The NeelDown Video Review: TNA Bound For Glory 2005
– From Orlando Florida
– Hosts are Mike Tenay & Don West
Samoa Joe v. Jushin Thunder Liger
Joe gets his own dancers from the Samoan Islands, Liger gets his own Japanese streamers. Doesn’t get much bigger for an opening contest. Liger grabs a headlock to start and Joe knows him over on his own shoulder attempt. Liger gets a drop toe hold and low dropkick but mistakenly tries a whip and gets caught. Liger sends him to the floor and springs out with a crossbody. Back in and Joe gets a fallaway and follows up with a high knee, then drops a knee for two. Joe goes to a rear chinlock. Joe catches him with a slam off the ropes for two, West is shocked that it wasn’t over there, for no apparent reason. Liger dodges a corner charge and nails a spin kick, then tries a suplex and gets it for two. Liger goes up and nails a Frog Splash, but it only gets two. Enzigiri by Joe and he tries the Muscle Buster but Liger counters it and slams him down for two. Liger goes up but Joe catches him with the Muscle Buster and chokes him out for the win. I could have seen that get some more time, and highly disappointing for what it was marketed as. **
Winner: Samoa Joe
– Highlights from the BFG FanFest with the fans saying how TNA is the best, yadda yadda yadda. TNA, those attention whores.
The Jobbers in the Rough v. Shark Boy, Sonny Siaki, & Apollo
Here’s the random match of the PPV. Simon takes Sharky down to start but Sharky gets a facebuster, but then gets clothesline down for two. Diamond gets a hip toss but misses a leg drop allowing Sharky to get the VICOUS SHARK BITE ON THE ASS, which is especially important since it hits directly on the Diamonds logo. However, the whole concept was recently corrupted when someone brought up the thoery that Sharky’s mask does not open, so how is he biting and how is it hurting the opponent? Touche. Apollo gets a neckbreaker on Skipper for two then adds some chops and gets a fullnelson slam. Diamond distracts the ref on the pin, and Young gets a pathetic flying elbow. Skipper and Young nail a doubleteam hiptoss on Apollo and Skipper gets a midair shoulderblock flipping him over. That was a nice little mid-match sell. Siaki gets the hot tag, although the crowd is absolutely dead for this, so w whatever. He cleans house for a bit until the Diamonds gain up on him and Apollo gets a cutter on Young. Skipper steps over Young’s back and falls on Siaki, Sharky planchas out onto Skipper. Young nails an Asagi Moonsault on all of them, yes, Young. That leaves Apollo in to superkick Skipper, and then planchas out onto everybody. That leads to a big brawl, and back inside Young catches Siaki with a spinebuster and that’ll do it. The last parts were nice, but nothing but another bland match. Crowd was dead too, which didn’t help the momentum it had been getting preceding it. *1/2
– Highlights of Raven’s “interrogation” from the pre-show. Interesting, and stupid at the same time, that they would bring up the ECW crucifixion incident, and West said it right (for once) when he said “what is he talking about, ‘a girl?'”
Lance Hoyt v. Monty Brown
Hoyt gets a pair of clotheslines to start and they go outside, where Hoyt gets sent into the steps. Hoyt comes back with a crossbody but gets fired on back inside. Hoyt gets the ten punches and Brown takes a Flair bump, but then Monty simply drops him outside. Monty gets a suplex outside. Back in Monty nails Steiner’s favorite utility. Hoyt gets a big boot and connects with the moonsault but it only gets two. I guess it’s safe to say we have a winner here now, as in Brown ever had a chance. Monty catches him off the second rope and nails the Alpha Bomb for two. Hoyt comes back with a Rock Bottom, West calls it a Chokeslam, take you’re pick, but you know who to trust. Pounce hits out of nowhere hits and that does that. That was a “let both guys hit all of their moves in the short time they got in the undercard” match, and the way it was rush dragged it down. **, oh yeah that keeps Monty’s title chances alive. But will he be in the MAIN EVENT? No, but oh well.
