October 13, 2025 • 38 mins
TNA's biggest event of the year, Bound For Glory, suffered from a profound and detrimental influence from WWE and NXT-style booking, resulting in a confusing, over-booked, and ultimately frustrating night of action. The pay-per-view, which should have been TNA's chance to shine, instead felt marred by questionable decisions, unnecessary complexity, and a lack of faith in its own roster and storytelling.
Over-Exposed NXT Talent and Convoluted Finishes: The recurring presence of NXT talent—including TNA World Champion Trick Williams and Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan—was a double-edged sword that mostly cut TNA.
The TNA World Championship main event saw Mike Santana finally defeat Trick Williams, delivering a feel-good moment. However, the victory was immediately undermined by a convoluted post-match angle involving Call Your Shot co-winner Nic Nemeth attempting to cash in, only to be stopped by the return of Elijah (with a guitar!) and a run-in from the other co-winner, Frankie Kazarian. This messy sequence, reminiscent of overly-busy, chaotic WWE booking, diluted the impact of Santana's hard-earned win.
The TNA X-Division Championship match between champion Leon Slater and NXT's Je'Von Evans was a stellar, high-paced contest until a disastrous finish. A 20-minute time-limit draw—a dated and anti-climactic WWE trope—was immediately followed by a five-minute sudden death, which then ended in a No Contest due to a run-in by the mysterious DarkState. The match's quality was sacrificed for a multi-layered, unsatisfying angle.
The TNA Knockouts World Championship match saw Kelani Jordan retain against Indi Hartwell in a competent but ultimately forgettable bout, serving mainly as a showcase for more borrowed talent rather than TNA's unique women's division.
Poorly Booked Marathons and Anti-Climaxes: Segments that should have been highlights were instead hobbled by poor execution and unnecessary twists.
The 20-Person Intergender Call Your Shot Gauntlet was an overlong mess that devolved into another puzzling, messy finish. After mass eliminations, the match ended with a dual pinfall, resulting in Frankie Kazarian and Nic Nemeth being declared co-winners. The confusing "two winners" scenario—followed by a brawl over the trophy—epitomized the over-booked, indecisive style that plagued the show.
Tessa Blanchard's match against announcer Gia Miller was dominated by heel antics and outside interference, culminating in a cheap, "shades of her father" finish with a handful of quarters. While delivering a predictable result, the execution felt tedious and over-reliant on the classic "dominant heel" formula.
The nostalgia-driven "One Final Table" match saw The Hardys retain the TNA/NXT Tag Team titles against Team 3D. While the match served its purpose as an emotional farewell to Team 3D, the inclusion of a table that refused to break for a key spot, and the overall focus on a non-TNA act for one of the main attractions, felt like a missed opportunity to build newer stars.
Bound For Glory ultimately felt like a company struggling to differentiate itself, caving to the influence of its broadcast partners and sacrificing clean finishes and definitive storytelling for the sake of forced complexity and shock value. The results left fans with a lingering sense of "bulls–t"—a direct and telling reflection of the night's flawed booking decisions.
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Over-Exposed NXT Talent and Convoluted Finishes: The recurring presence of NXT talent—including TNA World Champion Trick Williams and Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan—was a double-edged sword that mostly cut TNA.
The TNA World Championship main event saw Mike Santana finally defeat Trick Williams, delivering a feel-good moment. However, the victory was immediately undermined by a convoluted post-match angle involving Call Your Shot co-winner Nic Nemeth attempting to cash in, only to be stopped by the return of Elijah (with a guitar!) and a run-in from the other co-winner, Frankie Kazarian. This messy sequence, reminiscent of overly-busy, chaotic WWE booking, diluted the impact of Santana's hard-earned win.
The TNA X-Division Championship match between champion Leon Slater and NXT's Je'Von Evans was a stellar, high-paced contest until a disastrous finish. A 20-minute time-limit draw—a dated and anti-climactic WWE trope—was immediately followed by a five-minute sudden death, which then ended in a No Contest due to a run-in by the mysterious DarkState. The match's quality was sacrificed for a multi-layered, unsatisfying angle.
The TNA Knockouts World Championship match saw Kelani Jordan retain against Indi Hartwell in a competent but ultimately forgettable bout, serving mainly as a showcase for more borrowed talent rather than TNA's unique women's division.
Poorly Booked Marathons and Anti-Climaxes: Segments that should have been highlights were instead hobbled by poor execution and unnecessary twists.
The 20-Person Intergender Call Your Shot Gauntlet was an overlong mess that devolved into another puzzling, messy finish. After mass eliminations, the match ended with a dual pinfall, resulting in Frankie Kazarian and Nic Nemeth being declared co-winners. The confusing "two winners" scenario—followed by a brawl over the trophy—epitomized the over-booked, indecisive style that plagued the show.
Tessa Blanchard's match against announcer Gia Miller was dominated by heel antics and outside interference, culminating in a cheap, "shades of her father" finish with a handful of quarters. While delivering a predictable result, the execution felt tedious and over-reliant on the classic "dominant heel" formula.
The nostalgia-driven "One Final Table" match saw The Hardys retain the TNA/NXT Tag Team titles against Team 3D. While the match served its purpose as an emotional farewell to Team 3D, the inclusion of a table that refused to break for a key spot, and the overall focus on a non-TNA act for one of the main attractions, felt like a missed opportunity to build newer stars.
Bound For Glory ultimately felt like a company struggling to differentiate itself, caving to the influence of its broadcast partners and sacrificing clean finishes and definitive storytelling for the sake of forced complexity and shock value. The results left fans with a lingering sense of "bulls–t"—a direct and telling reflection of the night's flawed booking decisions.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wrestling-is-real-wrestling-podcast--1559158/support.
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Support KOP by subscribing to his YouTube channel and search for King Of Podcasts
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Listen to KOP’s other programs, Podcasters Row… and the Wrestling is Real Wrestling Podcast and The Broadcasters Podcast.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Podcasting since two thousand and five. This is the King
of Podcasts Radio Network, KINGO Podcasts dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Don't blame TNA for this PIVO view because they didn't
book it.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
WHOA, he isn't the name you more request and believe
it or not. Whether you like it or don't like,
you learn to love it because you have listened to
wrestling and really it is the best day going to day.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
WHOA but worldwide leader of podcasting excellence, the King of
Podcasts Radio Network probably presents the Wrestling Is Real podcast
because wrestling Jeve sucks.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
We're gonna recap Bound for Glory and Crown Jewel will
take a little bit of time to talk about that
here on this Wrestling is Your Podcast Episode nine hundred
and sexty five. King of podcast Is here with you.
So tonight's Bound for Glory listen. For those of you
that have been listening to this program since twenty twelve.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I have a pretty good gauge of being consistent on
how I look at TNA and how they've been booking
themselves over the years. Okay, and remember I still kept
covering TNA pay per views, recapping them in the worst
ends where they were on their deathbed okay on Pursuit Channel,
(01:25):
and this show still went off and they were still
looking to put a shut out there.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Okay, I did it. I looked back at.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
All my past episodes that I'd done about it, and
I say to myself, okay, let me look look back
as far as I can. And I look back, and
I look at twenty fourteen. There was neglected Bound for Glory,
but again there was a lot of issues was going
on back then. And then I go into twenty fifteen
(01:51):
a little bit better this time around, but again TNA
was in such a struggle at the time when they
were doing their shows. Let me even just go back
to what they've done in previous years of don for
Glory and what they've booked, because that'll be a different
story from a different perspective we got to talk about
as well, because I said, I've gone back and I've
(02:11):
over the years have looked at what they've done. Just
going to real quick when they went to Tokyo, Japan
to do boun for Glory, because again there is such
a space they couldn't do the basically do all the
stuff that they will normally do. The commentary was done
in Nashville's Taz and Mike Today doing it from there,
(02:35):
and on that night you had a lot of Japanese
stars working with t and a Folks Team three D
was on that pay per view against Abyss and Tommy Dreamer.
We had Havoc and Velvet Sky for the knockout title.
Ten years ago eleven years ago specifically, and the Revolution
(02:57):
with the Great Tsanama James Storm taking on the Great
Muda and Tajiri in a tag team match.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
That was your bound for Glory.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
One of the more forgetful of those shows, don't get
me wrong, the Three Way Dance with Samoa, Joe Kasshayashi
low key exhibsion title. That was short, but it was
not anything to go ahead and say it wasn't bad.
