Tomorrow night, having been to one live TNA event before, the anticipation is at its highest. Three years ago, World Wrestling Entertainment came to Chicago with WrestleMania 22. I knew my parents didn't want to spend a Sunday night driving me back and forth to the Allstate Arena to see some interesting matchups, especially when newly crowned World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio led the blue crew of SmackDown to the Peoria Civic Center just two days later. While I eventually want to hit up the biggest event in professional wrestling, it's Total Nonstop Action who has come to the save once again in the cartoon world.
I've been thinking over the past few days that in the last 10 years, I've only missed three wrestling shows in the Peoria area. My first being WCW, but most being WWE. I thought I had seen everything that live wrestling had to give. TNA broke down those walls back in June at the US Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington. But, despite my dozen wrestling shows, there are still a few firsts to be had...
At the onset of tonight's blog, I believed that I had never seen Sting wrestle. But I have to dig down in the cockles to thinking I actually remember a Sting vs. Bret Hart match from a WCW house show. Distant relatives of mine had tix and couldn't make the show, so we went out on a cold January night in 1999 at the last minute to see the matches. The only thing I think I even remember is, awesomely enough, Sting vs. Bret Hart.
I have never been to a show that was later released on DVD.
I have never seen Abyss wrestle, one of my favorite TNA mainstays I followed before TNA was on cable television and was odd-coupling with "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles (ever wonder where I get my e-mail from?).
I've only traveled outside the Peoria area to see wrestling once, seeing what has probably been top-to-bottom one of the best wrestling cards I've ever seen. With finishes changed, Champaign hosted basically the entire 2001 Vengeance PPV a week beforehand. Austin vs. Angle, Rock vs. Jericho, the Dudleyz vs. Kane/Big Show, etc.
And now, the predictions...
TNA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Champion Samoa Joe vs. "The Icon" Sting
The veterans vs. the future of the business. I don't think out of the talent pool available that TNA could've picked better guys to represent both sides. I've been making a point to watch Impact for the last few months and this is quite the feud, and could only be better if it lasted beyond tomorrow's show and Sting stopped saying "Joe" so much in promos. If we were talking on a strictly statistic level, the NWA/TNA title has changed at previous three Bound for Glory events, with Sting winning them the last two years in a row. But Samoa Joe IS the future of professional wrestling.
Adam's Pick: Samoa Joe retains the TNA title.
TNA GRUDGE MATCH
"King Of The Mountain" Jeff Jarrett vs. Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle
Special Enforcer: Mick Foley
It's no secret the best programs always add an element of real life. Jeff Jarrett founded TNA and when he needed to step away from the ring, Kurt Angle was one hell of a workhorse. I think this feud really got good, oddly enough, when Angle referenced Jeff's wife's loss with cancer. I wonder who's idea it was to say that because it didn't seem like Angle felt comfortable saying it. Regardless, both are excellent workers. To make it a happy homecoming, I've got my money on Jeff Jarrett getting the win, but this feud is far from over.
TNA's recent acquisition of MICK FOLEY just made this match bigger, even though I think he could've also fit in the TNA title match. When I met Mick Foley over two years ago after he announced he had resigned with WWE, I asked him what he thought of TNA, and he put them over and mentioned Samoa Joe by name.
Adam's Pick: Jeff Jarrett
THREE WAY MATCH
Booker T (w/ Sharmell) vs. "The Instant Classic" Christian Cage vs. "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles
The veteran vs. the undecided vs. the future. Once again, this theme comes up. Booker is an established vet, and AJ is a legit shoe-in for a possible TNA Hall of Fame, being the only TNA wrestler to win all three of the company's titles. Will Christian side with Booker and the vets, or with the future like AJ and Joe? That's been the big question leading into this. I'm expecting this to take Match of the Night honors because of the workrate of all these guys.
I hope Bound for Glory ends the question of vets vs. future because TNA's been pushing that they are the future of wrestling since they debuted four years ago on Fox Sports. TNA is not the future of wrestling...it IS pro wrestling.
Adam's Pick: Christian Cage
MONSTER'S BALL WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH:
Champions Beer Money Inc. vs. Team 3D vs. The Latin American Xchange vs. Abyss & Matt Morgan
Special Referee: Steve "Mongo" McMichael
How do you even predict this match? You don't. This match will be ridiculous, with the biggest likelihood the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates will bust out in a unanimous "HOLY SHIT" chant. Lots of carnage by far. Abyss/Morgan have gotten a huge push, but I still wish Abyss was a heel. I have the feeling that the titles will change, but all three are good candidates.
Adam's Pick: LAX
TNA X DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Champion Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Consequences Creed
Of course this wouldn't be a TNA show without a match thrown together with a moment's notice. I've never seen Bashir (aka Daivari in WWE) in person, and I didn't really know he was with TNA until I found out he won the X title (wait, was he in the X Cup?). I really liked Creed when I saw him in Bloomington despite having never seen him at all. Underneath (perhaps overshadowing?) the X title in this match is Arab vs. American. I think this feud has some life in it beyond tomorrow.
Adam's Pick: Sheik Abdul Bashir
TNA KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
Champion Taylor Wilde vs. Awesome Kong vs. Roxxi
Again, Taylor Wilde...who? I didn't watch Impact much over the summer so I guess that's why I don't know her. Regardless, props to TNA for giving somebody like her a chance. Roxxi's been getting a decent push since her split with VKM. Kong...hm. Always a good fallback TNA has if they want to move the title around. My prediction here is that Wilde retains and gets the win over Roxxi. Maybe after acting all buddy-buddy with Roxxi, she turns?
Adam's Pick: Taylor Wilde retains
THE RETURN OF THE STEEL ASYLUM MATCH
The X Division superstars battle inside the steel dome to try to escape
God knows who's involved in this match. I like praising TNA, I do, but I'm guessing this is the match all the rest of the TNA stars get lumped together in this god-awful red cage. Petey Williams, Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, Motor City Machine Guns, the Prince Justice Brotherhood...I'm guessing we'll also see a few surprises in this one.
Adam's Pick: Sonjay Dutt
KNOCKOUTS BIMBO BRAWL
Rhino, ODB & Rhaka Khan vs. The Beautiful People & Cute Kip
Adam's Pick: Rhino, ODB & Rhaka Khan