Winner: Monty Brown
Team Canada v. 3 Live Kru
Representing Team Canada here is Young, Heintz 57 and Roode, so you know they are going to lose in advance. Konan cleans house for a while. Killings gets the top rope wazzup rip-off legdrop on Roode, and West notes that he “won’t be producing anytime soon.” Ah, thanks for that expert commentary again, Don. Dancing stomps on Roode and Killings gets a leg lariat for two. Killings gets a boot from the corner but Roode gets a full nelson slam for two. Heintz 57 comes in for some chokes of sorts, you know, his usual. Running slam from Heintz gets two and Roode comes back in who gets hit with the flying forearm leading to dueling tags to Young and James, and you know who gets the better of that one. Young of course is not allowed to amount any offense whatsoever, and gets pummeled by James for two. Roode comes in and nails Bubba with the LETHAL HOCKEY STICK POKE giving them the win. Nothing like a good ole non Williams-faction of Team Canada getting pummeled to dull a show. Not to say it wasn’t dulling the already dulled though. 3/4*
Winners: Team Canada
Petey Williams v. Matt Bentley v. Chris Sabin – X division championship Ultimate X Match
Double team on Williams to start, and a basement dropkick rids the ring of him. Sabin rannas Bentley and we slow down to get a crowd reaction. Petey counters Sabin’s suplex into his own and adds another, but Bentley nails him with a kick. By the crowd’s early reaction, you can tell this is the last popular Ultimate X to date. Sabin jumps on the table but Bentley goes up and takes him down with an inverted atomic drop. Traci distracts Williams and pulls him into her boobs, allowing Bentley to climb the cables, but Sabin pulls him off and he lands by dropping an elbow on Williams. That TNA, always about the wrestling. Sabin stacks them up in the corner and then nails a bulldog on Petey while kicking Shane– er Bentley with the free legs. I actually hadn’t remembered if Bentley had changes his name yet at this point or if it had been dubbed over with the name change on the DVD like I heard they had been doing, but then I remembered he changed it on one of the summer Impacts over the summer. Shows my short term memory. Williams gets a ranna on Bentley from the apron. Back in Bentley takes them both down with a double neckbreaker. Bentley climbs but Sabin follows and nails him with a powerbomb from the cable, much like during the original Ultimate X, which Bentley won. That was back during the weekly TNA PPV days, the heavily advertised one cent one. I was really hoping Kazarian would win that, but what can you do. Petey gets an outside version of Oh Canada but then gets dumped. Coach D’Amore’s advice is to “walk it off.” Reverse physiology, so to speak? Sabin tosses Bentley leaving him the only one in, so he goes to climb, but then doesn’t, and moonsaults outside onto both of them. Sabin shimmies his way almost to the X, but Bentley comes in just in time to knock him off and the X drops off. Slick orders that the X goes back up, and they do, meanwhile Bentley gets a crossbody on Petey. Sabin and Bentley both climb to it on opposite sides and both fall, leaving the X shaking, and then it falls right off into Petey’s arms. Uhh, yeah. Definitely the worst Ultimate X to date, with no real big spots and that abrupt ending. Still a lot of fun with what it had, so no higher than **3/4. Impact rematch was much better, however.
Winner: Petey Williams
– Highlights of AMW turning heel and getting Jarrett the title back from Raven in Australia Were they in a bingo hall, or am I just seeing things?
America’s Most Worthless v. The Naturals – NWA Tag Team Championship
Big brawl to start that goes up the ramp and back where Storm gets powerbombed into the rail. Double team on Harris so he decided to walk, but they stop him at the top of the ramp. Harris gets sent into the railing a couple of times. This double team brawling at ringside far too LONG … until Gail Kim allows AMW to turn the tables and it’s more of the same. Surprisingly enough, for the first time in a long time, they head into the ring where Douglas is already busted open. Storm nails him with the Eye of the Storm for two, and then Wildcat comes in, and then it’s back to Storm after a 1/2 second rear choke applied by Harris. Stevens gets the hot tag who cleans house and nails the fireman’s carry facebuster for two. Stevens blocks the superkick, dodges a second one, and then hits one of his own for two. You know, I would aim a little higher than the mid-gut section if you want it to look like a real attempt at a superkick. AMW tries to sneak some powder in but it gets thrown in their own face resulting in the Naturals stealing the Death Sentence for two. Gail prevents the Natural Disaster so Stevens goes after her, and Storm runs up and handcuffs him to the rail. You think they would catch on by now, so I’ll give ’em a memo: DO NOT stand near the railing with your guard down. Storm nails Douglas with the bottle, that sets up the Death Sentence and AMW retains. A bit of a letdown in my book, but then again I didn’t expect them do a nothing more with it but a simple Impact match with some extra brawling **
