Impact Bound for Glory live results: Brian Cage vs. Sami Callihan
Impact Wrestling’s biggest event of the year takes place tonight as the Odeum Expo Center in Villa Park, Illinois hosts Bound for Glory.
The Impact World Championship will be on the line, with Brian Cage defending his title against Sami Callihan. Callihan defeated Tessa Blanchard in a number one contender’s match this August to get the title shot.
Blanchard, Daga, Ace Austin, and Ace Romero will challenge for Jake Crist’s X-Division title in a ladder match tonight. Crist is a stablemate of Callihan’s in oVe.
Taya Valkyrie defends her Knockouts title against Tenille Dashwood, and Tag Team Champions The North (Josh Alexander & Ethan Page) will defend their titles against Rich Swann & Willie Mack and RVD & Rhino in a triple threat match.
Rounding out the card for tonight’s PPV are: Pro Wrestling NOAH star Naomichi Marufuji vs. Michael Elgin, Ken Shamrock vs. Moose, Dr. Wagner Jr., Aerostar & Taurus vs. The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel), and a Call Your Shot gauntlet match where the winner will get a future shot at the Impact title of their choosing.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Fantastic opening video that recapped all the main players of tonight’s show. It featured oVe wearing suits walking in a parking lot. Venue looks packed, a lot of young faces in the crowd.
Eddie Edwards won the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match to earn any title shot of his choice.
Eddie Edwards was participant number 1 after losing the Battle Royal match on Impact. Both Reno Scum members came in after and worked over Eddie. At this point, Fite.tv is already having a lot of signal issues, so the feed is coming in and out.
Number 4 was Cousin Jake who took out Reno Scum single-handedly. Number 5 was Rohit Raju who went after Cousin Jake, he had a good speed showing before he got taken out by Jake. Entry number 6 was Joey Ryan, who got a huge ovation. Joey asked for someone to touch his penis, but no one went for it, but did several penis spots regardless of Reno Scum and got everyone in the match to do a penis chain for Joey to flip around, eliminating Rohit Raju and Cousin Jake in the process. Crowd is going wild for the spot.
Entry # 7 is Havok, first woman in the match. She went straight for Joey Ryan, chokeslamming him, then went to take out Reno Scum. She took down Lester The Legend like nothing. Number 8th was Rosemary who went straight for Havok, she’s sporting a new facepaint and attire. Rosemary and Havok teamed up to eliminate Joey Ryan who was trying to get them to touch his penis. Number 9 is oVe’s big guy — Madman Fulton. Fulton took down every man in the ring, and eliminated both Rosemary and Havok at the same time. Fulton eliminated Thornstowe, and then Joey Ryan.
Cody Deaner was number 10, who went straight for Fulton, and surprisingly, got close to eliminate him, but it was Fulton who prevailed chokeslamming Deaner on the apron. Johnny Swinger, with the best wrestling tights you’ll ever seen, was entry number 11. Swinger stayed outside the ring showing off.
Number 12 was Jordynne Grace who went after everyone in the ring, managed to German Suplex Madman Fulton!
Number 13 is Swoggle making his Impact return, he came out from under the ring, chasing Swinger down. Once in the ring, Swinger slapped Grace’s butt, then ate a German from Swoggle, and got eliminated by Grace. Swoggle then got two superkicks on Grace and Lester the Legend respectively. Yes, you read that right.
Kiera Hogan was next at #14, she went straight for Grace, she got some momentum in, but Kiera then got knocked out on the apron by Jordynne for the elimination. Raj Singh is #15, but most importantly, Eddie Edwards eliminated Lester The Legend in the ring. Number 16 is Tommy Dreamer, who surprisingly, had no weapons with him.
Number 17 was Kylie Rae! She came in all smiles and took out Raj and Dreamer with Superkicks. She went for Fulton, but he was too big for her. At this point, Dreamer eliminated Raj, followed by Fulton eliminating Dreamer. Number 18 was Fallah Bahh, who went for Fulton and had a nice little hoss run, Bahh caught Fulton’s Top Rope Splash and turned it into a Samoan Drop. Sabu was number 19, along with Super Genie, and in traditional Sabu antics, he started throwing chairs around, he started jumping off such chairs.
