Originally published at https://www.postwrestling.com/2022/10/07/impact-bound-for-glory-josh-alexander-vs-eddie-edwards/
IMPACT Wrestling Bound For Glory
October 7th, 2022
Washington Avenue Armory in Albany, NY
Commentary: Tom Hannifan & Matthew Rehwoldt
IMPACT Digital Media Championship: Brian Myers (c) vs. Dirty Dango (Countdown to Bound For Glory)
Dirty Dango (Fandango) came out as a surprise in this open challenge and got a pretty good reaction as commentary talked about their history together in developmental (WWE) and Dango was sporting a new bleached blonde hair look. Brian Myers shoulder blocks him down at the start and says ‘Welcome to IMPACT, bitch!’ Dango returns with a dropkick, as the crowd is entirely behind him. Dango hits a leg drop for a two-count, as Myers tries to catch a breather on the outside a couple of times but Dango keeps chasing him back inside. Eventually, they head back to the outside as Dango takes Myers out as the crowd chants for ‘Dirty Dango’. Dango continues with the offense inside, hitting a Falcon Arrow for a two. Myers comes back with an Implant DDT for a two. Dango blocks a Roster Cut from Myers and hits a Tornado DDT for another two. Myers comes back with a spear and the Roster Cut for the pin.
Winner: Brian Myers by pinfall at 7:05, to retain
Raven Enters the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame (Countdown to Bound For Glory)
We get a video with comments from Lance Storm, Tommy Dreamer, Mickie James, Eddie Edwards, Scott D’Amore, Lou D’Angeli, Josh Alexander, Sami Callihan & James Mitchell with footage from his time in TNA/IMPACT. Tommy Dreamer then comes to the stage to induct Raven. Dreamer talks about Scott D’Amore telling him we need him for the Hall of Fame Dreamer thought it was going to be for him but D’Amore said they all voted for Dreamer to induct Raven into the Hall of Fame. Dreamer talks about knowing Raven since summer camp and reinventing himself in the 90s. Dreamer starts naming down members of the ECW roster and how there wouldn’t be any of them without Raven believing in people. Dreamer starts getting emotional and thanks Raven for giving us those moments before introducing Raven.
Raven says that he can basically be a dick but it comes from being self-destructive and those are qualities that aren’t great in life but are fantastic as a professional wrestler. Raven talks about not deserving cheers but boos making him feel like he was at home. He mentions going through the territories and being one of the last guys to do that then be a featured player in the modern era. He mentions the booker in Portland being ‘The Grappler’ Len Denton and being grateful for being able to pick his brain. Raven tells the story of wanting to be in a cage match and Denton asking him how he would build to it the week before and Raven not knowing and being taught on how to book and how much it meant to his career. He stops and talks about shaking due to a shoulder disorder but also being a bit nervous and asks for some boos to make himself feel comfortable. Raven mentions Paul Heyman being another influence and him being able to do whatever he wanted including crucifying The Sandman. He puts up his feuds with Dreamer and Sandman amongst some of the best in the history of the business. He said he would have stayed there forever but WCW offered more money, it was a good move until his ego got in the way until he quit the company prematurely, and the less said the better. Once he got clean and sober, he went to WWE but that was a miserable experience, with the only bright spot being seeing a psychiatrist and becoming better due to that. He talks about going to TNA and being mostly happy there. Mentions how it used to be Memphis Wrestling, TNA, and IMPACT, and everything now coming full circle, comparing it to Hotel California and checking in and never leaving. Raven thanks The Sandman, Lodi, and Perry Saturn but then singles out Dreamer for being his partner in the 28-year feud that finally ends tonight and goes to hug Dreamer only to give him an Evenflow DDT, gets boos and thanks the crowd before saying ‘Quote the Raven, nevermore’. That speech was pretty great and a nice touch at the end.
