TNA PPV Review: Bound For Glory 2012

 

Here are my thoughts on this year's Bound For Glory event:

 

Match 1:: X Divsion Championship match: Zema Ion(c) vs. Rob Van Dam

The crowd is pretty hot for Van Dam from the get go and it comes as no surprise considering his opponent is one of the most reviled men in all of wrestling.  The match is pretty much standard X Divsion fare that was made slightly better by the crowd hanging on RVD's every move (I mean seriously, the rolling thunder hasn't gotten a reaction like that in ages).  Not the biggest fan of the title switch here, but I can't say I didn't see it coming.  A passable opener that was made slightly better by the live audience.

Rob Van Dam def Zema Ion to become the new X Division Champion after 8:00 via. pinfall following the Five Star Frog Splash

 

Match Rating: **1/2

Ion's forgettable 98 day run as champion is capped off by a lackluster performance at TNA's marquee event

 

Match 2:: Television Championship match: Samoa Joe(c) vs. Magnus

Samoa Joe has been turning in some much more inspired performances as of late and his current role as TV champ suits him at this point.  He is still very credible, even if he's arguably on the downside of his career.   Magnus is on track to become a major player for the company and he more than holds his own here as well.  This is one of the better TV title matches of the year and a welcome addition to the show after the underwhelming opener.  Some stiff blows, solid submission wrestling and a very good finishing sequence.  I really enjoyed this match.

Samoa Joe def. Magnus after 9:00 via. submission following the Choke

 

Match Rating: ***1/4

As one could tell by the look on his face, Joe is still as intense as they come

 

 

Match 3:: Street Fight w/special enforcer King Mo: Bobby Roode vs. James Storm

This was one hell of a match!  It's placement on the card is questionable, but make no mistake about it, this was one of the best matches in BFG history.  After nearly a year of setbacks and letdowns, James Storm finally gets his payback against his former tag team partner.  And what a war it was.  These two tore down the house brawling all over the arena with Storm sporting a Flair-esque crimson mask.  The bumps were as vicious as any I've ever seen with both men taking some sick damage a la thumbtacks and Roode taking a vast majority of the agony.  Just a fantastic match to cap off what has to be one of the greatest rivalries of the decade thus far.  The best match of the night and a solid contender for TNA match of the year.

James Storm def. Bobby Roode after 18:00 via. pinfall following a Superkick onto the thumbtacks

 

Match Rating: ****1/2

A great night for James Storm

Match 4: Al Snow vs. Joey Ryan

This is a match that never really should have happened.  I doubt there was anyone in attendance that bought their ticket and said to their friends "Dude, Snow vs. Ryan?  I'm there!!!".   That being said, Ryan has grown on me in his short stint with the company.  The guy is money.  From his hilariously smug promo to his makeout session with Head (which if you don't find particularly awesome, then you deserve a swift kick to the nuts), he did everything just right.  Ryan should be commended for making this match a solid piece of entertainment.  He gets the seal of approval from me and his union with Matt Morgan has unlimited potential.  A win in my book.

 

Joey Ryan def. Al Snow after 9:00 via. pinfall following interference from Matt Morgan

 

Match Rating: *

Now before you all inevitably go comparing their union to that of HBK & Diesel, remember that for all his odd, drug feuled behavior, Michaels was never known for dry humping legs

Match 5:: Tag Team Championship match: Chris Daniels & Kazarian(c) vs. Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez vs. AJ Styles & Kurt Angle

This was a very good match that benefited immensely from an inspired performance from Kurt Angle.  Everyone brought their usual flair to the match, but it was Angle that stole the show here for me.  I have to mention the scary botched hurricanrana by Kaz that looked as if he would be joining the concussion line later in the evening.  He managed to tough it out after a sick looking bump to the outside, but it definitely took me out of the match for a bit.  Other than that, all three teams brought it and Angle brought it a bit more.  Sad to say that I don't totally agree with the winners, but that's a personal complaint more than it is a knock against the match.

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez win the Tag Team Championships after 16:00 via. pinfall following a Frog Splash from Guerrero to Daniels

 

Match Rating: ***1/2

Even past his prime, Angle's name should still be mentioned amongst the best in the world

 

Match 6:: Knockouts Championship match: Brooke Tessmacher(c) vs. Tara

This was a barely passable title match and I felt as if the outcome was pretty predictable and it made it near impossible for me to get into the action.  Brooke Tessmacher is easily, the most marketable woman in the Knockouts division right now and has improved tremendously in the ring and I felt as if the title needed her at this point and that soured me on the outcome as well.  Tara has already taken a loss to Tess and she is obviously more than willing to put her protege over, but it is what it is.  Things only got more bizarre when Tara finally revealed that her "celebrity" boyfriend was some tool named Jesse from Big Brother.  They make out and it left the audience so stunned that even the ensuing crickets were left asking "WTF!?".

