Every year there is a premier event that signifies the turning point for many different superstars in the wrestling world. It is either their time to shine and move on into the rest of the year being at the top of their game. For others that do not succeed at the event it is cause for them to really get things going and fix problems that have them not performing to their utmost abilities. But for one night, whether they are right where they want to be or looking to advance, they can put it all out on the line to perform on the biggest stage of the year, walk out victorious, and be better then all the rest. Who could it possibly be? Who would pick up their game and bring their best? Who would be…Bound For Glory?
This particular event was held on October 12, 2008 in the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Things were just starting to fall into place for what would eventually become the Main Event Mafia versus TNA’s Frontline. Some of the older legends weren’t too happy with the way the younger generation of wrestlers presented themselves and how maybe they felt they didn’t have to earn their spots. The soon to be members of the Mafia (Sting, Kurt Angle, Booker T, Scott Steiner, and Kevin Nash) were set on showing the youngsters just what it was like to have to pay your dues and only find your place once you deserved it. There were other matches in store for this night of wrestling that took place between those who just had personal grudges or merely wanted to prove themselves the better competitors.
~ Steel Asylum Match: Alex Shelley Vs. Jay Lethal Vs. Curry Man Vs. Chris Sabin Vs. Sonjay Dutt Vs. Jimmy Rave vs. Johnny Devine vs. Petey Williams Vs. Shark Boy Vs. Super Eric – Winner of this match gets a shot at the X-Division title. For those of you that don’t know, this match takes place in a very similar looking steel cage that has a roof on it with a hole right in the center. The winner of the match is the person that crawls out through the hole first and escapes.
There is a whole lot going on in this match and it is extremely hard to keep up with everything, but it’s a lot of wild and fast fun. Some cool spots include a triple suplex, climbing up the cage battles, and of course the Canadian Destroyer from Petey Williams that was done in transition beautifully. Teammates and friends work together, but it always boils down to only one guy being able to escape first. Petey Williams along with the MCMGs are those that continue to impress me beyond all belief.
~ Bimbo Brawl Match: Cute Kip & The Beautiful People Vs. Rhino, Rhaka Khan, & ODB – Traci Brooks is the special guest referee for this match that shows just how far Rhino has fallen down the TNA ladder. There isn’t much to this match as the women face off most of the time and once Kip and Rhino get in the ring; things go nuts and lead to the finish.
~ X Division Championship Match: Sheik Abdul Bashir (c) Vs. Consequences Creed – Creed impresses me but he seems to be more about his image then his actual in-ring work. I don’t mean he is cocky or self-absorbed, but he plays up the whole American “Apollo Creed” thing more then anything and it shows when he gets defeated. Bashir is really pretty damn good in the ring and it shows here as he holds the advantage most of the match and is still able to outlast the comeback from Creed.
~ Knockouts Championship Match: Taylor Wilde (c) Vs. Roxxi Vs. Awesome Kong – This…is…horrible. I know that Kong is decent because all she does is dominate anyone she’s in the ring with. I’ve seen the talent that Roxxi has. And I know that Wilde can actually go pretty well because she’s put on a decent match here and there. Still, this was awfully messy and just a very sloppy match overall that sees many missed spots, stalling, and just overall confusion. Ugh! Wilde actually looks like a lost puppy at times too which makes things kind of awkward.
~ Monster’s Ball Match for the TNA Tag Team Championship: Beer Money Inc. (c) Vs. Abyss & Matt Morgan Vs. LAX Vs. Team 3D – Former wrestler and NFL player Steve “Mongo” McMichael is the special guest referee in this match that is a brutal and sadistic hardcore match. This is another match that is kind of hard to keep up with but there are some great shots with chairs, kendo sticks, a cheese grater, a fork, and even flaming tables. Mongo even gets involved in ways that are more than a referee should, but why not? Speaking of Mongo…dude is looking old! This match is good for the brawl that it is and the blood that flows from many of those involved.