Then you get a little bit more change up. They
go to Concord, North Carolina, and then you have a
(03:27):
little more it's back to a normal style bound for glory.
The Gauntlet match you had Tyres winning in there. You
had the Wolves against Brian Myers and Trevor Leef of
the world tag team titles and the Wolves win Bobby
Ruden lash Lee for the King of the Mountain championship
that was being defended back at that time. Gilt Kim
(03:49):
Awesome Kong for the TNA and I Houtse title, Matt
Hardy over EC three and Drew Gralloway for a teeny
World Heavyweight title three way match. Jeff Hardy special guess referee,
remember that. And I'm just going through the years that
we had twenty sixty, we had, you know, the Final
(04:15):
Deletion and all that stuff going on, and AC three
was up there with lastly, and this was an impact
zone in twenty sixteen, moving along and Billy Corgan was
a part of it, remember and within that.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
The Broken Heart.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
He's getting together in the Great War to win the
TNA World tag Team titles. Eli Drake your infamous La
Knight beating Tyrus in the last elimination for the Bound
for Gold Gauntlet match for a number one contentorship for
the ten A Heavaway title. DJ's Each Other Leave for
the X Division title. Lastly an EC three in a
(04:59):
no holes barred Mas match for the World Headweight title.
That was a Nasha a bit better. And this was
when Anthem started taking over the promotion in twenty sixteen.
Then they go to Canada and Ottawa for the next
(05:21):
year's Bound for Glory and you know, you start see
some of the stars are getting in here that are
you know, it's TNA starting to find itself again. They
had some of the Goofiness, Abyss and Grado and a
Monster's Palm hatch right sixth way for the Impact Exhibsion title.
(05:41):
Trevor Lee does make Xavier Guards of Junior Mass side
now Pete Williams san Jay Dutt six man tag team
match in the fifty one to fifty Street Fight a
while versus Everything versus the Lax. That was a great
That was a pretty cool, cool match. Gil kimmelrosiena American
top team being involved with last actually when he took
on Moose with Stephen Bonner and Eli Drake for the
(06:09):
Global Championship Impact Global Championship defending of that night, and
it was kind of weird that we did not have
a World Heavyweight title match in that pay per view.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
One notable thing about that.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
And we can go along with the Lax, the Ogs
or the Greek Concrete Jungle death match that was Bound
for Glory and they did that in New York in
the Melrose Ballroom. Cool night and again when TNA was
finding its way. And again who was talking about TNA
at the time. Tessa Blanchard, Tia Dockery, Knockout's Title, awesome match,
(07:00):
Eddie Edwards and Moose. Then Eddie Edwards and Tommy Drimber
with Moose and Killer Cross back on that day in
twenty eighteen, and then you had Johnny Impact over Austin
Ares for the Impact World Title.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
We had good, pretty good stuff.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Going on in those paper views and again, and that
was a change up. Also when we had these going
where they were bringing more international talent coming in. They
had folks from Triple A and Pro Wrestling, Noah coming
in for the twenty nineteen Bound for Glory, he had
the rascals out there taking on Triple A stars. Eddie
(07:39):
Edwards went in the Gauntlet, Tyle Valkyry once again, Impact
Ncouts Champion the North, Rich Willie Mack, Rhino, Rob Van Dam,
Impact World Tag Team Title, Hell of a Match, Michael
Elginby part of this, Ace Austen Jake, Chris Ace, Romero, Dagga,
Tessa Blanchard, Exon title match, the hell of a Match too,
(08:02):
that was really fun. Muse and Ken Shamrock, Brian Cage,
Sammy Callahan Impact World Title. That's the TNA I remember
that was you know, that's after everything with Beschoff and Hogan,
after Dixie Carter, after the Adrenaline, the Rush, the sixty
minute Adrenaline Rush and all that stuff going on, and
then they went through COVID and then we go along
and then again struggle it because you know the bill
(08:25):
A do live shows like they were doing before.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
They did make the change.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Where there was THEAW partnership, Christian Cage after being championed
taking the championship belt for the TNA World Headway Title
away from Kenny Omega. And remember in that pay per view,
simply we should compare about this, the pay per view
that AW was involved in. Okay, you had the Digital
(08:53):
Media Championship, you had the Inspiration lose to Decays Avac
and Rosemary for the Knockouts tag team titles. Now they're
Tag Team Champions. Trim Miguel beating El Fantasma Steve Macklin
for the vacant Ex Division title.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Pretty good stuff. Voll by Design.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
That was a big storyline going on with Heathan Rhino
in a short match, Moose wins the caller shot Gauntlet
Good Brothers against Finn Juice and Bullet Club Wow World
Tag Team Titles, Impact Knockou's Child Championship, Mickey James and
Dianna Parazzo.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Now the hell of a.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Match that night. Then Josh Alexander, Christian Cage and Josh
Alexander won the World Hayweight title, only for Moose to
take the chance at the Collier Shot Gauntlet Trophy cashed
it in and took out Josh Alexander seven seconds. You
see some of the dynamics that are doing here in
(09:58):
tonight's boundfer We don't need to go any farther than that,
but the bound for Glory was that that time at
aw was a part of Because of that, just that
one title match was what they were part of.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
But they did it.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Christian Cage, Josh Alexander with the option see cashes it in,
wins the World Heavyweight title, only for Moose to take
it away and then they would go back and then
Josh would win the title and have a long reign
with it, and that was done correct. Tonight a different story.
They decided to take a little bit of what happened
(10:33):
how it happened. In twenty twenty one where you have
somebody new that's going to be crowned after this other promotions.
This other promotional star has the world heavway title, took
it away from a teenag star, basically holding a hostage
in a way. But you see an eighteen minute match,
nineteen minute match with Josh Alexander. He wins it outright
(10:57):
and they go call your shot Colin so from Mike Santana,
the same thing to go for a long match tonight
and he wins the only tittle change that was there,
so he gets that. I was worry about that. Okay,
what's gonna happen?
Speaker 1 (11:12):
You know?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Are we gonna see a change with Chrick Williams to.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Mike Santana. I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I don't know if it was gonna happen or not.
But they went through the match sixteen minutes, you get it, okay,
done and there's your winner now.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I was kind of surprised that Mike Santana was going
to give me give them the bell, I will say that,
but they did it. The match was okay. My issue
with Chrick Williams is that he should not be in
TENA at all. This guy should already be on the
main roster. He has more star power when I see
(12:01):
him out there being brought out to the ring because
of everybody who's getting any kind of response tonight, trick Williams.
They start hitting with that whoop that trick And let
me tell you that crowd compared to hearing you from
NXT and five hundred people in the performance center or
wherever they are, that should be going on on the
main roster right now. He will be a breath of
(12:23):
fresh air to that main roster. We should not have
to see Seth Rawng's versus see him Punk or Cody
Rose or whatever else. I want to see some freshness
there and right there, that's one. The other one is
Javon Evans. It's obvious the guy is a bundle of energy.
He's excitement. Promos are not going to be there yet.
(12:47):
That's okay, but you know what, you throw him out there.
If you're willing to throw a leer of our carry
out there to do promos, then you can easily let
Javon Evans go out there and do the same thing. Okay,
but he will get a better response. I've already shown
that putting them on spack down. So just do it already.
Take these two, move them up, Just move them up.
(13:09):
And Colowinnie Jordan. I don't understand why you decide to
take the entire energy, all the air taken out of
this match because you let Colonne Jordan win it at
Victory Road. Why didn't you pull the trigger.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
On the title change. If you're gonna do it, you
don't do it about for glory?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Like, why are you short changing Colonnie Jordan just because oh,
you have this influence. Now you got these Twitter, these
Twitch influencers and now people and the juvenile's delusional fandom
that normally would not give two shits about TNA. Tell
me if they would care about TNA five years ago. No,
(13:50):
now they care because they have all these particular stars
that are in the in this promotion right now basically
taken over hostage, this whole thing and booking show as such,
case in point with Javon Evans and Leon Slater. That
is a f finish if I've ever seen one, that
I expect it, and you cannot blame TNA for that finish.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
You can't. That booking has.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
To be Trivia a Shawn Michaels or River else. That's
back there. There is no reason for Dark Side to
be involved. I know there's been previous involvement, but I
don't give a shit. You can't tell me that it
bound for Gore. You can't give us a solid winner.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
You took it to a draw.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Fine, okay, And I don't even understand that because I
don't remember TNA ever referring to time limits. I mean,
I guess they do, but how often do we have
a draw? So they do this, Santino comes out restart
and then Dark Side come on. What a slap in
the face. And you know, everybody on X and other places,
(14:56):
I'm looking at people just shit over this thing.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Man.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
They did not like that at all.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
And I'm both with them, completely agree.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
And then.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
You decide what the intergender call your shot gauntlet. You
decided to go ahead, and with the fact that Kazarian
and Nick Nemeth eliminated each other, we're just gonna give
both the chance to run with the gatlet. They're both
getting the share of the trophy. That's never happened before.
