Bound For Glory is just a few days away. Already announced for tonight is a Lethal Lockdown steel cage match, with two teams captained by Ethan Carter III and Bobby Lashley. Let’s see how the Road to Glory shapes this weekend’s big event.
TNA Impact Review 9/29/2016: The Road to Glory
Jeremy Borash introduced both Ethan Carter III and Bobby Lashley to announce their teams for the main event. Josh Mathews noted that each team will have a Knockout on their roster. Bobby Lashley’s first choice is Drew Galloway. EC3 chose Aron Rex. Bobby Lashley’s second choice was Mike Bennett. Carter, coincidentally, chose Bennett’s opponent for Bound For Glory, Moose. Lashley’s Knockout on the team is Maria Kanellis Bennett. Carter chose Gail Kim, who will be facing Maria at Bound For Glory. Lashley said that Carter was bringing his team to slaughter tonight and that he would win and pick the stipulation for their match this weekend. Carter said Lashley is everything he says that he is, and he has to beat him at Bound For Glory. Lashley said that he could hurt him, unlike any of his past opponents. Carter said he was bringing everything he had, because he needs to win. Carter challenged Lashley to be the first competitor in Lethal Lockdown tonight. Lashley agreed.
Rating: 6/10 – The teams were not surprising in any way. It would have been a good idea to use a couple of younger guys and give them a rub by working the main event. There is enough heat between Bennett and Moose that they do not need to be involved in this match to build to Sunday. Plus Galloway and Rex are involved in the Grand Championship match. It would have been smart to showcase them in that format to put the series over before Bound For Glory.
Eddie Edwards made his way to the ring to challenge DJZ for the X Division Championship. The two men started off with chain wrestling before Edwards took over with some chops. DJZ took over with an arm drag and a top rope somersault to the outside. Edwards came back with a dive through the ropes to DJZ on the outside a few minutes later. TNA popped up a random graphic with Dixie Carter’s picture and her Twitter handle. DJZ hit a nice hurricanrana for a good near fall. Edwards caught DJZ into a spinning sit out power bomb for another nice near fall. DJZ eventually hit the ZDT on Edwards to win the match. Afterwards, DJZ helped Edwards up and both men held their hands up. Trevor Lee and Andrew Everett attacked the two from behind and threw DJZ into a ring post. Lee and Everett performed a drop toe hold into a running knee on Edwards.
Backstage, Allie was apologizing to Maria for last week. Laurel Van Ness walked up and Maria told Allie to introduce Laurel and do whatever she needs and not to mess it up.
Rating: 6/10 – The match between Edwards and DJZ was fine, but the live crowd did not buy in to any of the nearfalls by Edwards. DJZ winning is the right choice for now. The attack after was decent, but would have been more effective if DJZ took the running knee combo since he is the champion. Allie continues to be the worst character on the show not named Dixie Carter.
A pre-taped segment with Josh Mathews in the ring with Mike Bennett and Moose aired. Mathews asked what happened when they first worked together. Bennett said Moose was ungrateful since it was him who brought Moose in. Moose said he played in the NFL and he always dealt with egotistical bastards like Bennett. Bennett said no one would be chanting Moose after Bound For Glory. Moose said he would give Bennett a one way ticket to hell. Bennett said he is not scared and will not be beat. Moose said when he is done with Bennett, the Impact Zone will chant Moose.
Madison Rayne made her way to the ring. Allie introduced TNA’s newest knockout, Laurel Van Ness (former WWE Tough Enough replacement Chelsea Green, protege of Lance Storm – Ed.). Van Ness started by trying to get Rayne to kiss her hand. Rayne took over, causing Van Ness to go to ring side where she had Allie apply more makeup. Van Ness took over with a sloppy body slam. Rayne went for a series of pin falls that Matthews could not have showed less enthusiasm for. Van Ness raked Rayne’s eyes and hit a curb stomp to win. After the match, Allie mispronounced Van Ness’ last name which she took exception to. Allie said it correctly.
Backstage, Lashley tried to hype up his team and promised that if his team wins, the man who takes out Carter would get a championship match after Bound For Glory.