Winners: AMW
The Monster v. The Homicidal, Genocidal, Suicidal v. The Charismatic Enigma v. The Man Beast – Monster’s Ball 2
If they’re going to advertise the hell out of those nicknames like they did, I figured I’d just call them that, for some kicks and giggles. A bunch of brawling to start, Sabu takes out Rhino with a plancha. Hardy jumps off a chair onto Abyss on the outside. Rhino and Sabu head to the crowd while Abyss and Hardy brawl on the other side. Hardy gets a double axehandle from the top of the bleachers getting a “TNA” chant. I think this match will give out a few more highlights than a double axe handle, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. I’ve been wrong before, like when I predicted Young and Roode would lose their match. Anyone catch that? Sabu takes out Rhino with a chair and then Air Sabus him to the outside. Hardy gets Poetry in Motion but Abyss blocks the Twist of Fate and drops him with a Shock Treatment. Rhino wacks everyone with a chair. Rhino then wacks everyone with a kendo stick. I forgot to mention that Rhino played Tommy Dreamer when he came out, with a can of various weaponry. Rhino tries a Gore on Rhino but he gets caught with a Chokeslam for a botched three count, but it’s two technically, so we’ll play along. Hardy pulls out the vintage TNA ORANGE LADDER but Abyss rams him with it. Sabu uses the kendo as a poolstick and pokes Rhino with it. Abyss pulls out one of those magic tables and Sabu does the same, although he actually pulls one out under the ring, and sets it up between the apron and railing. Rhino is laid on that, and it’s a top rope leg drop through the table. Meanwhile on the other side of the arena, Hardy sets up the ladder to the top of the TNA logo on top of the set, and Swantons Abyss all the way down and through the table. West: “THAT…WAS…FREAKING…INSANE!” Notice emphasis on “freaking.” That was indeed a great spot by Hardy, his best in years at any rate. Rhino gets sent into a chair and moonsaulted on by Abyss for two. Abyss is back to the ring at full strength before Hardy has even stood, and he has a fresh table. He catches Sabu over a chair and dumps him through a table on the outside. Mitchell hands him the tacks but Rhino Gores him through a table stacked in the corner. Rhino hits Hardy with a second rope Rhino Driver and picks up the three count. Kind of odd timing and placement for a finish after all of that, but an extremely fun match and all the bumps including Hardy’s were insane. ***1/2
Winner: Rhino
– Big Lar Z a.k.a. “the championship committee” makes a ten-man Gauntlet to face Jarrett.
AJ Styles v. Christopher Daniels – X Division Championship Iron Man Match
Daniels attacks to start and gets a leg lariat and press slam. Styles comes back with a swinging armdrag and backbreaker, then a diving elbow forcing Daniels to bail, however block whatever AJ was planning with an elbow from the apron. Styles nails the textbook dropkick and sends Daniels over the railing, then nails a plancha from the top rope all the way onto him. Back in Styles pins for two and then locks in a grounded headlock. He works on that for a while. I wasn’t expecting such a long resthold in this type of match, but I guess they’ll work the clock anyway they can. Daniels nearly escapes but Styles snapmares him right back into the headlock. Daniels gets out, Styles gets a clothesline and it’s back to the headlock. Daniels reverses into an armbar. Oh, hey, it’s back to the headlock! Well, it isn’t quite Lesnar bearhug on Holly bad, but you get the point. Fist drop by Styles gets two. Styles yanks him off of the ropes and kicks the midsection then tries a reverse chinlock but Daniels bites the hand to get out of it. Styles clotheslines him in from the apron and goes up top but Daniels catches him with a counter. Daniels goes on the offense and gets a neck vice. