Bound for Glory IV Preview & Predictions

This Sunday TNA brings its biggest pay-per-view to the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, IL.  All four titles will be on the line, plus Jeff Jarrett will return to the ring after being on hiatus since May of 2007.  As is standard with the bigger TNA events, the greater majority of the roster will be participating in one way, shape, or form in one of the eight matches that are scheduled for the event.

Here is a rundown of the card:
- Samoa Joe vs. Sting (TNA World Heavyweight Championship)
- Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle w/ Mick Foley as the Special Enforcer
- Booker T vs. Christian Cage vs. AJ Styles
- Beer Money, Inc. vs. Team 3D vs. the LAX vs. Abyss & Matt Morgan (Monster’s Ball for the TNA Tag Team Championship)
- Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Consequences Creed (X Division Title)
- Taylor Wilde vs. Awesome Kong vs. Roxxi (TNA Knockout Championship)
- Rhino, ODB & Rhaka Khan vs. Cute Kip & the Beautiful People (Bimbo Brawl)
- X Division Steel Asylum Match

Samoa Joe vs. Sting (TNA World Heavyweight Championship)
The saga between these two wrestlers has been going on since Victory Road in July.  During the main event between Samoa Joe and Booker T, Sting felt that Joe crossed the line and took his actions too far against Booker.  Since then, Sting has been on a mission to teach Joe and the younger stars of TNA what respect is all about.

Fighting for the World Championship has taken a backseat to the grudge that has formed between Sting and Joe, but a clause was added to the match this past Thursday stating that no matter what happens, there will be no rematch between the two.  This makes the match mean that much more and adds some finality to their short feud.  With that said, I doubt this will bring an end to the veteran/young lion feud.

I will mention that the World Championship has switched hands at the three previous Bound for Glory pay-per-view events, so historically, the odds are against Samoa Joe.  To add to those odds, Sting has won the title the last two times, once against Kurt Angle and the other time against Jeff Jarrett.  Samoa Joe has defied the odds before and becoming the first person to walk in and walk out of the King of the Mountain match as the champion and I have a feeling he will be walking out of Bound for Glory with the title as well.

Starman’s Prediction: Samoa Joe to retain the TNA World Championship.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle w/ Mick Foley as the Special Enforcer
Jeff Jarrett made his return to TNA and made his presence felt by causing Kurt Angle a chance at another run with the World Championship when he caught Angel with a guitar shot over the head.  Since then, Jarrett has gone on to claim that hiring Kurt Angle was one of the biggest mistakes he has ever made and Kurt Angle goaded him into this match after taking some verbal shots at Jarrett’s family and his late wife.  Mick Foley has been appointed as the Special Guest Enforcer and has promised to deal with anyone who tries to interfere with their match.

This is Jarrett’s first match in over a year but he said he would leave it all in the ring at Bound for Glory.  Having a return match against one of the best wrestlers in the business today may not be the best idea, though.  Although it will be fun to see Jarrett perform in a ring again, I have to hand the edge to Kurt Angle, who is in dire need of a pay-per-view victory sooner or later.

Starman’s Prediction: Kurt Angle to show Jeff Jarrett that hiring him wasn’t a mistake.

Booker T vs. Christian Cage vs. AJ Styles
Booker T and AJ Styles are clearly defined as to which side they are on in the veteran/young lion feud, however, Cage, who could easily fit in both categories, is stuck in the middle.  Jim Cornette wanted to pry a decision out of Cage and put him in as a special guest referee in a singles match against Booker and Styles to see which side he favored, but Cage pretty much called it down the middle before nailing them both with clotheslines after the match was over.

Jim Cornette says that he will force a decision out of Cage this Sunday and booked this three-way match between all of them.  Although this didn’t get nearly enough build up, actually almost none at all, this is one of the most intriguing matches of the night.  I can really see any of the three walking away as the winner.  As for the side that Cage chooses, I’d much rather have him stay solo for the time being, but I will say that he will turn on Styles once again … once he causes Cage to lose the match against Booker.

Starman’s Prediction: Booker T to win.

Beer Money, Inc. vs. Team 3D vs. the LAX vs. Abyss & Matt Morgan (Monster’s Ball for the TNA Tag Team Championship)
This was originally planned as a Monster’s Ball Tag Team Invitational, but Beer Money was added to it and it has turned into a Monster’s Ball Match for the Tag Team Championships.  Team 3D has hinted at bringing lighter fluid and matches to the ring as Abyss is still at peace with himself and refuses to use any weapon at all.  A much lighter version of the LAX, sans Hector Guerrero and Salinas, has vowed to get their revenge on Beer Money after losing the titles to them.

