HeadLocker — Jay Shannon
Bound For Glory Predictions
Our resident philosopher breaks out the crystal ball, tea leaves and lucky coin to try and predict TNA’s biggest PPV of the year.
If it’s October, then this must be Bound For Glory. TNA is pulling out all the stops with this super-card. Even the pre-show match is far above notmal. I’ll do my best to try and predict where TNA is going on Sunday, and beyond, with this much-anticipated Pay Per View.
Pre-Show Match:
Motor City Machine Guns v Lethal Consequences
Backstory: The Guns and L-C have gone back and forth for over a year in the tag team wars. This match will likely set the next team to contend for the tag team belts.
Predictions: There is no doubt in my mind that the Guns will win this one. Expect this match to be fast, furious and fun. There are going to be a ton of close calls and high risk moves. Sabin will likely Cradle Shock Creed to finish this great opener.
Predicted Winners: Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley (Motor City Machine Guns)
Predicted Grade: A-
The Beautiful People v Taylor Wilde & Sarita
TNA Knockout Tag Team Championship Match
Backstory: The Beautiful People lost their leader, Angelina Love, due to work visa issues. She was replaced by third-generation star, Lacey Von Erich. Wilde and Sarita defeated Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne to become the first Knockout Tag champs. This is a rematch for the gold.
Prediction: This match is going to revolve around Von Erich. If she competes, the Beautiful People have a better than average chance to taking the gold. If she doesn’t, Wilde and Sarita are going to retain. It’s that simple. Since TNA has promoted it as Wilde and Sarita v Sky and Rayne, I’m going to go with the champs to retain.
Predicted Winners: Taylor Wilde and Sarita
Predicted Grade: B
Hernandez v Eric Young v Kevin Nash
TNA Legends Championship Match
Backstory: Eric wanted Hernandez to join the World Elite. When Hernandez refused, Eric took his partner, Homicide, instead. Eric and his buddies in the World Elite then took on a mission to eliminate the Main Event Mafia. Kevin Nash, supposedly, took a bribe from Eric to help eliminate Hernandez.
Prediction: This is going to be the opening match in the Main Event Mafia/World Elite war. Hernandez, who used to have a push in TNA, will be not be a real factor in this match. It’s going to come down to Nash and Eric. Nash will destroy Hernandez with the Jackknife Powerbomb. Eric will then take the cheap shot on Nash and take the gold.
Predicted Winner: Eric Young (new champion)
Predicted Grade: B
Awesome Kong v Tara v ODB
TNA Knockout Championship Match
Backstory: ODB took her first Knockout title by defeating her former sweetie, Cody “Cooter” Deaner. Tara and Kong have their own little war going. Kong wants to kill Tara’s spider, Poison, and Tara wants to defeat the woman that she sees as the best that TNA has to offer. Tara has also had issues with ODB, after a failed tag team challenge.
Prediction: These are, perhaps, the best three women in wrestling, today. This match should be exciting but I’m not expecting much. Kong and Tara are going to be so focused on each other that ODB will be able to swoop in and pin Tara after Kong nails the Awesome Bomb.
Predicted Winner: ODB
Predicted Grade: B-
Suicide v D’Angelo Dinero v Daniels v Homicide vThe Amazing Red
Ultimate X Match for the X-Division Title
Backstory: Amazing Red came out of nowhere to upset Samoa Joe (with some help from Bobby Lashley) to take the number two title in the company. Homicide has turned into a full-fledged heel, after joining the World Elite. Dinero and Suicide have had an on-going rivalry and Daniels is just there to fill out the roster.
Predictions: This one’s only slightly complicated. Dinero, Suicide and Daniels will basically cancel each other out. The true match will come down to Homicide v Red. I can’t imagine that TNA would switch the belt off Red after his “Cinderella Story” win over Joe. Red is going to pin Homicide, which will set up a future feud over the belt. Homicide will eventually take the belt from Red, only to drop it to Hernandez. Sunday will be a Red letter day for the Amazing One.
Predicted Winner: Amazing Red
Predicted Grade: A+
Kurt Angle v Matt Morgan
Backstory: Morgan wanted to be part of the Main Event Mafia. Kurt manipulated Morgan by dangling the carrot of membership, knowing that there was no chance that Morgan would get in. Morgan finally got fed up and went after the Leader of the Pack.