Number 20, as known from the last Impact episode, is Mahabali Shera. He came in and quickly took down Sabu, Eddie, and Bahh. He went to Chokeslam Rae, but Jordynne saved her, both women tried suplex Shera, but he blocked them and eliminated both of them.
Final four are Bahh, Fulton, Eddie, and Shera. Crowd completely behind Eddie. Bahh was the first eliminated when Shera pretty much hit an Attitude Adjustment on Bahh. Fulton and Shera faced off. Fulton’s first attack consisted of throwing Eddie at Shera, who simply caught him and threw him off. Fulton and Shera started brawling and Fulton had Shera on the ropes, Fulton went for momentum when suddenly, Eddie caught him with a clothesline and eliminated Fulton, who retaliated by pulling Eddie from under the ropes and hitting an Apron Bomb.
Back in the ring, Shera charged at Eddie, but Eddie dodged and nailed a desperation Boston Knee Party and pinned Shera to win the match. Not the best wrestling, but this was fun and we got a couple of good surprises.
Don Callis and Josh Matthews ran down the card and announced that Brian Cage has requested that the main event be a No Disqualification Match.
We got a Taya vs Tenille video package.
Knockout’s Champion Taya Valkyrie (w/John E. Bravo) defeated Tenille Dashwood to retain the title.
Taya jumped Tenille before the bell, but the momentum didn’t last long when Tenille recovered and went after Taya with strikes and a Double Underhook Suplex for an early two count.
Taya came back with a German for a two count. Taya got a few strikes in, but once again, Tenille came back with a Draping Neckbreaker, but when Tenille went for the top rope, Bravo pulled Taya out of danger. The distraction gave Taya the chance to sweep Tenille’s leg, but Tenille came back with La Mistica, only for Taya to escape and ram Tenille into the corner. Tenille landed a desperation Facebuster to finally slow down Taya.
They exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring, that ended with some whips and Tenille locking in the Tarantula for four seconds. Tenille followed with a top rope Crossbody for a two count. Taya School Girled Tenille into the turnbuckles and hit the Running Knees into the corner, she setup Tenille for a Superplex, but Dashwood woke up and turned it into a Sunset Flip Powerbomb for a two count.
They once again exchanged some strikes before Taya caught Tenille with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. They fought into the apron where Taya went for a Package Piledriver, which was botched when Taya couldn’t get a full grip of Tenille nor lift her up. It wasn’t dangerous for Tenille tho.
Back in the ring, Tenille pulled Taya’s legs from the ropes, making her head whiplash on the buckles, Tenille followed with two sliding crossbodies and The Spotlight, but Bravo pulled Taya to the ropes. Referee finally sent Bravo to the back. Taya tried to hit Tenille with a chain, but Tenille dodged. Tenille had the chain in her hands, but instead of using it, she tossed it away, which gave Taya the time to recover, hit the Road To Valhalla, and retain her championship. Ok match, this was Tenille’s best match since joining Impact.
Rhino and RVD cut a promo backstage saying they’re not there to play games, they’re here to win championships.
We got a tag team title video package.
Impact Tag Team Champions The North (Josh Alexander & Ethan Page) defetaed Rich Swann & Willie Mack and Rob Van Dam & Rhino to retain the titles.
Alexander and Mack started the match with the latter doing some lucha spots. Page tagged in, but only to also get taken out by a 619 by Mack and a big standing Splash by Swann. Rhino tagged in who now worked over Page, but with some help of Alexander, Page turned the match around for a bit until both RVD and Alexander tagged in.
Rob Van Dam hit the Rolling Thunder and the Split-legged Moonsault for a two count. RVD hit a Monkey Flip, but Swann blind tagged RVD to get in the match. Swann got a two count on Alexander after a kick combo, but once again, thanks to Page, The North took out Swann with an assisted powerbomb and cut the ring in half on him. Page hit a huge over the head toss where Swann rotated about 450 degrees. Swann tried to make a comeback, only to eat a couple of kicks, but he managed to take out Page and Alexander with a DDT and Poisonrana respectively, and make the tag to Mack.