IMPACT X-Division Championship: Mike Bailey (c) vs. Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian is wearing black and green as he did the first time he won the X-Division Championship. Mike Bailey had two guys during his entrance holding up wooden boards that he broke on his way to the ring, in this first ever match-up. Right away they go for roll-up pin attempts, before Bailey fights off Kazarian’s chicken wing attempt. Bailey dodges a leg drop attempt from the apron and connects with a moonsault from the second rope to the outside on Kazarian. Kazarian takes control as he pushes Bailey from the corner onto the outside where he meets him with chops. Back inside, Kazarian ties up Bailey in a submission, but Bailey is able to kick his way out. Bailey reverses out of an Electric Chair and hits a single leg drop kick. Bailey follows with a twisting shooting star but Kazarian is able to catch Bailey and hits Back to the Future for a two. They go back and forth with pin attempts, but Bailey dodges a leg drop attempt, kicks Kazarian and hits a flip with knees into Kazarian’s ribs. Bailey follows that with a spinning kick and the Ultima Weapon, but Kazarian kicks out at the very last second, to a surprise as Matthew Rehwoldt mentions it’s the first person to ever kick out of that in IMPACT Wrestling. Kazarian reverses the Flamingo Driver and puts on the Chicken Wing, but Bailey is able to power up as they both go spinning to the outside. Bailey quickly gets up and hits a moonsault to the outside, but Kazarian slingshots Bailey back in with a cutter for a two count. They head to the top where Kazarian hits the Flex Capacitor, but Bailey kicks out. Kazarian tries the chicken wing again, but slams Bailey down and gets a one count. Kazarian tries Back to the Future again, but Bailey counters with a reverse rana, goes to the top rope and tries another Ultima Weapon, only to be caught with a cutter for a two count, before quickly putting that chicken wing back on as Bailey taps out. Kazarian is now a five time X-Division Champion.
Winner: Frankie Kazarian by submission at 12:30, to become NEW IMPACT X-Division Champion
I Am the Torch
Gia Miller is backstage with Mickie James and reminds her if she loses tonight, it’s the end of her career. James asked who better than Mia Yim to face her at Bound for Glory as this means a lot to both of them. James says she won’t pass the torch, as she is the torch and tonight they burn Albany to the ground.
Last Rodeo Match: Mickie James vs. Mia Yim
This was announced as a ‘Last Rodeo’ match which means if Mickie James loses to Mia Yim she must retire. They start the match locking up before taking it right down to the mat. They stand and start trading arm drags before having a standoff. They go back and forth until it looks like James lands awkwardly on her left knee. Yim catches James on the top rope and snaps her left leg onto the ropes. Yim continues to work on the leg while making pin attempts. James fights off and hits a neckbreaker but shows a lot of pain in her knee. They start trading forearms until Yim catches James and hits her with a buckle bomb followed by a cannonball for a two-count. They head to the top rope, but James kisses Yim off and hits a Thesz Press for a two count. Yim blocks the Mick Kick and puts on a stretch muffler, but James is able to reach for the ropes. Yim continues with a kick and a German Suplex for a two-count. Yim says she’s sorry, before hitting Eat Defeat but James is able to fall into the ropes a bit, killing some time, and as Yim goes for the cover, James grabs the ropes. Yim tries another Eat Defeat, but James hits a kick, tries the Mick DT but gets pushed into the corner. James tells Yim to come on, dodges the cannonball, and hits the Mick DT for the pin.
Winner: Mickie James by pinfall at 10:57
IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Championship: VXT (Deonna Purrazzo & Chelsea Green) (c) vs. Death Dollz (Taya Valkyrie & Jessicka) (w/ Rosemary)
Jessicka and Chelsea Green start the match, with Jessicka sending Chelsea to their corner quickly and tags in Taya Valkyrie as they double-team her with splashes in their corner. Jessicka tags right back in, but Chelsea escapes and tags in Deonna Purrazzo. Taya comes back in and quickly goes after Deonna with kicks and an arm drag, but Deonna is able to knock Jessicka off the apron in the process but Taya is able to hit her with a sliding German Suplex. Taya starts chopping Deonna on the ropes, but Chelsea is able to hit a sneak kick to Taya’s back as they double-team her with a kick on the apron. Deonna keeps Taya in the corner with kicks before making quick tags to Chelsea as they double-team her with a double suplex as Deonna gets a two-count. Taya tries to fight her way out, but Chelsea holds Taya’s leg before tagging back in. As Deonna is distracting the referee, he doesn’t see Jessicka’s tag and ejects her back out as VXT double-teams Taya some more. Chelsea knocks Jessicka off the apron, and tags in Deonna but Taya is able to fight both of them off and make the hot tag to Jessicka who comes in strong taking out Deonna with a ‘sick’ kick before taking them both out with a double crossbody for a two count. Chelsea comes right back and hits a curb stomp on Jessicka for a two-count. All four men start brawling in the ring, with Taya knocking out Deonna, but Taya pushes Chelsea into Jessicka who hits the Sick Driver with an assisted kick from Taya as Jessicka gets the pin on Chelsea for the win.
