new champion was crowned, we finally saw EV 2’s veterans beat Ric Flair’s young guns Fortune, the under card held its own amongst the bigger tales unfolding, RVD got his vengeance on Abyss, plus we finally saw who the much hyped ‘They’ were.

So where new champ Jeff Hardy and his new associates the immortal Hulkster, Bischoff, Jarrett and Abyss go from here is anyone’s guess. It has just opened up another dimension to the TNA product, with Fortune, EV 2 and now ‘the immortals’ on the scene it’s going to be essential to tune into Impact! To see what will now happen to Dixie Carter’s company, as the power seemingly shifts once again.