Rating: 3/10 – Moose was dreadful here. He tried to show fire, but it just felt flat and too rehearsed. Van Ness versus Rayne was a very slow and plodding match. Rayne tried to perform a couple of unique pin fall attempts, but Van Ness was way too slow working with her. The Lashley hype was an interesting set up, but will only lead smart viewers to think that Bennett and Galloway will fall apart by trying to show off for the chance at a title match.
Drew Galloway was in the ring and said he is a part of the true main event at Bound For Glory, the finals of the Grand Championship Tournament. Galloway asked for Aron Rex to come to the ring, to which Rex obliged. Galloway said he and Rex would be a part of history, but first they needed to look to the past. Galloway said that he was the hero of TNA, because when he got there, there was a crack in the foundation of TNA and Impact. He said “you’re welcome” to the fans and the guys backstage. Rex said Galloway needed his own tag line and called Galloway out for what he just said. Rex said Galloway was a six foot five greasy haired piece of crap. Galloway said he was a champion around the world and that he was going to win and that Rex should address him as sir. Rex promised that on Sunday, the match would not be decided by the judges because Rex would pin him. Galloway said Rex made a hell of a stunt guy (referring to his previous gimmick), but that no one remembers the guy who comes after the son of God and that on Sunday there can be only one, and that is the chosen one Drew Galloway. The men got face to face, security tried to break them up, but Galloway hit Rex with a piledriver. Galloway held up the championship to close the segment.
The Decay was shown backstage and said they are the most dominant force in TNA. Abyss said that the Hardys will have consequences for trying to take things from them. Rosemary ran down the history of people they have destroyed. Crazzy Steve said he cannot wait to shatter the Hardys into a million pieces. Rosemary said Reby reminds her of their own mother and she will not be recognizable after Sunday. Reby versus Rosemary is next.
Rating: 7/10 – Galloway was very good here. He showed good intensity and put over the match on Sunday well. Rex should have come across more seriously, but he wasn’t too over the top with the jokes. The last view of Galloway holding the title will make people look forward to Rex getting payback on Sunday. Reby versus Rosemary should not be happening tonight. They should wait until Sunday let these two get their hands on each other. Maybe they’ll pull a bait and switch tonight.
Rosemary made her way to the ring with the rest of Decay. Reby quickly made her entrance with Broken Matt and Brother Nero. Reby hit a quick spear and threw Rosemary into the turnbuckle while yelling “delete.” Rosemary eventually cut off Reby and put her down with a clothesline. Rosemary licked Reby’s face, who sold it like she was shot. Rosemary tried to hit a splash in the corner, but Reby moved. Reby caught Rosemary with a couple of nice looking kicks. Reby hit the Twist of Fate on Rosemary and had her pinned, but Crazzy Steve got on the apron to distract the referee. When Reby turned around, Rosemary sprayed mist in Reby’s eyes to cause a disqualification. Immediately, the two teams started fighting and ended up back in the production area. Rosemary set a table up at ring side. Rosemary put Reby through the table with the Side Effect. Rosemary got the microphone while laying on top of Reby and said Decay over and over.
Earl Hebner handled the coin toss to determine which team would have the advantage going in to Lethal Lockdown. Lashley called heads, and won.
Rating: 6/10 – For Reby really never having a match, this wasn’t terrible. The table spot at the end looked good. Mathews promised that when they get back, they would have footage of the continued brawl between Decay and the Hardys.
Crazzy Steve and Brother Nero were fighting outside. Both men raked each others eyes. Broken Matt hit a low blow on Abyss and then slammed him with a ladder. Matt then bit Abyss’ face. Steve was shown beating the snot out of Brother Nero. He wrapped a chair around Nero’s neck and slammed him in to a pole. Abyss pulled out an electrical wire and electrocuted Matt. Both Steve and Abyss got in to the face of the brother they were fighting and shouted Decay.
The same Cody video from last week aired. He is still going to be at Bound For Glory on Sunday.
A pre taped interview with McKenzie Mitchell, Maria Kanellis Bennett and Gail Kim. Maria said she was the first women of professional wrestling, the leader of the Knockouts division and the greatest Knockouts champion ever. Kim said she was delusional and a bully. Kim said that Bound For Glory was going to be a special night for her because she will get her hands on Maria. Maria said this is not a wrestling company, but an entertainment company and that no matter what, she will be a winner on Sunday.