Winners: Death Dollz (Taya Valkyrie & Jessicka) by pinfall at 7:25, to become NEW IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Champions
IMPACT World Tag Team Championship: The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) (c) (w/ Maria Kanellis) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
Matt Taven and Alex Shelley start the match, as Taven attacks Shelley before the bell rings as they start the match with fast offense. Chris Sabin and Mike Bennett quickly tag in as Bennett keeps Sabin in the corner with kicks before Sabin fights out and hits a crossbody off the ropes before holding Bennett down with an arm bar. Taven makes a blind tag and kicks Sabin in the back before missing an elbow drop. Shelley tags in as the MCMG hits a string of offense. Shelley works on Taven’s arm, before Sabin tags in and does the same. The MCMG tags in and out while continuing to work on Taven, including a double kick to the back of Taven. Maria Kanellis gets on the apron and distracts the referee, but Shelley is able to take out MCMG. Bennett trips up Shelley, as Taven hits a twisting neckbreaker for one. Bennett pulls Shelley to the outside and holds him, as Taven trips up on the ropes a bit before jumping off the apron onto Shelley. Back inside, Bennett traps Shelley in a Kimura lock, but Shelley is able to get to the ropes with his feet. The Kingdom hold Shelley in their corner, but Shelley is able to fight them both off a bit before Taven connects with a slingshot into an elbow combo as the crowd boos for The Kingdom. Shelley ducks as Bennett clotheslines Taven by accident, making the hot tag to Sabin who takes out Bennett with a German Suplex followed by a Cradle Shock attempt on Taven. Sabin fights them off and hits a crossbody on The Kingdom. Sabin kicks off Bennett and hits Taven with a DDT for a two as Bennett hits Taven making it the third time they hit each in this match. The Kingdom ends up on the outside, as Sabin flies through the ropes (and Shelley) onto The Kingdom with a dive. All four men go at it inside the ring, as MCMG places Taven on Bennett’s shoulders and hits an assisted dropkick/flatliner type combo for a two count. MCMG starts kicking away at Taven, but Bennett breaks it up as they double team Sabin hitting a Death Valley Driver from Bennett and a knee strike from Taven for a two count. All four go at it, until Bennett hits a spiked piledriver with Taven, but Shelley breaks up the pin attempt. The Kingdom tries the Proton Pack, but Sabin gets out and hits Bennett with a cutter. The MCMG continued to work on Taven, and started showing a little bit of frustration, but hit a double kick in the corner. As Shelley goes to the top for Skull & Bones, Maria holds his leg. Bennett hits Sabin with a spear, as Taven and Shelley head to the top rope until Taven gets knocked to the Tree of Woe position. Bennett and Sabin start chopping each other, before Shelley gets involved. The MCMG start attacking Taven who’s still in the corner with dropkicks, before all four men head to the top rope. Maria starts distracting Sabin, who gets out of the way as Bennett hits her with a superkick. During all this confusion, Taven rolls up Sabin with his feet on the ropes for the pin.
Winners: The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) by pinfall at 16:36, to retain
Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match
Commentary points out how every winner of the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match has won a championship. First entrant is Eric Young in this 20-person match, followed by Joe Hendry at #2 making his return to IMPACT Wrestling. As the bell rings, Hendry continues to showboat, just for Young to attack him from behind. Young stays in control and hits elbows until Hendry catches him, press-slamming Young down followed by a stalling suplex. Coming out at #3 is Steve Maclin who goes right after Hendry, and hits Crosshairs right away. Young and Maclin go face-to-face, but team up to attack Hendry. Out at #4 is Rich Swann, who runs out and takes out both Maclin and Young, hitting Young with a 450 Splash, followed by another one on Maclin. PCO comes out at #5, accompanied by Vincent. PCO comes in and takes down Maclin, Young and Swann. #6 is Savannah Evans as PCO hits a leg drop off the ropes to Hendry before going face-to-face with Evans. They both try to choke each other, but Maclin breaks it up. Johnny Swinger comes out at #7, accompanied by Zicky Dice. Swinger goes right after Evans and body slams her but he acts like his back goes out. Tasha Steelz comes out at #8 and hits Maclin with a cutter. Killer Kelly comes out at #9 and goes right after Steelz. Kelly gets on Evans’ back, but Steelz eliminates them both from behind for the first two eliminations. Moose comes out at #10, after winning last year’s Call Your Shot Gauntlet to cash in the first night. Moose comes in and eliminates Hendry right away over the ropes, followed by tossing PCO over the ropes.