(15:30):
It's never happened before. I still remember there was was
it Rob Terry and somebody that was in the Gauntlet match,
and they had to do the same kind of finish.
But they did give somebody that the the trophy, right,
I don't remember that either, but either which way, they
did that as per tradition. Fine, and you want as
(15:51):
your number one contender Kazarian and Nick Nemuth. Okay Kas
has been there off and on twenty years and Nick
Nammoth already had a long run as champion. You're telling
me you don't have not one young person right now
ready to go and pull up because they don't notice
on this roster there is no young town that is
(16:13):
strictly TNA except for Leon Slater, who came from NXT.
That's it. There is nobody else. They weren't on this
pay per view, that's for sure. And this is after
Steve Becklan beats Freakie Gazarian for the international title, former
(16:36):
Digital Media Championship whatever, you know, all that stuff, and
I'm like, this is what we're gonna do. That's not
even any real solid booking at all. It's like, Okay,
you're just taking two veterans out here, and it's just
the older guys that are gonna be running the show. Meanwhile,
we've had it where TNA was never like that. Like
you know, obviously under Bischoff Hogan influence. But let me
(16:58):
tell you when Billy Corgan ran, it didn't have all
these older folks that were like all over the place.
Wasn't that long As I mentioned Eli Drake and Brian
Cage facing each other for the World heaweight title, Like
you know, look at that, Look at what we were
all sorry, that was the.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Global Impact title.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
That's right, But either which way, you had stars in
there that you know, had some up and coming and
like it's obvious that the matches that people cared about
in this arena tonight, which they said was seventy seven
to forty nine of attendance, the record attendance for a
TNA pay per view, which was inflated as per w tradition. Okay,
(17:39):
for W and the next t their purpose for this
pay per view is because they have a partnership in
play and to help bolster TNA's appeal to the next
TV broadcaster whoever is dealing with them right now. This
is going to be like a selling point, okay, bow
(18:00):
for glory record crowd record gate. Look at who came
Da Da Da, and look at the stars that were
in it, and look how we built that up a
little bit of help of our friends, so teenage can
do and take that. And you know, had a nice
slick look out there, because you can tell the production
services were a little bit upper the point. I wouldn't
(18:21):
be surprised if NXT and W Folks had their production
team brought to this show at a discount or as
a special perk for TEENA to have a good show,
as part of the perks.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
That W is giving right now.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Because also they want to make sure the footage looks
good for themselves. They can repurpose it to show their stars. Okay,
they're gonna show highlights on NXT of Javon Evans and
Colonnie Jordan and Trick Williams, because they have to go
and use that in storyline, so you'll see those stars
over there, Okay, But then after that, you know they're
(18:57):
gonna not even reference boun for glory probably just go
and show their stars and what happened to them. And
you know, the one thing I will say is that
I am respecting the stars they decided to go and
put in here in the rules they have as champions
or as contenders. Okay, Kelownie Jordan Javon Evans, Trick Williams
(19:20):
are absolutely bonafide talents that should be able to go
and move up the night main roster. This is the
thing I'm talking about as well, So for the guy
that told me about town development that I don't know
what I'm talking about. The point is, how much more
talent development do you need those stars to have right now?
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Move them up?
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Call them up already? What are you waiting for? What
are you afraid of? Because the main roster right now
is lacking some fresh star power. I mean even on
SmackDown this past week they even did some changes.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
We're okay, we brought out the MFT.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Now now they're looking like, you know, we got face
paint on them, and not really commendable face paint. You're
giving Bronson Reid a run beating stars and I'm like,
what are you doing here? Bronston Reid's like in his
late thirties right now, but he's like being booked, like
he's like the next young thing. What are we gonna
(20:17):
make the world?
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Heaweight champions like that? Come on?
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Well, that's another story. We'll talk about that in a moment.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
But either which.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Way, it's only those matches that really were paying attention
to because, okay, some of the TNA fair that we
normally would get the international title Tesla blancherd GM Miller
because they set up that whole storyline with GM Miller,
the announcer, the backstage interviewer finally decided to go and
go after Tessa Blanchard did that little set up. Fine,
then you had the system and Order Ford in your
(20:48):
Gender Hardcore Award.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
That was pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Can't believe Lesha Edwards Natasha Steeles are taking shots with
barbed wire sticks and or you know, kendo sticks and
taking tax But okay, and as for one final table,
the Hardy's in ten three D, I'm not gonna say
much about it. Listen, these are guys at the end
of their run. The Hardys still have a little bit
of juice left on them. But yeah, Bully and Devon,
(21:14):
yeah it's us. It's just there's no more time for that.
And the thing is, I mean, yeah, you know, credit
to Devon and Billy ready to get themselves back in
the ring shape.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
I mean, Bully Ray's still gotten out there a little
bit here and there, but I haven't seen him doing
a lot of wrestling lately, but you know, he's not
going out there as much. They're just up there in age,
and you know, to ask for like a match that
was gonna be like incredible, incredible.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
Nah, what was gonna happen? But they didn't go overly long.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Jeff Hardy does not need to go ahead and get
himself another concussion with a ladder shot because he had
to go and pull the tables closer to him to
make sure he can land on both tables.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
It didn't really help much, but you know, people felt
good about the.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Match and the sentiment, the value of it and the
emotion that came from it because we see the boots
gets taking off of the bullies and the Dudley's are
officially retiring. They did pro wrestling tradition, took off the boots,
gave them to the Hearty's. That's it. Off to the sunset.
(22:15):
That's fine, and you know pretty much it. This is
a lackluster pay per view, lackluster for the fact you
only had one match that we got, which was Mike
Santanna did not win at Slam Versus. And now you
can pull the trigger here, okay, because if you didn't
do that and you let Trick awayam was just going
(22:36):
to take again. I mean, the thing is, how late
are you gonna wait for Mike' s Antenna to go
and be finally groomed as champion. You've been trying to
do it for a while now, so how many how
much more time do you want to put them through
to get to that point? And listen, you know, the
Mike's Antenna persona is very much on the same build
as any star right now today under Triple H because
they don't want to go into characters, they don't want
(22:56):
to go into gimmicks, none of that stuff. You know,
Mike's Santon it wants to be his own person you know,
represented his heritage. Fine, and that's what he did, and
this is the way they want to book it. And
you took all this time for him to finally get
to this point of this title change.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Okay, he did at the right show. Good.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Now what do you do with Trick Williams? I mean,
are you gonna put him into a rematch of Genesis
or is that it for him?
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Or are they gotta figure that out.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
The aftermath of Bound for Glory coming up on Thursday night.
I don't know, but either which way, still no TV
deal yet that hasn't happened for them. And as for
Bound for Glory, just felt except for a couple of
matches that were probably booked with agents from TNA, the
booking was managed and controlled and set by WRI. Of
(23:50):
course it would. And you think about the fact that
the way they booked a night, they just said, let's
just go put all the TNA fluff. We're gonna put
that into the very top of the show. So what
you're really trying to tell people is Okay, that first
hour that's TNA stuff.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
Let them all have that. Let them have their cake.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Triple h says Stan Michael says, let them have their cake. Well,
the truth is, if you're doing a TENA pay per view,
Leon Slider, Jovon Evans, you start that first, or you've
put the Gauntlet first. But the ex Division title match,
you should have put that on early.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
But I guess with the booking they knew it was
going to piss people off.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
And obviously after that bad taste in the mouth of
dark Side, you get the Hardy's out there and they're
not gonna go ahead and shoot.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Off of that match. Just not possible.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
So they had a cover for whatever type of bullshit
booking they had for that particular ex Division title match.
They've had great ex Division title matches in the past.