Mack came in strong, hit running splashes on both North members, followed by a Samoan Drop and Moonsault combo on Page for a two count. RVD and Rhino returned and took out Mack and Swann, with RVD going for the 5-Star Frog Splash, only for Alexander to take a hold of his leg, and consequently allowing Mack to mock him by hitting the 6-star Frog Splash for a two count. RVD was pissed!
Mack hit a Tope con Giro onto Rhino, RVD, and Alexander. Swann went to follow, but got cut off by Page, who instead Military Pressed Swann and tossed him into the ring and followed with a great Swanton Bomb for a two count. The North went for their finisher, but Mack saved Swann, who hit the assisted Neckbreaker on Alexander for a two count when RVD and Rhino broke the pin.
Rhino set up the Gore, but suddenly, RVD turned heel on Rhino, Superkicking him. RVD superkicked Mack and Swann and walked out of the match. Fans reacted strongly at the turn.
Meanwhile, The North hit their finisher on Swann to retain the titles. Pretty great match, it started slow, but one it hit second gear, it was awesome. The North are an amazing team.
Backstage, Ace Austin came in to the women’s locker room in a towel only, looking for Alisha Edwards. He said that next time she sees him, he’ll be X-Division Champion.
We got a short Elgin vs Marufuji video package.
Michael Elgin defeated Naomichi Marufuji
This was like a fast-forward version of a Japanese match. They started with some quick chain wrestling that quickly transitioned to shoulder tackles and into the test of strength fake out by Elgin, and into Marufuji’s first chops of the match.
Marufuji went after Elgin’s neck, but Elgin caught a rushing Marufuji, hit a Suplex, followed with a Suicide Dive, and ended with a Missile Dropkick for a two count. Elgin started working over Marufuji’s neck now with some forearms, that led to a chop exchange. Marufuji dropkicked Elgin to the outside and followed with a Tope con Giro.
Back in the ring, Marufuji chopped Elgin, hit a running back elbow, and some kicks for a two count. Elgin went for a Dragon Suplex, but Marufuji blocked it, and rolled through for a two count on Elgin. Marufuji went for a Superkick, but Elgin caught i and hit him with a big Elbow combo. Marufuji caught Elgin with a big Superkick, with Elgin following with a desperation German.
Elgin hit a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Marufuji hit a great kick combo, but Elgin countered with a couple of knees to the face. It was now Marufuji hitting the desperation kick.
They fought on the apron that ended with Elgin countering a powerbomb position with a Banzai Drop, but Marufuji moved away, Superkicked Elgin, and landed a Slice Bread #2 on the floor for the countout tease. Marufuji received Elgin with a Springboard Dropkick for a two count.
Marufuji went for a Double Underhook, but Elgin blocked it and hit a Dragon Suplex instead. Elgin called for the Lariat, but Marufuji blocked him, so instead Elgin delivered a couple of forearms instead. Marufuji tried to keep blocking Elgin, but Big Mike landed a short distance lariat instead, followed by a running Lariat, and a Splash Mountain Bomb for a 2.99 kickout.
Elgin hit the Buckle Bomb, but Marufuji came back with a set of Superkicks and knees to the back of Elgin’s head for another near fall. Marufuji hit Slice Bread #2 again, only earning a two count.
Marufuji once again went for the Double Underhook, but couldn’t, so instead they traded chops once again. After about ten, Marufuji caught Eling with two Spinning Heel Kicks and knees to the head, but Elgin came back with a desperation Bomb. Fans are all on their feet at this point. Elgin hit a huge clothesline, Buckle Bomb, and Elgin Bomb to finally pin …NO! Another 2.99 kick out by Marufuji!
Elgin hit a big backfist, set up the Torture Rack position, and hit a reverse Powerslam for the win. Great match, but it could have used the Japanese pacing at times. Fans wanted Marufuji to win, but they all respected Elgin at the end of the match.
We got the video package of Jake Crist winning the X-Division championship and the ongoing feud with Tessa.
Ace Austin defeated X-Division Champion Jake Crist , Tessa Blanchard, Daga, Acey Romero in a Ladder Match to win the championship
Tessa came out with a lucha style facemask, she went from Slammiversary gold to Bound For Glory platinum. Ace Austin botched his stick trick entrance. Acey Romero signed with Impact last night. For that matter, while Acey was being signed, Daga was winning Latin American titles in Mexico. Jake Crist dressed as Mordecai for some reason.