Sami Callihan comes out at #11, as he goes right after Moose and Maclin fresh off their Barbed Wire Massacre Match at Victory Road. Taylor Wilde is the first surprise at #12, making her return after being away since August 2021. Gisele Shaw comes out at #13. One of Eric Young’s yellow hooded minions comes out to try and help Young, but security drags him away. Another one tries to get in, but security takes him away also. A third one comes in and eliminates Callihan, only to reveal himself to be deaner. Bully Ray comes out as the second surprise at #14 and gets a big reaction. Steelz gets right in Bully Ray’s face and smacks him around, just for Bully to press slam her to the outside on security to eliminate her. Tommy Dreamer comes out as the third surprise at #15 as gets right into Bully Ray’s face to an ECW chant. They double team and take out Maclin and Moose, before hugging each other. If we didn’t get enough ‘extreme’, Rhino his return as #16, and the fourth surprise. Rhino, Bully Ray and Dreamer do a ‘Shield’ like fisting, that Swinger (who was in ECW briefly as well) tries to join in, only to get tossed out by Ray and Dreamer. Bhupinder Gujjar comes out at #17, as Dreamer gets eliminated. Heath comes out at #18, attacks everybody before reuniting with Rhino and hugging it out. Bobby Fish comes out at #19, as the crowd starts chanting ‘CM Punk’ at him who’s described as the ‘infamous and controversial’ from commentary. #20 and the fifth and final surprise is Matt Cardona making his return to IMPACT who hasn’t appeared since Rebellion in April. Moose eliminates Rhino over the top rope, before Maclin knocks off Heath, eliminating him, ducks, as Moose spills over the top rope to be eliminated as well. Cardona and Ray go face to face stemming from some ‘Twitter heat’, as Ray sets up the ‘What’s up’ spot with help from Taylor Wilde. Wilde jumps in Ray’s arms, just to get kissed by her and tells her to get the tables. Instead, Cardona eliminates Shaw and Wilde from behind, before getting clotheslined and eliminated by Gujjar. Young and Gujjar fight on the apron, as Young hits a neckbreaker and Gujjar falls off and gets eliminated. Swann and Young fight on the apron, as Swann kicks off Young, eliminating him. We are down to the final four with Maclin, Fish, Bully Ray and Swann. Maclin tosses out Swann, eliminating him, before tossing out Fish as well. The referee gets in the ring, as Bully Ray and Maclin are now down to just pinfall or submission. They go back and forth for a bit until Bully Ray hits the Bully Bomb for the pin and the win.
Winner: Bully Ray wins the Call Your Shot Gauntlet at 29:18
What If You Don’t Win?
We see Alisha greeting Eddie Edwards in the locker room with their kids, as Edwards says if Alisha wants this to end, it will end tonight when he wins the IMPACT World Championship. Their daughter asks what happens if he doesn’t win, but Alisha says that won’t happen.
IMPACT Knockouts World Championship: Jordynne Grace (c) vs. Masha Slamovich
Dave Penzer does the introductions and introduces Masha Slamovich as undefeated. As soon as the bell rings, they go right after each other fast and hard, before Jordynne Grace tosses Masha to the outside and takes her down with a sliding dropkick, but misses a baseball slide. They start fighting on the apron, as Masha kicks Grace and hits drops Grace right on her neck in a reverse piledriver, for a two count. That looked devastating. Grace takes control and goes for the Grace Driver, but Masha fights her way out and hits a double stomp for a two. They go back and forth fighting near the corner, until Grace hits a spinebuster, but shows some pain to her neck from being dropped on it earlier.
They go back and forth with chops before knocking each other down. Grace starts body slamming Masha, as Masha gives kicks in between. Grace hits a knee strike and a Michinoku Driver for a two count. Masha dodges a Vader Bomb attempt from Grace and hits a Destroyer for a two count. They head to the top rope, where Grace hits a stalling superplex followed by a jackhammer for a two. Grace goes for the Muscle Buster, but Masha kicks her way out and applies a sleeper, before transitioning into a Bulldog Choke. Grace powers her way out and grabs the ropes, but Masha hits her with a bridged trap suplex for a two count. They go back and forth with punches, until Grace drives Masha down on her neck as well for a two count. Grace starts smacking and kicking Masha and hits the Grace Driver, but Masha kicks out. Grace puts Masha up in a Torture Rack position, but Masha slips out and hits an Air Raid Crash into the corner, followed by the Snow Plow, but Grace’s foot is under the ropes. They head to the top rope, but Grace holds on and hits a Grace Driver off the top rope for the pin.