We've had excellent Exhibsion title matches. This was not the
ending was done the matches. Oh, those guys can go
(25:02):
all they want. And the truth is, if you want
to give them an actual program and face each other
with a storyline, I would be all into it and
purely invested in it. But they're not because they don't
want to do that. That's maybe Tom would would do
something more with that if you was getting able to
go ahead and have the autonomy to go work with
Jamon Evans like you would want to. But he's not
(25:24):
because that's not the way it's being set up here.
So forget about that. I funk goul with that man.
Take that first hour. Give TNA what they want with it. Fine,
there's all the TNA bullshit. We get it out of
the way. Now we put on our people.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
The hardcore war.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
They put it into there because oh well, people will
probably like that. For the jubilal, delusional fantom that was
watching tonight and for some of my fellow podcast wrestling
brethren that are actually covering the show tonight and would
never give two shits about TNA. They wish the downfall
of TNA years ago like they want the downfall of
Tony Kanna.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
Awkay.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
For those of you hypocrites out there that are designed
to go and cover this show tonight, you have some nerve, Okay,
you have some nerve now giving a shit and getting
on the fucking TNA bandwagon. How dare you decide to
go ahead and just run on the coattails with Shawn
Michaels and trivile h As they get on this show
(26:19):
and they make it mid because they did. This was
not a TNA show. Hey, I watched it fine, but
let me tell you this was barely better than Crown Jewel.
And that's saying a lot because Crown Jewel, Oh, boy man,
that was just flat. Look all due respect to Johnson
(26:41):
and aj Styles, they put a lot of nostalgia into it.
Those guys are not gonna have.
Speaker 4 (26:44):
A bad match.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
I mean, you're gonna leave them on their own and
they do their own thing to set it up. Fine,
They're gonna do just fine. They have so much experience together,
no problem there. So I'm not worried about that at all.
And as for the other matches of the I could
care less Crown Jewel not even being in Saudi Arabia
this time, it's in Perth, Australia.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
By the way.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
The explanation is is that with the Royal Rumbo coming
up in January, they didn't want to go back and
do Crown Jewel for Saudi Arabia again. So crownd Jewel
got moved is the only reason why Perth Australia even
got a chance to have this habit show in Australia.
(27:27):
That's a pay per view as nevertheless, but again the
paper they got is basically the fluff pay per view
that the Saudi Arabians will get that they pay fifty
million dollars for which I'm sure that might be something
that probably doesn't like too much to go and say
because of the fact that well they didn't get a
chance to go ahead and run and get that fifty
million bucks, right, But they'll get a lot of money
(27:48):
for Royer Rumble. Ob means they're gonna get some big bucks,
no whammies for Royal Rumbo. Now, as for this five
match show two and a half hours, Bronson Reid beats
Roman reigns. I mean, I don't even understand what we're
doing here. What are you doing the longest reigning Universal
(28:10):
champion we've had of all this right here, and I
don't know what we're doing here, Like, what the what
is going on?
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Man?
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Make this point clear too. Somebody put this up here.
Finesse pro rusting, Finesse on X. Bronson Reed has pinned
in the last eleven months, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, seth
Rons this is amazing. Listen, Broston Read right now is
not even in the shape he was at NXT and
(28:39):
now we're gonna expect this guy to be the next
coming of Bam Bam Bigelow. And he's getting wins on
all the major stars. It's not getting him over at all.
Bronston Reed is like Jeff Jared, doesn't matter how many
guitars you hit on somebody, you're not getting over.
Speaker 4 (28:55):
Bronson. Rita is not over.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
He is an afterthought in that faction. The future is
bron Breaker and seth Ron's you know, he's just in
control of the whole thing. He sucks up all the
air of the whole thing. Okay, because Bronson Rebron Breaker,
they're just afterthoughts when bron Breaker does not need this faction.
How many times I have to say that over and over,
(29:18):
but they do it anyway. And as for Roman Reigns,
since twenty twenty, only two stars of Penn Roman Reigns
in the ring. That's Cody Rhodes and Bronson Reid. The
only two stars have been Roman Rains. Why is Roman
Reigns getting dropped to Bronson Reid? Of all people, I
(29:41):
understand bron Breaker, I can understand maybe few other stars,
but you're telling me Roman Rains you were reject you
were You've taken away all the luster, all the all
of that that guy had holding on to that Universal
Championship for thirteen hundred day, three and a half years,
(30:01):
almost four years as champion, and you've just basically decimated
that whole legacy right there.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
For what.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
I can't get it.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
Oh and also very funny ESPN A B. I had
to give a little bit better grade this time for
Crown Jewel Johnson Agsll's got a A. Kabuki Wars Ees Sky
re Ripley with a B. Cutty Roads Seth Wrongs with
a B. Bronson Reid, Roman Reigns a C, Tony Stretton
sevity of a care a C minus, and as for
the actual grade they gave. The main summarization of it
(30:36):
is that Crown Jewels, a show that still one out
of the gate according to Andreas Hell with a relatively
tame street fight and a far too brief affair between
women's champions, rescued by absolutely still a match between Sena
and Styles that put an excellent book into the rivalry rawls.
Finally getting his come up It's against Rhoads, a story
that I did not care about by any means necessary,
(30:56):
and the Women's tax team match strong and anchored a
memorable bounce back for w after a middle Russell balooza.
Oh so now you're getting better, Thank you ESPN. You know,
I'm sure he probably got a talking to after all that,
so he had to can like do something more And
what's unfortunately we haven't talked about at all that should
be said is a number of things on the down
(31:21):
low that WV decided to go and do this weekend.
N XT releases a plenty this time around, once again Weslee,
Stevie Turner, Lance Ny Gentala, Draco Knox, Hayes, Jamison Summer,
Sarrell Braden bj Ray and Jamar Hanton out. And that's
not counting some of the WID stars that have also
(31:42):
been let go and WID basically folding. So the next
aligning thing they had in there, what a that whole plan?
I guess that's also shot right. Basically, the idea was
that you had the NIL program that was supposed to
go and bring in talent from at the athletic fields,
right and ID for the independent wrestlers. And it's obviously
(32:06):
the ID program that's a wash.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
One year later.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
There's the story I'm taking here from the scrap dot Co.
They make a point over a year in the program,
there has not been any They've yet to establish any
consistent working partnership with independent promotions except for GCW.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
So far, non.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
WID schools have not seen any major effects, but there's
supposed to be some ongoing interest in building structure talent
pipelines across different levels.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
In the industry.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Some independent promotions have been cast about involving contracted WID
talent due to the nature of exclusive agreements and past
developmental restructures such as a transition from NXDUK, so the
success of this will likely depend on how efficially it
can rebounce recruitment, collaboration, and developmental opportunities for independent wrestlers
while maintaining positive relationships across the broader wrestling landscape. You know,
(33:00):
TNA was one of those independent places where you can
get a lot of independent talent. They can find their
way over there and become noticed. Well, now that's a
block because you have to be in the system to
even get in anywhere involved in TNA, and of course
you have to be in that particular promotion in some
way shape performing developmental for four years, it looks like
because that's how long the slater was there where Kladdie
(33:23):
Jordan was in there, and Jovan Evans has been.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
There for like three years.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Right, it's all these stars, you know, where are we
getting with them? We're not not at all. And all
I'm saying is I don't see the interest here. The
Netflix era continues to be about abomination in my opinion.
Somebody out there on X did answer a common like,
(33:51):
you know, hey, give us a comment on this. Somebody
asks about say something positive about w in twenty twenty five,
and this person writes, oh, Sina winning a seventeen title
sena and Cody Is SummerSlam, The TSC Matches SummerSlam. All
the segments was Roman, Jimmy and j Eo, Bianca, Rhea,
Sammy's US Title Open Challenge, A, g Lee's Return, the
(34:13):
Becky Lara feud, and Evolution two.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Wow. Wow, those are the highlights of this year in
this company. Wow man, that is like, you know, the.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Best of content at the end of the year is
gonna be fascinating because I mean, I'm really I'm not
gonna be able to do any kind of best of content,
like you know, like I wouldn't really just run through
the months, because I think I'm gonna just do like
a multi part series of the breakdown of what this
Netflix era has represented, because w right now, it's obvious
with what they're doing with the relationships and what they're
(34:50):
doing with their own product, they are just coasting on
the cash flow that TKO has been bringing in because creative,
they're on autopilot. It's not even autopilot. It's worse than autopilot.