To keep control of all of the hardcore, violent action in the ring, TNA has put Chicago Bears defensive tackle and Four Horsemen member, Steve “Mongo” McMichael in control of the match as the special guest referee.  McMichael doesn’t do much for me, but he is a local Chicago-land celebrity and ex-wrestler.  You know, I don’t know how well Mongo can call a match after Hollywood Hogan threw a bucket of bleach into his eyes, but I guess we’ll find out this Sunday.

As for the Monster’s Ball match, I have a sinking feeling that Abyss & Matt Morgan will leave with the titles since they are the team that deserves them the least, but they are getting pushed the most.  Expect blood, chairs, tables and Abyss to finally break his fears and bust out the thumbtacks and/or broken glass.

Starman’s Prediction: Abyss & Matt Morgan to win the Tag Team Championship.

Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Consequences Creed (X Division Title)
Consequences Creed defeated Petey Williams, Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal this past Thursday to become the #1 contender to the X Division Title.  This set up an obvious match pitting a proud American wrestler against an anti-American wrestler.

I really like both of these wrestlers, but the build up to the match has been non-existent.  I will at least credit the fact that the match is devoid of any gimmicks, even the obvious “Flag on a Pole” match, so we should at least get a decent X Division contest on the card.  In the end, however, I have to say that Sheik Abdul Bashir keeps the title to let the hatred towards him grow from both fans and wrestlers alike.

Starman’s Prediction: Sheik Abdul Bashir to retain the X Division Title.

Taylor Wilde vs. Awesome Kong vs. Roxxi (TNA Knockout Championship)
Bound for Glory marks the one-year anniversary of the Knockout Division and the Knockout Championship.  Over the course of the year we have witnessed a resurgence of women’s wrestling with TNA’s talented roster of women wrestlers and have seen three different wrestlers hold the Knockout gold.  Two of those three, Taylor and Kong, are in this match and while Roxxi has let her personality show in a series of Rough Cut segments.

In all honesty, I sincerely hope that Taylor Wilde loses the championship in this match.  Her personality, or lack of personality, is getting to me and I think that there are many other deserving women other than her that should have the title.  Two of those deserving of the title are in this match up, so there are some good odds that someone deserving walks out with the title.  Taylor’s dream run with the title has to end sometime and what better time than at the biggest pay-per-view of the year.

Starman’s Prediction: Roxxi to win the Knockout Championship.

Rhino, ODB & Rhaka Khan vs. Cute Kip & the Beautiful People (Bimbo Brawl)
ODB and Rhaka Khan have formed an alliance of sorts to go up against the Beautiful People.  Rhino has been lending a hand to any female in need of assistance as of late and has been backing up ODB and Rhaka Khan as of late.  Added to that, the Beautiful People caused Rhino to lose a match against Cute Kip and Rhino has promised to “Gore the whores” on Sunday.

If there is one low point on the show, this is it.  Like many other matches on the card, this match didn’t get much build up and was added onto the card this past Thursday on Impact.  I don’t expect much from this match, but if you do tune in to the pay-per-view, be on the lookout for my “Cute Kip Makes An Ugly Bimbo” sign in the crowd.

Starman’s Prediction: Rhino, ODB & Rhaka Khan to win the match

X Division Steel Asylum Match
Aside from being one of the first matches announced for the Bound for Glory card, there hasn’t been much said about this one.  TNA put on one of these matches a few months ago at Sacrifice, but at least it had some meaning as it was for a shot at the X Division Title and the winner also got to take the injured Kurt Angle’s spot in the main event.  Nothing was ever announced for it this time, including any of the participants.  Expect about 10 random guys fighting to get out of the top of the cage, however, they will be too tightly confined to really tell what is going on.

There is the Bound for Glory preview in a nutshell.  TNA has gone above and beyond in promoting and building the two main events of the card, and I expect those two matches to deliver.  A few other matches should be good and even though there are some filler matches scheduled, all in all, it should be a great event.

As I stated in my Impact recap, my opinion may be a little biased as I will be attending the show.  Even if I wasn’t making the 600 mile drive to the Chicago area, I’d still pay the extra $5 to order the event on pay-per-view.  TNA usually does a great job with their Bound for Glory pay-per-views and I am willing to guess that this one will be no different.

As always, live coverage of Slammiversary will be on Gerweck.net starting at 8:00 EST, and I will offer my thoughts about the show of happenings both on and off camera later on in the night.