Winner: Jordynne Grace by pinfall at 16:01, to retain
Hard to Kill on Friday the 13th
They announce that next month, they will have Over Drive on Friday, November 18th from Louisville, Kentucky as well as Hard to Kill on Friday the 13th in Atlanta, Georgia.
IMPACT World Championship: Josh Alexander (c) vs. Eddie Edwards
Honor No More’s Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Kenny King, Vincent and PCO all come down to the ring with Eddie Edwards before he sends them to his back, as Alisha Edwards and their kids are sitting in the front row. As Josh Alexander heads to the ring, we see his wife Jennifer and their son sitting next to Alisha. They start the match slow with lock-ups and takedowns as the crowd seems a bit split. Alexander drives Edwards down and puts on a side headlock before they challenge each other side shoulder blocks. Edwards retreats to the outside and starts messing with fans including tossing a wig off of one who was dressed like Ric Flair. Edwards takes control and hits a hard slingshot crossbody to Alexander on the outside before he starts chopping Alexander against the apron, until Alexander comes back with a crossbody onto Edwards to the outside. Back inside, Edwards hits an over the head belly-to-belly suplex. They start chopping as fake Ric Flair yells out ‘that’s not how you chop, bro’. They end up back outside, as Edwards hits a suicide dive on Alexander. Edwards starts pulling off the floor mat, exposing the wood and tries to go for the Die Hard Driver, but Alexander fights his way off, runs back in the ring and hits another crossbody to Edwards on the outside. Alexander teases hitting a German Suplex to Edwards off the apron to the wooden floor, but Edwards fights him off and hits the Die Hard Driver to Alexander on the wood. Edwards stays in control, chopping away at Alexander in the corner as Alexander shows that he can’t lift up his left. Edwards hits a Backpack Stunner for a two count, and transitions right into a Half Crab but Alexander grabs the ropes.
They pick it up a bit here as Alexander hits a running Alabama Slam to Edwards into the corner. Alexander dodges Edwards a bit, before hitting two German Suplexes, but Edwards escapes to the apron, where Alexander hits a third. They spill onto the outside, as Alexander holds on and hits the fourth on the floor and the fifth on the entrance ramp while never letting go. That was wild. They head back inside, where Alexander hits a powerbomb onto his knee for a two. Alexander tries the C4 Spike, but Edwards gets out and hits the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two. Edwards sets up for the Boston Knee Party, but Alexander grabs him and hits the Styles Clash transitioning right into the ankle lock, but Edwards rolls out and Alexander falls to the outside. Alexander heads to the top rope, but Edwards meets him up there and hits a suplex, but Alexander counters right away and hits the C4 Spike. As the referee is counting, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett pull him outside. Alexander fights them off, but Kenny King hits him with a low blow from behind. Security escorts Honor No More out as a second referee goes into the ring where Edwards hits a Boston Knee Party for a two. Alexander escapes out of the Die Hard Driver and hits a half-and-half suplex. Alexander catches Edwards’ leg for an ankle lock while on the top rope, but Edwards escapes and hits a Tiger Driver for a two as Alexander is leaking blood from his nose. They start chopping each other mixed with smacks to the face as the crowd gets really into it. Edwards spits in Alexander’s face, who takes off his headgear and fires up. Edwards hits a hard clothesline and goes for Boston Knee Party, but Alexander hits him with a couple of punches and the C4 Spike for the pin and the win.
Winner: Josh Alexander by pinfall at 28:04, to retain
As soon as Josh Alexander stands up, he gets attacked from behind by Honor No More. Heath and Rich Swann run out to help but are outnumbered. Mike Bennett and Matt Taven bring a table into the ring, but before they can do anything, Bully Ray makes his way out with his Call Your Shot Trophy. Honor No More steps out of the way to let Bully Ray cash in his trophy, but instead, he teams up with Alexander to take out Honor No More. As Alexander turns around, Bully Ray holds the IMPACT World Championship up high and tells Alexander he will be his most legitimate challenger he’s ever had and that he’s going to make him step his game up. Bully Ray says if he wants his championship, to take it, which Alexander does as they continue to have a face-off as the show ends.