It's like we're not even gonna be behind the wheel.
We'll let other people drive and they don't know where
(35:13):
they're going. I mean, for me, I don't recap anything anymore.
There's not even really that much on the inm ring
stuff I talk about on a regular basis, because what
this whole thing is just like that company. Man, I
don't know their direction right now doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
And I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
Any change of the big data ratings we talked about
on Friday on Wednesday, excuse me, or the changes are
going to be coming up with the pay per views
if they're able to go and keep the same sized gates.
And when they start doing two night shows now all
twenty twenty six across the board, when they start designing
(35:55):
to make money in the bank two nights and SummerSlam
and Wrestle and what else, and keep taking shows away
right taking shows away from North America, putting them to
other countries. I don't know, man, I don't know how
the veneer of this company is going to stay around
like it is without some major repercussions, because consequences are
(36:18):
coming for this company because the way they're booking right now,
it's unsustainable. The broadcast partners have right now, they eventually
will start seeing are they getting any return on investment?
Because they won't just saying they won't and by the way,
(36:39):
as for TEENA, not extra sponsorships out. They had a
couple of sponsorships, but just like their own stuff. I
guess though, wres not helping in that department. They're just
helping out putting their own talent in there as they want,
running rough shot the booking.
Speaker 4 (36:54):
And then you know, when the TV deal comes in then.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
To have done their work's about it. And who knows
if that TV deal that comes in. Once the TV
deal comes in, that w might just might just go
ahead and buy them up upright, because they will have
brought up the value of that company, and Anthem might
look at a deal of saying, hey, you want to
take it from us, we'll sell to you, and they
(37:19):
will and they'll buy it. Doesn't the Triple A, I
wouldn't be surprised, But tena's not the same TENA anymore.
I mean, I haven't watched the Impact Wrestling or do
me TNA Impact Show in months. I don't think I've
watched it all this year. Maybe a little bit in
twenty twenty five. But like, honestly, once the NXT component
(37:40):
came in here and I saw that partnership changing things
around a trick Williams is winning titles and you know
any heart rolls knock out champion, Like you see the
writing on the wall, the booking completely changed. You can heat,
you can see it, and sure those are the storylines
that are going on that are TEENA related, but you
know what, it's not the major point. Like, yeah, stars
(38:01):
in TNA, they've been around forever, but TNA used to
always be there for the young talent and now they're
having to go ahead and prop up all this NXT
talent that should not be in TNA. They should be
on the main roster of w plain and simple. I'm
not gonna say any more about it, but that's how
(38:21):
everything looks right there for Crowdjewel and boun for Glory
and it's always I appreciate you catching this program for
TENA payer reviews. For those of you that come back
and listen to me for this on a regular basis,
I am grateful to you. Thank you for finding the
show every year and every time we do the DNA
pay reviews. I'm going to keep doing it anyway because
that's what we gotta do. It's the Wrestling Drip Podcast
(38:44):
because wrestling needs us
Podcasting since two thousand and five. This is the King
of Podcasts Radio Network, KINGO Podcasts dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Don't blame TNA for this PIVO view because they didn't
book it.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
WHOA, he isn't the name you more request and believe
it or not. Whether you like it or don't like,
you learn to love it because you have listened to
wrestling and really it is the best day going to day.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
WHOA but worldwide leader of podcasting excellence, the King of
Podcasts Radio Network probably presents the Wrestling Is Real podcast
because wrestling Jeve sucks.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
We're gonna recap Bound for Glory and Crown Jewel will
take a little bit of time to talk about that
here on this Wrestling is Your Podcast Episode nine hundred
and sexty five. King of podcast Is here with you.
So tonight's Bound for Glory listen. For those of you
that have been listening to this program since twenty twelve.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I have a pretty good gauge of being consistent on
how I look at TNA and how they've been booking
themselves over the years. Okay, and remember I still kept
covering TNA pay per views, recapping them in the worst
ends where they were on their deathbed okay on Pursuit Channel,
(01:25):
and this show still went off and they were still
looking to put a shut out there.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Okay, I did it. I looked back at.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
All my past episodes that I'd done about it, and
I say to myself, okay, let me look look back
as far as I can. And I look back, and
I look at twenty fourteen. There was neglected Bound for Glory,
but again there was a lot of issues was going
on back then. And then I go into twenty fifteen
(01:51):
a little bit better this time around, but again TNA
was in such a struggle at the time when they
were doing their shows. Let me even just go back
to what they've done in previous years of don for
Glory and what they've booked, because that'll be a different
story from a different perspective we got to talk about
as well, because I said, I've gone back and I've
(02:11):
over the years have looked at what they've done. Just
going to real quick when they went to Tokyo, Japan
to do boun for Glory, because again there is such
a space they couldn't do the basically do all the
stuff that they will normally do. The commentary was done
in Nashville's Taz and Mike Today doing it from there,
(02:35):
and on that night you had a lot of Japanese
stars working with t and a Folks Team three D
was on that pay per view against Abyss and Tommy Dreamer.
We had Havoc and Velvet Sky for the knockout title.
Ten years ago eleven years ago specifically, and the Revolution
(02:57):
with the Great Tsanama James Storm taking on the Great
Muda and Tajiri in a tag team match.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
That was your bound for Glory.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
One of the more forgetful of those shows, don't get
me wrong, the Three Way Dance with Samoa, Joe Kasshayashi
low key exhibsion title. That was short, but it was
not anything to go ahead and say it wasn't bad.
Then you get a little bit more change up. They
go to Concord, North Carolina, and then you have a
(03:27):
little more it's back to a normal style bound for glory.
The Gauntlet match you had Tyres winning in there. You
had the Wolves against Brian Myers and Trevor Leef of
the world tag team titles and the Wolves win Bobby
Ruden lash Lee for the King of the Mountain championship
that was being defended back at that time. Gilt Kim
(03:49):
Awesome Kong for the TNA and I Houtse title, Matt
Hardy over EC three and Drew Gralloway for a teeny
World Heavyweight title three way match. Jeff Hardy special guess referee,
remember that. And I'm just going through the years that
we had twenty sixty, we had, you know, the Final
(04:15):
Deletion and all that stuff going on, and AC three
was up there with lastly, and this was an impact
zone in twenty sixteen, moving along and Billy Corgan was
a part of it, remember and within that.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
The Broken Heart.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
He's getting together in the Great War to win the
TNA World tag Team titles. Eli Drake your infamous La
Knight beating Tyrus in the last elimination for the Bound
for Gold Gauntlet match for a number one contentorship for
the ten A Heavaway title. DJ's Each Other Leave for
the X Division title. Lastly an EC three in a
(04:59):
no holes barred Mas match for the World Headweight title.
That was a Nasha a bit better. And this was
when Anthem started taking over the promotion in twenty sixteen.
Then they go to Canada and Ottawa for the next
(05:21):
year's Bound for Glory and you know, you start see
some of the stars are getting in here that are
you know, it's TNA starting to find itself again. They
had some of the Goofiness, Abyss and Grado and a
Monster's Palm hatch right sixth way for the Impact Exhibsion title.