Prediction: This is the easiest match of the night to predict. There is absolutely no way in Heaven or Hell that Morgan is going to win this one. TNA is preparing a feud between Angle and A.J. Styles over the title, so he needs to soundly thrash “The Blueprint” in this one. Morgan will get a few decent moves in but Angle will cinch in the Grapevine version of the AngleLock to force the tap out. Morgan will then move on to aid Abyss in his war against Dr. Stevie and Mick Foley.
Predicted Winner: Kurt Angle
Predicted Grade: B+
Team 3D v Beer Money v British Invasion v Scott Steiner & Booker T
Full Metal Mayhem Match for the TNA and IWGP Tag Championships
Backstory: The four teams have battled back and forth over the two sets of belts. TNA irritated New Japan by making the title switch from Team 3D to the British Invasion. New Japan (and the NWA) refuse to acknowledge the title change. This match is supposed to bring this four-way feud to an end (and possibly combine the two belts).
PredictionsMy prediction for this one comes due to two major reasons. 1. This is, basically, a TLC match. Only one team has extensive experience with this type of match. 2. TNA wants to keep in good graces with New Japan, which offers a lot of talent for TNA to mine. This one is going to tease wins for several minutes before Brother Ray and Brother Devon establish their dominance over the tag team scene.
Predicted Winners: Team 3D
Predicted Grade: A
Mick Foley v Abyss
Monster’s Ball Match
Backstory: Foley turned on Abyss after Abyss accidentally cost Foley the Legends title. Foley has aligned himself, loosely, with his former ECW running buddy, Dr. Stevie (Richards). Stevie is going to serve as the special guest ref in this one. One wild stipulation is that Abyss can’t bring the sack o’ tacks to this wild war.
Prediction: The odds are so stacked against Abyss in this one. Dr. Stevie is the guest ref. Abyss can’t use his favorite weapon, thumbtacks. Foley will have his barbed wire bat with him. There seems to be absolutely no way that Abyss will win this one. Which is exactly why he is going to take the win. Foley won’t bring the tacks, but he will bring the black bag o’ doom…filled with glass shards. Abyss is going to eliminate Dr. Stevie, somewhere along the way, and then take the fight to Foley. There is going to be blood, tables, glass, barbed wire, more blood and massive pain.
Predicted Winner: Abyss
Predicted Grade: A-
Bobby “The Boss” Lashley v Samoa Joe
MMA v TNA — Submission Match
Backstory: Lashley was brought in as the biggest thing since…well, Samoa Joe showed up on TNA. Lashley has basically been doing a Goldberg Angle, working his way up the ladder by squashing lower level stars in a march to the top. Lashley cost Samoa Joe his X-Division title, after Joe called Lashley into the ring. Joe has attacked Lashley, several times, in recent weeks.
Prediction: This is going to be just down-right nasty. Forget Arm Bars and Leglocks, this is going to be a slugfest. Bodies will be flying all over the place. I’m not familiar with which submission move that Lashley will use but I can’t imagine that Creative would be so stupid as to kill Lashley’s push, at this point. Lashley might even break free from the Kokina Clutch, which no one has done, to prove his dominance over Joe.
Predicted Winner: Bobby Lashley
Predicted Grade: A-
“The Icon” Sting vs. champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles
TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Backstory: Sting brought Styles back from the brink of retirement disaster. Sting then handed the title to Styles on a silver platter. Styles feels the need to prove himself against his mentor. This is possibly Sting’s final match in wrestling. Sting has dominated the last few Bound For Glory PPVs.
Prediction: I’ve really had a heck of a time trying to figure this one out. sting is on his home turf, California. Styles is looking for a future feud with Kurt Angle. Sting has never lost at Bound For Glory. Sting is looking, maybe, to retire. This is definitely going to be TNA’s Match of the Year, no doubt. I hope that TNA doesn’t have Kurt Angle or someone interfere in this match and ruin it. I’m actually thinking that Angle may do something to Sting which will “hand” the title to Styles. Styles will then get really ticked off and trip the trap and challenge Angle in a “for Sting’s honor” kind of match.
Predicted Winner: A.J. Styles
Predicted Grade: A+
Final Grade: A
Final Thoughts: This is TNA’s equivalent of Wrestlemania. They are going to pull out all the stops for this bad boy. I’ve already ordered it and will be watching it, muted, from my home office. This event will set up just about everything from now through next year’s Slammiversary. It should be interesting to see if Jeff Jarrett shows up.
Peace
— Jay Shannon
[email protected]
(10/17/09)