~ Three Way War Match: Christian Cage Vs. AJ Styles Vs. Booker T – Everything here focuses on whether Cage would side with Booker T or his old friend AJ Styles. Overall this is a decent match but the announcers continue to give all their attention to whether Cage will go against Styles or not and sometimes ignore what is happening in the ring which is just annoying. A few sloppy points are thrown in too which is evident early on when Booker misses a clothesline on Cage and actually falls down to the mat.
~ Jeff Jarrett Vs. Kurt Angle – Mick Foley is the special guest enforcer/referee here. What the hell is with all the guest refs on this PPV? As for the match itself, it’s a rather back and forth affair but all of Jarrett’s time out of the ring is quite evident in the ring rust he shows and how tired he gets after less then ten minutes out there. In a touch of obviousness too, Foley gets involved more once the referee gets knocked out and plays a huge part in the outcome of the match. The ending here is just ridiculously predictable and stupid.
~ TNA Heavyweight Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) Vs. Sting – Sting has won the TNA title at the past two Bound For Glory PPVs and he’s going for his third here. Foreshadowing much? The match goes back and forth for a good bit until they fight up into the crowd and duke it out. While up there, Samoa Joe does something that isn’t an overly impressive shot for what it does to Sting, but more so for what it does to him. Joe runs and dives over a railing dropkicking Sting into the crowd. The most impressive thing here is that Joe lands back first onto the concrete steps of the arena and gets right up as if nothing happened. Things go on pretty well from there, but then the awful ending with Kevin Nash just ruins everything. I don’t get why you’d have a crappy finish to the main event of your biggest PPV of the year.
The event is shown in 1.33:1 Full Screen format and all looks fine. There are no issues anywhere.
Bound For Glory IV is heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and I also found no problems with anything in the sound department.
Bound For Glory Fanfest 2008 – As soon as this feature starts, pay attention to Jeremy Borash as he stares at Lauren in very, VERY, creepy fashion. Wrestlers and fans alike are in a convention room and mingle, sign autographs, etc… Some cool little interviews and the candid interactions with the fans looks like it is a lot of fun.
Dixie Carter Interview – Carter sits down to just go over some of the things dealing with the PPV and the company. She even states that the Roman numeral behind the title is there to make it known that this is their Super Bowl. She talks it up a lot and mostly thanks the fans for everything in TNA’s continued success.
Post Match Interviews – Jeremy Borash conducts interviews with some of the guys (two) after their matches. As you’ll be able to tell, Borash caught the wrestlers at different moments, which is obvious from Jeff Jarrett being showered and dressed while Sting sits there with sweat dripping and paint peeling off his face. JB discusses their matches and also just TNA as a whole.
Behind The Scenes Of Bound For Glory Film Shoot – I’ve got to admit this is pretty cool. TNA was filming at Universal Studios in Orlando for some vignettes and commercials and such to promote the PPV. Guys like Samoa Joe, Christian Cage, LAX, and others are all decked out in twenties’ apparel and they joke around with one another a lot in between shooting scenes. This is fun and the finished product isn’t all too bad either.
Smashing Pumpkins Music Video
Photo Gallery
Trailers – Best Of TNA 2007, Best Of The Bloodiest Brawls: Scars & Stitches, and TNA Knocked Out
Alright, so your special features section shouldn’t outscore the quality of the feature presentation, but that happens here. Special features are not usually something that are in a big quantity when it comes to wrestling DVDS, but TNA changed that up here and gave us some pretty entertaining features. As for the PPV itself, it was overly predictable and extremely underwhelming. Except for the opening Steel Asylum and then the Monster’s Ball; there isn’t a single match that I didn’t already know who would come out on top or that I care to ever see again. The non-finishes and all the special guest referees bugged the hell out of me and they really dropped the ball here for their biggest event of the year. Let’s not forget that if you want to liven up your signature PPV; you bring in a surprise wrestler or deliver a brand new match. You don’t have three special refs especially when two of them have virtually nothing to do with those involved in the match itself. Bound For Glory IV barely delivered anything of interest to me and I’m sick to death of Sting getting his annual title run every year at TNA’s coup de grace. Don’t bother with this.
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Navarre Corporation presents TNA Bound For Glory IV. Featuring: Sting, Samoa Joe, Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Matt Morgan, Abyss, and more. Running time: 230 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Released on DVD: January 6, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