(05:41):
Trevor Lee does make Xavier Guards of Junior Mass side
now Pete Williams san Jay Dutt six man tag team
match in the fifty one to fifty Street Fight a
while versus Everything versus the Lax. That was a great
That was a pretty cool, cool match. Gil kimmelrosiena American
top team being involved with last actually when he took
on Moose with Stephen Bonner and Eli Drake for the
(06:09):
Global Championship Impact Global Championship defending of that night, and
it was kind of weird that we did not have
a World Heavyweight title match in that pay per view.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
One notable thing about that.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
And we can go along with the Lax, the Ogs
or the Greek Concrete Jungle death match that was Bound
for Glory and they did that in New York in
the Melrose Ballroom. Cool night and again when TNA was
finding its way. And again who was talking about TNA
at the time. Tessa Blanchard, Tia Dockery, Knockout's Title, awesome match,
(07:00):
Eddie Edwards and Moose. Then Eddie Edwards and Tommy Drimber
with Moose and Killer Cross back on that day in
twenty eighteen, and then you had Johnny Impact over Austin
Ares for the Impact World Title.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
We had good, pretty good stuff.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Going on in those paper views and again, and that
was a change up. Also when we had these going
where they were bringing more international talent coming in. They
had folks from Triple A and Pro Wrestling, Noah coming
in for the twenty nineteen Bound for Glory, he had
the rascals out there taking on Triple A stars. Eddie
(07:39):
Edwards went in the Gauntlet, Tyle Valkyry once again, Impact
Ncouts Champion the North, Rich Willie Mack, Rhino, Rob Van Dam,
Impact World Tag Team Title, Hell of a Match, Michael
Elginby part of this, Ace Austen Jake, Chris Ace, Romero, Dagga,
Tessa Blanchard, Exon title match, the hell of a Match too,
(08:02):
that was really fun. Muse and Ken Shamrock, Brian Cage,
Sammy Callahan Impact World Title. That's the TNA I remember
that was you know, that's after everything with Beschoff and Hogan,
after Dixie Carter, after the Adrenaline, the Rush, the sixty
minute Adrenaline Rush and all that stuff going on, and
then they went through COVID and then we go along
and then again struggle it because you know the bill
(08:25):
A do live shows like they were doing before.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
They did make the change.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Where there was THEAW partnership, Christian Cage after being championed
taking the championship belt for the TNA World Headway Title
away from Kenny Omega. And remember in that pay per view,
simply we should compare about this, the pay per view
that AW was involved in. Okay, you had the Digital
(08:53):
Media Championship, you had the Inspiration lose to Decays Avac
and Rosemary for the Knockouts tag team titles. Now they're
Tag Team Champions. Trim Miguel beating El Fantasma Steve Macklin
for the vacant Ex Division title.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Pretty good stuff. Voll by Design.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
That was a big storyline going on with Heathan Rhino
in a short match, Moose wins the caller shot Gauntlet
Good Brothers against Finn Juice and Bullet Club Wow World
Tag Team Titles, Impact Knockou's Child Championship, Mickey James and
Dianna Parazzo.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
Now the hell of a.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Match that night. Then Josh Alexander, Christian Cage and Josh
Alexander won the World Hayweight title, only for Moose to
take the chance at the Collier Shot Gauntlet Trophy cashed
it in and took out Josh Alexander seven seconds. You
see some of the dynamics that are doing here in
(09:58):
tonight's boundfer We don't need to go any farther than that,
but the bound for Glory was that that time at
aw was a part of Because of that, just that
one title match was what they were part of.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
But they did it.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Christian Cage, Josh Alexander with the option see cashes it in,
wins the World Heavyweight title, only for Moose to take
it away and then they would go back and then
Josh would win the title and have a long reign
with it, and that was done correct. Tonight a different story.
They decided to take a little bit of what happened
(10:33):
how it happened. In twenty twenty one where you have
somebody new that's going to be crowned after this other promotions.
This other promotional star has the world heavway title, took
it away from a teenag star, basically holding a hostage
in a way. But you see an eighteen minute match,
nineteen minute match with Josh Alexander. He wins it outright
(10:57):
and they go call your shot Colin so from Mike Santana,
the same thing to go for a long match tonight
and he wins the only tittle change that was there,
so he gets that. I was worry about that. Okay,
what's gonna happen?
Speaker 1 (11:12):
You know?
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Are we gonna see a change with Chrick Williams to.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Mike Santana. I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I don't know if it was gonna happen or not.
But they went through the match sixteen minutes, you get it, okay,
done and there's your winner now.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I was kind of surprised that Mike Santana was going
to give me give them the bell, I will say that,
but they did it. The match was okay. My issue
with Chrick Williams is that he should not be in
TENA at all. This guy should already be on the
main roster. He has more star power when I see
(12:01):
him out there being brought out to the ring because
of everybody who's getting any kind of response tonight, trick Williams.
They start hitting with that whoop that trick And let
me tell you that crowd compared to hearing you from
NXT and five hundred people in the performance center or
wherever they are, that should be going on on the
main roster right now. He will be a breath of
(12:23):
fresh air to that main roster. We should not have
to see Seth Rawng's versus see him Punk or Cody
Rose or whatever else. I want to see some freshness
there and right there, that's one. The other one is
Javon Evans. It's obvious the guy is a bundle of energy.
He's excitement. Promos are not going to be there yet.
(12:47):
That's okay, but you know what, you throw him out there.
If you're willing to throw a leer of our carry
out there to do promos, then you can easily let
Javon Evans go out there and do the same thing. Okay,
but he will get a better response. I've already shown
that putting them on spack down. So just do it already.
Take these two, move them up, Just move them up.
(13:09):
And Colowinnie Jordan. I don't understand why you decide to
take the entire energy, all the air taken out of
this match because you let Colonne Jordan win it at
Victory Road. Why didn't you pull the trigger.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
On the title change. If you're gonna do it, you
don't do it about for glory?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
Like, why are you short changing Colonnie Jordan just because oh,
you have this influence. Now you got these Twitter, these
Twitch influencers and now people and the juvenile's delusional fandom
that normally would not give two shits about TNA. Tell
me if they would care about TNA five years ago. No,
(13:50):
now they care because they have all these particular stars
that are in the in this promotion right now basically
taken over hostage, this whole thing and booking show as such,
case in point with Javon Evans and Leon Slater. That
is a f finish if I've ever seen one, that
I expect it, and you cannot blame TNA for that finish.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
You can't. That booking has.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
To be Trivia a Shawn Michaels or River else. That's
back there. There is no reason for Dark Side to
be involved. I know there's been previous involvement, but I
don't give a shit. You can't tell me that it
bound for Gore. You can't give us a solid winner.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
You took it to a draw.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Fine, okay, And I don't even understand that because I
don't remember TNA ever referring to time limits. I mean,
I guess they do, but how often do we have
a draw? So they do this, Santino comes out restart
and then Dark Side come on. What a slap in
the face. And you know, everybody on X and other places,
(14:56):
I'm looking at people just shit over this thing.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Man.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
They did not like that at all.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
And I'm both with them, completely agree.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
And then.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
You decide what the intergender call your shot gauntlet. You
decided to go ahead, and with the fact that Kazarian
and Nick Nemeth eliminated each other, we're just gonna give
both the chance to run with the gatlet. They're both
getting the share of the trophy. That's never happened before.
(15:30):
It's never happened before. I still remember there was was
it Rob Terry and somebody that was in the Gauntlet match,
and they had to do the same kind of finish.
But they did give somebody that the the trophy, right,
I don't remember that either, but either which way, they
did that as per tradition. Fine, and you want as
(15:51):
your number one contender Kazarian and Nick Nemuth. Okay Kas
has been there off and on twenty years and Nick
Nammoth already had a long run as champion. You're telling
me you don't have not one young person right now
ready to go and pull up because they don't notice
on this roster there is no young town that is
(16:13):
strictly TNA except for Leon Slater, who came from NXT.
That's it. There is nobody else. They weren't on this
pay per view, that's for sure. And this is after
Steve Becklan beats Freakie Gazarian for the international title, former
(16:36):
Digital Media Championship whatever, you know, all that stuff, and
I'm like, this is what we're gonna do. That's not
even any real solid booking at all. It's like, Okay,
you're just taking two veterans out here, and it's just
the older guys that are gonna be running the show. Meanwhile,
we've had it where TNA was never like that. Like
you know, obviously under Bischoff Hogan influence. But let me
(16:58):
tell you when Billy Corgan ran, it didn't have all
these older folks that were like all over the place.
Wasn't that long As I mentioned Eli Drake and Brian
Cage facing each other for the World heaweight title, Like
you know, look at that, Look at what we were
all sorry, that was the.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Global Impact title.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
That's right, But either which way, you had stars in
there that you know, had some up and coming and
like it's obvious that the matches that people cared about
in this arena tonight, which they said was seventy seven
to forty nine of attendance, the record attendance for a
TNA pay per view, which was inflated as per w tradition. Okay,
(17:39):
for W and the next t their purpose for this
pay per view is because they have a partnership in
play and to help bolster TNA's appeal to the next
TV broadcaster whoever is dealing with them right now. This
is going to be like a selling point, okay, bow
(18:00):
for glory record crowd record gate. Look at who came
Da Da Da, and look at the stars that were
in it, and look how we built that up a
little bit of help of our friends, so teenage can
do and take that. And you know, had a nice
slick look out there, because you can tell the production
services were a little bit upper the point. I wouldn't
(18:21):
be surprised if NXT and W Folks had their production
team brought to this show at a discount or as
a special perk for TEENA to have a good show,
as part of the perks.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
That W is giving right now.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Because also they want to make sure the footage looks
good for themselves. They can repurpose it to show their stars. Okay,
they're gonna show highlights on NXT of Javon Evans and
Colonnie Jordan and Trick Williams, because they have to go
and use that in storyline, so you'll see those stars
over there, Okay, But then after that, you know they're
(18:57):
gonna not even reference boun for glory probably just go
and show their stars and what happened to them. And
you know, the one thing I will say is that
I am respecting the stars they decided to go and
put in here in the rules they have as champions
or as contenders. Okay, Kelownie Jordan Javon Evans, Trick Williams
(19:20):
are absolutely bonafide talents that should be able to go
and move up the night main roster. This is the
thing I'm talking about as well, So for the guy
that told me about town development that I don't know
what I'm talking about. The point is, how much more
talent development do you need those stars to have right now?