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by Daniels gets two. Styles gets a pair of schoolboys for two, Daniels locks in a Koji Clutch but Styles makes the ropes. Daniels gets a scoop slam and nails a split-legged moonsault for two. We’re at the halfway point now and Styles gets the springboard reverse DDT and then explodes with offense and gets a spin kick resulting in Daniels taking a Flair fall. Back suplex by Styles gets two. Backbreaker from Styles gets two. Daniels catches him on a springboard and nails a Death Valley Driver but it only gets two. Styles blocks a neckbreaker and elevates over with a hangman’s neckbreaker for two. Daniels nails the Best Moonsault Ever for two. Styles gets a Torture Rack slam for two. A knee lariat sends Styles to the floor and Daniels nails a suicide dive. Styles nails the Pele Kick to Daniels on the apron and then follows up with the senton. Daniels gets a backdrop suplex to the floor from the apron. Daniels gets a schoolboy back inside for two. Styles gets one for two. Daniels gets a German release. We’re under a minute now, with Styles in control. Styles blocks the Angel’s Wings into a bridge for two and gets the Styles Clash with 0.2 remaining to retain the X-divsion championship. The cameras immediately go to a “Match of the year sign”, rightfully so of course. ****
Winner: AJ Styles
Abyss v. Rhino v. Monty Brown v. AJ Styles v. Ron Killings v. Kip James v. Samoa Joe v. Lance Hoyt v. Sabu v. Jeff Hardy – 10-Man Gauntlet #1 Contendership Match
This is over the top elimination rules. Samoa Joe and Ron Killings draw the first two entrants, and Killings stupidly mocks the Samoan dance to start, so Joe kills him. Remember kids, Joe KILLS his opponents. Killings climbs up and gets a blockbuster then gets a single-arm DDT. He tries to dump Joe to no avail, and Sabu comes out next limping from the Monster’s Ball with a chair. He throws the chair at Joe and Killings then gets a lionsault on Killings. Air Sabu on Joe. Joe does the smart thing and simply knocks the chair over to eliminate all of Sabu’s offense, and Lance Hoyt comes in and BIG BOOTS Joe and tries to jump Killings. Joe plants Sabu with a DDT, circus music! Abyss is next who stares down with Joe and then they get in a slapping contest. Next in is Jeff Hardy who again is limping from the Monster’s Ball. A Rumble-esque sequence follows with a bunch of bodies in the ring, until Monty Brown comes out POUNCES Sabu, and then goes to slam Hardy out but Hardy drags him out with him, so they’re both gone. Rhino gimps his way in next and clotheslines Hoyt up and out. It’s funny how they no sell these injuries as soon as they get in the ring. Mr. Outlaw Ass Billy Gunn Kip James is next who nails the Famasser on Abyss and gets a sloppy dropkick on Joe. The final entrant is the exhausted AJ Styles just coming off an Ironman. More clustering continues and James takes a weak elimination by getting tossed to the apron and then slowly falling off onto his feet, not like the crowd cared. Killings nearly gets jumped but James holds him into the ropes, but Joe stomps him out anyway, so he’s done. Final four time and Joe locks Styles in a sleeper near the ropes, and Abyss sneaks up and tosses them both over. Rhino Gores him then and tosses them, making him the immediate opponent for the following main event. Slow paced match since everybody was off cue due to past matches, but not a bad job of keeping attention and getting Rhino over. **1/2
Winner: Rhino
Jeff Jarrett v. Rhino – NWA Heavyweight Championship Match
Jarrett has a casket brought to the ring, for no apparent reason but the cliche “burying his opponent.” Jarrett attacks to start and gets a dropkick, then gets the knee guillotine. They go outside where Rhino gets sent into the railing a few times and then Jarrett nails him with the garbage can near the announce table. I guess those announcers have a lot of scripts and cups to throw away or something. Jarrett drops him over the casket and Tito Ortiz orders them back into the ring, where Jarrett goes up and nails a flying clothesline, and another. Funny thing: You can actually hear a solid effort of a “let’s go Jarrett” dueling chant to counter Rhino’s. Jarrett goes for a third flying clothesline but Rhino counters it and goes low, and DW notes “right in the NUTS!” Rhino misses the Gore and gets sent into the corner, Gail tries going off the top but Tito catches her and then takes her to the back. That gives Jarrett time to get the guitar and EL KABONG~! Time! The guitar shot only gets two. AMW run out and slide Jarrett in another guitar, but Rhino scouts it and nails a Gore for the pin giving Rhino the title. Talk about an anticlimactic ending, with such a short and sweet main event to the “biggest show in history.” *
Winner- Rhino
– AMW and Team Canada attack afterwards and Jarrett gets another guitar shot and they lay him in the casket as Jarrett steps on it and holds it up. Team 3-Dimionsinal and 3LK break that up as Rhino creeps his way out. Showtime gets stuffed in the casket and Rhino poses with the belt as the show ends.
End of show.
– DVD extras include the pre-show matches, TNA FanFest Weekend, and the Impact Primetime special Ultimate X rematch.