Match started with Tessa going after Crist, and quickly dropped him with a cutter and a couple of Topes, but as she went for the third, Jake caught her with a cutter.
Back in the ring, Daga and Ace Austin are going at it with a quick counter sequence that ended with Ace hitting a Space Flying Tiger Drop on Jake and Tessa. Now it was Acey’s chance to run wild on Daga, hitting a Dropkick. Daga hit a big Splash on everyone outside the ring.
Outside the ring, Daga and Tessa fought for a ladder, only for Acey to go for the Splash, which he landed straight on the ladder. In the ring, Daga and Tessa teamed up on Jake Crist first, then on Ace Austin with kick combos, but when they distracted themselves with each other, Acey came back and took them out, hitting the Pounce on Daga.
Acey brought in a ladder to the match, Don quickly asked if the ladder can even support Acey. Crist tried to use a chair on Acey, but to no avail, so he had to rely on a kick combo to bring him down. Jake was the first that went for the title, but Ace blocked him with a Back Suplex from the ladder. Daga blocked Ace and hit a kick combo and footstomp. Daga went to powerbomb Ace, but he reversed it to a rana tossing him to the outside. Tessa came back and hit the corner Magnum on Ace and a Dropkick to get rid of him. Tessa now went for the title, but Acey brought her down with a Samoan Drop.
Acey got a ladder through the ropes that Daga dove into to take out Acey. Daga followed by setting up a ladder bridge and a table outside the ring. Back in the ring, Jake, Ace, and Tessa are all building a Tower of Doom spot, later joined by Daga and Acey who powerbombed everyone except Ace Austin, who got caught in the ropes. Ace followed by drop kicking Acey, only to take a powerbomb onto a ladder.
Acey set up two ladders in order to climb for the title. Jake Crist climbed one of the ladders and hit a Super Cutter from the top. Daga and Tessa now climbed on opposite sides, but Ace shoved the ladder down and sent Daga and Tessa crashing. Daga came back with a Snap DVD on Ace and a running Canadian Destroyer on Crist onto the ladder bridge outside. The ladder ended up a mess. All that and only to get caught by a diving Ace Austin from the turnbuckle.
Acey once again went for the title, but Tessa pushed the ladder off. Acey crashed outside on to the table, he even brought down the ladder with him, this was violent!
Tessa now went for the title, but Dave Crist ran down and tried to stop her. Tessa dove on Crist, but now Fulton came down and took Tessa down. Fulton took a table and while he set it up, Tessa climbed the ropes and went for Magnum, but Fulton blocked her. Tessa managed to turn it into a rana and sen him face first to the head. Tessa climbed and tossed Jake Crist into a table, but when Tessa had it, Ace Austin jumped into the ladder, stroke Tessa with his Gambit stick, and stole the championship. Fans were going crazy for Tessa winning and this finish was an eruption of heel heat. Awesome match.
We got the awesome Shamrock vs Moose video package.
Moose (w/Frank Trigg) defeated Ken Shamrock
Moose had his brother Tokyo singing his theme to the ring. Moose is wrestling with full tights. Shamrock came down with trunks and fighter gloves on.
Match started with both men just striking at each other in the middle of the ring. Shamrock tried to do some type of Hurricanrana, but he just transitioned it into a takedown and went for the Ankle Lock but Moose was right there at the ropes.
Shamrock threw Moose outside and went for a over the rope dive, head first, and I swear Moose just saved this man’s life. They brawled outside the ring, Shamrock dropping Moose on the steel ramp with a Backdrop. When we thought we were headed back to the ring, Shamrock came back with another Springboard Plancha, a much safer one.
Trigg grabbed on to Shamrock’s leg, which distracted both Kid ref and Shamrock, allowing Moose to low blow Shamrock by kicking the ropes. Meanwhile, Trigg removed one of the turnbuckles. Shamrock looks gassed.
Shamrock hit a ran dropping himself on his head, but he looked ok, and followed with a Belly-to-belly, transitioned to an Ankle Lock. Moose pulled the ref to break the submission. With the ref down, Moose hit a big low blow on Shamrock. Fans aren’t happy.