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Move them up?
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Call them up already? What are you waiting for? What
are you afraid of? Because the main roster right now
is lacking some fresh star power. I mean even on
SmackDown this past week they even did some changes.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
We're okay, we brought out the MFT.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Now now they're looking like, you know, we got face
paint on them, and not really commendable face paint. You're
giving Bronson Reid a run beating stars and I'm like,
what are you doing here? Bronston Reid's like in his
late thirties right now, but he's like being booked, like
he's like the next young thing. What are we gonna
(20:17):
make the world?
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Heaweight champions like that? Come on?
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Well, that's another story. We'll talk about that in a moment.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
But either which.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Way, it's only those matches that really were paying attention
to because, okay, some of the TNA fair that we
normally would get the international title Tesla blancherd GM Miller
because they set up that whole storyline with GM Miller,
the announcer, the backstage interviewer finally decided to go and
go after Tessa Blanchard did that little set up. Fine,
then you had the system and Order Ford in your
(20:48):
Gender Hardcore Award.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
That was pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Can't believe Lesha Edwards Natasha Steeles are taking shots with
barbed wire sticks and or you know, kendo sticks and
taking tax But okay, and as for one final table,
the Hardy's in ten three D, I'm not gonna say
much about it. Listen, these are guys at the end
of their run. The Hardys still have a little bit
of juice left on them. But yeah, Bully and Devon,
(21:14):
yeah it's us. It's just there's no more time for that.
And the thing is, I mean, yeah, you know, credit
to Devon and Billy ready to get themselves back in
the ring shape.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
Now.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
I mean, Bully Ray's still gotten out there a little
bit here and there, but I haven't seen him doing
a lot of wrestling lately, but you know, he's not
going out there as much. They're just up there in age,
and you know, to ask for like a match that
was gonna be like incredible, incredible.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
Nah, what was gonna happen? But they didn't go overly long.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Jeff Hardy does not need to go ahead and get
himself another concussion with a ladder shot because he had
to go and pull the tables closer to him to
make sure he can land on both tables.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
It didn't really help much, but you know, people felt
good about the.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Match and the sentiment, the value of it and the
emotion that came from it because we see the boots
gets taking off of the bullies and the Dudley's are
officially retiring. They did pro wrestling tradition, took off the boots,
gave them to the Hearty's. That's it. Off to the sunset.
(22:15):
That's fine, and you know pretty much it. This is
a lackluster pay per view, lackluster for the fact you
only had one match that we got, which was Mike
Santanna did not win at Slam Versus. And now you
can pull the trigger here, okay, because if you didn't
do that and you let Trick awayam was just going
(22:36):
to take again. I mean, the thing is, how late
are you gonna wait for Mike' s Antenna to go
and be finally groomed as champion. You've been trying to
do it for a while now, so how many how
much more time do you want to put them through
to get to that point? And listen, you know, the
Mike's Antenna persona is very much on the same build
as any star right now today under Triple H because
they don't want to go into characters, they don't want
(22:56):
to go into gimmicks, none of that stuff. You know,
Mike's Santon it wants to be his own person you know,
represented his heritage. Fine, and that's what he did, and
this is the way they want to book it. And
you took all this time for him to finally get
to this point of this title change.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
Okay, he did at the right show. Good.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Now what do you do with Trick Williams? I mean,
are you gonna put him into a rematch of Genesis
or is that it for him?
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Or are they gotta figure that out.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
The aftermath of Bound for Glory coming up on Thursday night.
I don't know, but either which way, still no TV
deal yet that hasn't happened for them. And as for
Bound for Glory, just felt except for a couple of
matches that were probably booked with agents from TNA, the
booking was managed and controlled and set by WRI. Of
(23:50):
course it would. And you think about the fact that
the way they booked a night, they just said, let's
just go put all the TNA fluff. We're gonna put
that into the very top of the show. So what
you're really trying to tell people is Okay, that first
hour that's TNA stuff.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
Let them all have that. Let them have their cake.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Triple h says Stan Michael says, let them have their cake. Well,
the truth is, if you're doing a TENA pay per view,
Leon Slider, Jovon Evans, you start that first, or you've
put the Gauntlet first. But the ex Division title match,
you should have put that on early.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
But I guess with the booking they knew it was
going to piss people off.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
And obviously after that bad taste in the mouth of
dark Side, you get the Hardy's out there and they're
not gonna go ahead and shoot.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Off of that match. Just not possible.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
So they had a cover for whatever type of bullshit
booking they had for that particular ex Division title match.
They've had great ex Division title matches in the past.
We've had excellent Exhibsion title matches. This was not the
ending was done the matches. Oh, those guys can go
(25:02):
all they want. And the truth is, if you want
to give them an actual program and face each other
with a storyline, I would be all into it and
purely invested in it. But they're not because they don't
want to do that. That's maybe Tom would would do
something more with that if you was getting able to
go ahead and have the autonomy to go work with
Jamon Evans like you would want to. But he's not
(25:24):
because that's not the way it's being set up here.
So forget about that. I funk goul with that man.
Take that first hour. Give TNA what they want with it. Fine,
there's all the TNA bullshit. We get it out of
the way. Now we put on our people.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
The hardcore war.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
They put it into there because oh well, people will
probably like that. For the jubilal, delusional fantom that was
watching tonight and for some of my fellow podcast wrestling
brethren that are actually covering the show tonight and would
never give two shits about TNA. They wish the downfall
of TNA years ago like they want the downfall of
Tony Kanna.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
Awkay.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
For those of you hypocrites out there that are designed
to go and cover this show tonight, you have some nerve, Okay,
you have some nerve now giving a shit and getting
on the fucking TNA bandwagon. How dare you decide to
go ahead and just run on the coattails with Shawn
Michaels and trivile h As they get on this show
(26:19):
and they make it mid because they did. This was
not a TNA show. Hey, I watched it fine, but
let me tell you this was barely better than Crown Jewel.
And that's saying a lot because Crown Jewel, Oh, boy man,
that was just flat. Look all due respect to Johnson
(26:41):
and aj Styles, they put a lot of nostalgia into it.
Those guys are not gonna have.
Speaker 4 (26:44):
A bad match.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
I mean, you're gonna leave them on their own and
they do their own thing to set it up. Fine,
They're gonna do just fine. They have so much experience together,
no problem there. So I'm not worried about that at all.
And as for the other matches of the I could
care less Crown Jewel not even being in Saudi Arabia
this time, it's in Perth, Australia.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
By the way.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
The explanation is is that with the Royal Rumbo coming
up in January, they didn't want to go back and
do Crown Jewel for Saudi Arabia again. So crownd Jewel
got moved is the only reason why Perth Australia even
got a chance to have this habit show in Australia.
(27:27):
That's a pay per view as nevertheless, but again the
paper they got is basically the fluff pay per view
that the Saudi Arabians will get that they pay fifty
million dollars for which I'm sure that might be something
that probably doesn't like too much to go and say
because of the fact that well they didn't get a
chance to go ahead and run and get that fifty
million bucks, right, But they'll get a lot of money
(27:48):
for Royer Rumble. Ob means they're gonna get some big bucks,
no whammies for Royal Rumbo. Now, as for this five
match show two and a half hours, Bronson Reid beats
Roman reigns. I mean, I don't even understand what we're
doing here. What are you doing the longest reigning Universal
(28:10):
champion we've had of all this right here, and I
don't know what we're doing here, Like, what the what
is going on?
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Man?
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Make this point clear too. Somebody put this up here.