Backstage, Tyrus was asked about Bound For Gold, which he is a part of. Eli Drake asked if Tyrus would go down with him and work together. Tyrus declined and said he was going to whoop his ass on Sunday.
Ethan Carter thanked his team for having his back tonight and pumped them all up for their matches on Sunday. Carter made his entrance for Lethal Lockdown.
Rating: 6/10 – They really aren’t trying to hold anything back for the Great War on Sunday. Trying to make the Hardy’s look vulnerable is kind of silly since they’ve just shown that all of these men can just come right back from whatever has happened to them in the previous fights. The sit down with Maria and Kim was effective in putting over both women’s goals for Sunday. The 30 second spot for Tyrus and Drake has been the only mention of Bound for Gold over the past three weeks.
Bobby Lashley made his entrance, but then had Mike Bennett come out instead to start the match, which is against what was agreed to at the start of the night. Bennett took control early before Carter came back with a suplex. Bennett tried to reach one of the weapons, but Carter cut him off with some chops. Bennett came back with a big boot and some kicks to the head of Carter. After five minutes, Drew Galloway made his entrance and quickly took over. The two worked over Carter as they went to commercial.
Back from a five-minute commercial break, the two-minute countdown clock was just finishing up. Aron Rex was the next member of Team Carter. Rex put down both Galloway and Bennett. Carter and Rex teamed up to throw Galloway into Bennet in the corner. The countdown clock struck zero again and Lashley made his entrance, who quickly hit a swinging neck breaker on Rex and a suplex on Carter. Lashley directed Galloway to take out Rex while he and Bennett worked over Carter. A lot of punching and kicking took place to kill time until Moose made his entrance as the third member of team Carter. Moose took out both Galloway and Bennett with a springboard cross body, then hit a series of punches on Lashley. Back to more punches and kicks while waiting for the next entrant to make their way. Maria slowly came down and said she would not get in the ring, saying she was not ready. Bennett told her to stay out of the ring as well. The countdown clock finished for the last time, and Kim made her way down. Kim chased Maria around the ring, into the cage, then back out again. The referee shut and locked the cage as Maria and Kim ran backstage.
Back from commercial, every member of team Lashley had a weapon and was using it on their opponents. Lashley called his team to huddle up. Carter crawled over and flipped off the team, only to be put down by a chair and a kendo stick. Galloway tried to throw Galloway in to a trash can, but Rex reversed it and threw Galloway in to the trash can. Moose put down Bennet with a kick. Rex and Moose took turns hitting Lashley with a chair and a kendo stick. Just as Carter was about to hit Lashley with a pipe, Bennett put him down with a diamond cutter. Galloway hit a Future Shock DDT on Moose, Rex hit Galloway with a chair, Lashley hit Rex with a spear. Lashley went for a cover but Carter cut him off. Everyone but Carter and Lashley was out, and those two faced off in the ring. Carter wedged Lashley between the cage and the ropes and blasted him with a kendo stick about 20 times. Carter hit TK3, but Lashley came right back with a spear. Lashley locked Carter in a chokehold. Carter reached the ropes, but the ref does not break it inside Lethal Lockdown. Carter eventually passed out from the maneuver.
Lashley got on the microphone and said his stipulation for Bound For Glory was no holds barred. The show closed with Lashley holding the championship up at the top of the entrance way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmPX6Jo66Y4
Rating: 7/10 – First off, there was zero point in even having Gail and Maria involved in this match. They had zero purpose in this match. The rest of Lethal Lockdown was solid despite a few lulls while waiting for the next person to enter. All six men were showcased at some point, which helps put each one over for Sunday. Lashley winning is the obvious choice, as it does not make much sense to have a face picking a stipulation of a match. That being said, the no holds barred stipulation felt a little underwhelming. Given their brawls and build to the match, a last man standing or even a submission match would have felt more fitting. Overall, the go home show for Bound For Glory a good job of setting up some of the matches on Sunday.