Moose got a chair from Trigg, and they went for the Rock/Shamrock chair spot, but Shamrock dodged, flipped Moose into the corner, and once again locked in the Ankle Lock. Moose made it to the ropes, but Shamrock pulled him away.Trigg came in to the ring and ate a punch by Shamrock, but it distracted Shamrock enough for Moose to kick him. Moose went for a Moonsault, but Shamrock moved away, locked in the Ankle Lock for a third time. This time, Moose rolled over, sending Shamrock face first into the exposed turnbuckle, followed by the No Jackhammer Needed for the win.
Bad match, too many shenanigans, too many scary spots with Shamrock.
Josh Matthews and Don Callis announced Hard To Kill, Impact’s next pay-per-view event for January 2020.
Rascalz vs Dr. Wagner Jr, Aerostar, and Taurus was pulled from the show, but it will air on AXS tv.
We got a video package for Brian Cage vs Callihat. It included Callihan’s awesome promo from last Friday.
Impact World Champion Brian Cage defeated Sami Callihan to retain the title.
Cage came out dressed as Weapon X, claws and all and went straight for Callihan, skipping introductions.
Callihan tried to strike Cage down, but Cage just beat him down. Callihan spat on Cage, who retaliated by biting him. This is heated, this is the only acceptable behavior Cage could show after Callihan piledrove Melissa Santos two weeks ago.
Cage hit a huge Discus Lariat and Callihan is already bleeding. Cage grabbed the Wolverine claw and cut up Callihan’s forehead. Callihan came back sending Cage to the outside with a clothesline and a big dive. Cage followed with a Tope con Giro. Then a second Suicide Dive by Callihan, and yes, another Tope con Giro by Cage, they really need to stop getting distracted by playing to the crowd. Cage is bleeding from the mouth.
Cage tried to use a chair on Callihan, but Sami dodges and uses the chair on the back of Cage, but Cage just no sells the second one, powers up, and powerbombs Callihan on to the ringpost.
Callihan jumped on Cage, but as he was setting up some more chairs, Cage just slammed Callihan onto the timekeeper’s table until he broke the wood. Cage finished the job setting up a guardrail bed between the steel steps and a chair. Cage went to powerbomb Sami there, but Callihan used the Groin Claw and hit the Cactus Special on the rail, which legit bent in half. Chants of ‘That was Murder” going on. If not true yet, Callihan slammed a chair into cage multiple occasions.
Finally we’re back in the ring. Callihan hit two running boots, when he went for the third, Cage got up and tossed him around. Cage hit the Deadlift Suplex from outside the ring like it was nothing, not in a no-selling way, just an inhuman amount of strength.
Cage hit a running clothesline, Enzuigiri, and German, but Callihan escaped the F-5. Cage landed a driver instead for a two count. Cage and Callihan exchanged some strikes before Callihan caught Cage with a DVD for a two count.
They fought in the apron, but only led to Callihan hitting a Draping Spike Piledriver for another two count. Cage hit an F-5 for a two count. Cage brought in the bent guardrail and set it up in the corner, went to powerbomb Callihan, but Sami escaped. Cage got him with an Enzuigiri and a Superplex, but Calliahn bit him in the ear, escaped, hit a low blow, a Cheeky Nando, and powerbombed Cage into the guardrail for a 2.99 kick out.
Callihan brought out a bag with tacks and hit the Cactus Special, but Cage powered up and kicked out at 1! Cage powerbombed Callihan and hit the Drill Claw on the tacks and pinned Callihan to retain the title.
Great match, the amount of violence was the proper given the feud these two had in the last months. It’s worth noting that oVe never came out to interfere, this was a straight up battle between two dudes that hate each other.
After the match, Melissa Santos came out to celebrate with Cage. This is the first time that Cage can properly celebrate being champion, since he’s been injured for most of his reign.
Final thoughts —
Good show overall. A lot of people really expected Tessa and Callihan to both win tonight and continue building their rivalry, but both of their matches tonight really delivered. I feels like Impact wants to allow Cage to have time to run as champ now that he’s healthier, and given that we’re going towards the winter break and the debut on AXS, it’s probably for the best to not play around with Callihan or Tessa as champions and risk them getting cold.