Finesse pro rusting, Finesse on X. Bronson Reed has pinned
in the last eleven months, Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, seth
Rons this is amazing. Listen, Broston Read right now is
not even in the shape he was at NXT and
(28:39):
now we're gonna expect this guy to be the next
coming of Bam Bam Bigelow. And he's getting wins on
all the major stars. It's not getting him over at all.
Bronston Reed is like Jeff Jared, doesn't matter how many
guitars you hit on somebody, you're not getting over.
Speaker 4 (28:55):
Bronson. Rita is not over.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
He is an afterthought in that faction. The future is
bron Breaker and seth Ron's you know, he's just in
control of the whole thing. He sucks up all the
air of the whole thing. Okay, because Bronson Rebron Breaker,
they're just afterthoughts when bron Breaker does not need this faction.
How many times I have to say that over and over,
(29:18):
but they do it anyway. And as for Roman Reigns,
since twenty twenty, only two stars of Penn Roman Reigns
in the ring. That's Cody Rhodes and Bronson Reid. The
only two stars have been Roman Rains. Why is Roman
Reigns getting dropped to Bronson Reid? Of all people, I
(29:41):
understand bron Breaker, I can understand maybe few other stars,
but you're telling me Roman Rains you were reject you
were You've taken away all the luster, all the all
of that that guy had holding on to that Universal
Championship for thirteen hundred day, three and a half years,
(30:01):
almost four years as champion, and you've just basically decimated
that whole legacy right there.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
For what.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
I can't get it.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
Oh and also very funny ESPN A B. I had
to give a little bit better grade this time for
Crown Jewel Johnson Agsll's got a A. Kabuki Wars Ees Sky
re Ripley with a B. Cutty Roads Seth Wrongs with
a B. Bronson Reid, Roman Reigns a C, Tony Stretton
sevity of a care a C minus, and as for
the actual grade they gave. The main summarization of it
(30:36):
is that Crown Jewels, a show that still one out
of the gate according to Andreas Hell with a relatively
tame street fight and a far too brief affair between
women's champions, rescued by absolutely still a match between Sena
and Styles that put an excellent book into the rivalry rawls.
Finally getting his come up It's against Rhoads, a story
that I did not care about by any means necessary,
(30:56):
and the Women's tax team match strong and anchored a
memorable bounce back for w after a middle Russell balooza.
Oh so now you're getting better, Thank you ESPN. You know,
I'm sure he probably got a talking to after all that,
so he had to can like do something more And
what's unfortunately we haven't talked about at all that should
be said is a number of things on the down
(31:21):
low that WV decided to go and do this weekend.
N XT releases a plenty this time around, once again Weslee,
Stevie Turner, Lance Ny Gentala, Draco Knox, Hayes, Jamison Summer,
Sarrell Braden bj Ray and Jamar Hanton out. And that's
not counting some of the WID stars that have also
(31:42):
been let go and WID basically folding. So the next
aligning thing they had in there, what a that whole plan?
I guess that's also shot right. Basically, the idea was
that you had the NIL program that was supposed to
go and bring in talent from at the athletic fields,
right and ID for the independent wrestlers. And it's obviously
(32:06):
the ID program that's a wash.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
One year later.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
There's the story I'm taking here from the scrap dot Co.
They make a point over a year in the program,
there has not been any They've yet to establish any
consistent working partnership with independent promotions except for GCW.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
So far, non.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
WID schools have not seen any major effects, but there's
supposed to be some ongoing interest in building structure talent
pipelines across different levels.
Speaker 4 (32:33):
In the industry.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Some independent promotions have been cast about involving contracted WID
talent due to the nature of exclusive agreements and past
developmental restructures such as a transition from NXDUK, so the
success of this will likely depend on how efficially it
can rebounce recruitment, collaboration, and developmental opportunities for independent wrestlers
while maintaining positive relationships across the broader wrestling landscape. You know,
(33:00):
TNA was one of those independent places where you can
get a lot of independent talent. They can find their
way over there and become noticed. Well, now that's a
block because you have to be in the system to
even get in anywhere involved in TNA, and of course
you have to be in that particular promotion in some
way shape performing developmental for four years, it looks like
because that's how long the slater was there where Kladdie
(33:23):
Jordan was in there, and Jovan Evans has been.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
There for like three years.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Right, it's all these stars, you know, where are we
getting with them? We're not not at all. And all
I'm saying is I don't see the interest here. The
Netflix era continues to be about abomination in my opinion.
Somebody out there on X did answer a common like,
(33:51):
you know, hey, give us a comment on this. Somebody
asks about say something positive about w in twenty twenty five,
and this person writes, oh, Sina winning a seventeen title
sena and Cody Is SummerSlam, The TSC Matches SummerSlam. All
the segments was Roman, Jimmy and j Eo, Bianca, Rhea,
Sammy's US Title Open Challenge, A, g Lee's Return, the
(34:13):
Becky Lara feud, and Evolution two.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Wow. Wow, those are the highlights of this year in
this company. Wow man, that is like, you know, the.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Best of content at the end of the year is
gonna be fascinating because I mean, I'm really I'm not
gonna be able to do any kind of best of content,
like you know, like I wouldn't really just run through
the months, because I think I'm gonna just do like
a multi part series of the breakdown of what this
Netflix era has represented, because w right now, it's obvious
with what they're doing with the relationships and what they're
(34:50):
doing with their own product, they are just coasting on
the cash flow that TKO has been bringing in because creative,
they're on autopilot. It's not even autopilot. It's worse than autopilot.
It's like we're not even gonna be behind the wheel.
We'll let other people drive and they don't know where
(35:13):
they're going. I mean, for me, I don't recap anything anymore.
There's not even really that much on the inm ring
stuff I talk about on a regular basis, because what
this whole thing is just like that company. Man, I
don't know their direction right now doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
And I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
Any change of the big data ratings we talked about
on Friday on Wednesday, excuse me, or the changes are
going to be coming up with the pay per views
if they're able to go and keep the same sized gates.
And when they start doing two night shows now all
twenty twenty six across the board, when they start designing
(35:55):
to make money in the bank two nights and SummerSlam
and Wrestle and what else, and keep taking shows away
right taking shows away from North America, putting them to
other countries. I don't know, man, I don't know how
the veneer of this company is going to stay around
like it is without some major repercussions, because consequences are
(36:18):
coming for this company because the way they're booking right now,
it's unsustainable. The broadcast partners have right now, they eventually
will start seeing are they getting any return on investment?
Because they won't just saying they won't and by the way,
(36:39):
as for TEENA, not extra sponsorships out. They had a
couple of sponsorships, but just like their own stuff. I
guess though, wres not helping in that department. They're just
helping out putting their own talent in there as they want,
running rough shot the booking.
Speaker 4 (36:54):
And then you know, when the TV deal comes in then.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
To have done their work's about it. And who knows
if that TV deal that comes in. Once the TV
deal comes in, that w might just might just go
ahead and buy them up upright, because they will have
brought up the value of that company, and Anthem might
look at a deal of saying, hey, you want to
take it from us, we'll sell to you, and they
(37:19):
will and they'll buy it. Doesn't the Triple A, I
wouldn't be surprised, But tena's not the same TENA anymore.
I mean, I haven't watched the Impact Wrestling or do
me TNA Impact Show in months. I don't think I've
watched it all this year. Maybe a little bit in
twenty twenty five. But like, honestly, once the NXT component
(37:40):
came in here and I saw that partnership changing things
around a trick Williams is winning titles and you know
any heart rolls knock out champion, Like you see the
writing on the wall, the booking completely changed. You can heat,
you can see it, and sure those are the storylines
that are going on that are TEENA related, but you
know what, it's not the major point. Like, yeah, stars
(38:01):
in TNA, they've been around forever, but TNA used to
always be there for the young talent and now they're
having to go ahead and prop up all this NXT
talent that should not be in TNA. They should be
on the main roster of w plain and simple. I'm
not gonna say any more about it, but that's how
(38:21):
everything looks right there for Crowdjewel and boun for Glory
and it's always I appreciate you catching this program for
TENA payer reviews. For those of you that come back
and listen to me for this on a regular basis,
I am grateful to you. Thank you for finding the
show every year and every time we do the DNA
pay reviews. I'm going to keep doing it anyway because
that's what we gotta do. It's the Wrestling Drip Podcast
(38:44):
because wrestling needs us
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