 

Tara def. Brooke Tessmacher to become the new Knockouts Champion after 7:00 via. pinfall following the Widow's Peak

 

Match Rating: **

After a flurry of impressive maneuvers, Tess would see her 59 day reign come to an end

Match 7:: No Disqualification match (if Aces & Eights win, they get "Full Access" to TNA): Sting & Bully Ray vs. Two Members of Aces & Eights

The crowd was on fire from the get go for this one as Bully Ray is sporting Sting inspired facepaint as a sign of solidarity.  The Stinger is also wearing Ray's T-Shirt.  Pretty cool moment.  Aces & Eights arrive with a "beaten" Joseph Park and handcuff him to the barricade.  The two teams brawl in & out of the ring and the excitement factor here is just as good as any match on the card.  Lots of physicality that built towards Park breaking himself free and assaulting his captors.  Things build even more to an extremely mark out worthy moment that saw Sting command Ray to "Get The Tables!" to which Ray obviously had no problem with.  But NO!  Sting gets taken out and Ray gets slammed through the table by another masked member of Aces & Eights and then more men hit the ring and proceed to pummel Sting and Ray.  Hulk Hogan's music hits and he arrives to a huge reaction to even the odds. 

For those of you who rolled your eyes at Hogan "evening the odds", I want you to realize something.  Yes this is pro wrestling folks and in the wrestling world Hulk Hogan = Ten regular men.  Deal with it.

Anywhoo, this is obviously building to the moment we've all been waiting for.  We are finally going to have one member of this mysterious stable unmasked!  Sting has a hold of one of them and Hogan rips his mask off and it's--

FML

Wow.  Ok.  Bare with me here.  Hey!  Put the gun down!  You've got a lot of life to live and a lot more wrestling to watch!  Just give me a moment to talk you off the ledge dear reader, I can explain.  There are actually a couple positives here.  While this reveal is not what most of us were expecting (a Bully Ray swerve), can't we at least appreciate the out-of-the-box booking they have given us here?  Obviously, D-Von is NOT the man behind this entire organization because that would be ridiculous.  What this DOES offer up is a chance for an awesome feud with Bully Ray and let's be honest, we all love and want to cheer for Ray, he's been too good for far too long now.  This is one of those moments where while everyone else is going to be busy burying the entire angle and give up hope of it again becoming one of the more compelling in the entire industry, I would rather just wait it out and see where they are going with this.  That's just my take.  I could grab a pitchfork and join the rest of the mob, but that's just not my style.  A lot and I mean A LOT of TNA's best storytelling has come out of a bad situation that initially, pissed everyone the fuck off.  Give the guys a chance because this time last year, everyone was complaining about Bobby Roode losing to Kurt Angle at BFG and how TNA ruined any chance of him becoming a legit main event star.  Yeah.  I'll wait it out.

Aces & Eights def. Sting & Bully Ray after 11:00 via. pinfall following Bully Ray being put through a table

 

Match Rating: **3/4

It's now time for our

 

 

 

 

 

MAIN EVENT

Match 8:: TNA World Heavyweight Championship match: Austin Aries(c) vs. Jeff Hardy

This was a very good main event.  Jeff Hardy is one of the most beloved babyfaces in all of wrestling and quite simply, no one plays the role better right now.  Aries did an outstanding job as well and he bumped like a maniac and made Jeff look like a million dollars here.  Just great stuff and the kind of work you want in your top guys.

 

Okay.  This is the part that a lot of you are not going to want to read. 

I wholeheartedly agree with the Aries dropping the title to Hardy here.  Maybe it's just his smug attitude that has soured me and maybe you can call me a Jeff Hardy mark or what have you, but Jeff Hardy's redemption story needed the happy ending and so did the fans.  Like the outcome or not, it was a fantastic match and a great way to end the show with a very feel good moment that the fans can get behind.  It's these type of moments that give a show that Wrestlemania feel, and BFG definitely needs that feel.  I wouldn't rule Aries out as a contender and his performance here is very admirable, but I can't tell you why I'm just not on board the "Aries for World Champ" train right now.  That may or may not be his fault and he did turn in a great showing here in spite of everything and that doesn't go unnoticed.  That being said, I could nitpick at the finish as well, but the sheer joy of the crowd and overall great performance from both men still make this match a worthy show closer for me.

 

Jeff Hardy def. Austin Aries to become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion after 24:00 via. pinfall following the Swanton Bomb

 

Match Rating: ****

Hardy's Road to Redemption is a story we can ALL get behind

Final Thoughts

I think this may be in the running for the best BFG event of all time.  It wasn't anywhere near as good as Destination X, but it was a very exciting and overall satisfying show.  Regardless of how you feel about the D-Von reveal and Aries dropping the belt, we were left with some great wrestling to go with the shocking and memorable moments and that's what the biggest show of the year is all about.

Overall PPV Score: 8/10 

PPV Awards

Match of the Night: Bobby Roode vs. James Storm
Performer of the Night: Austin Aries
Moment of the Night: Jeff Hardy wins the world title
Segment of the Night: Joey Ryan's backstage promo
Surprise of the Night: D-Von revealed as a member of Aces & Eights