By Jon
DATE: October 24, 2020
VENUE: Wherever they Tape their Covid Shows
COMMENTATORS: Josh Matthews & Don Callis
It’s Impact Wrestling’s biggest night of the year as they present Bound For Glory 2020. Will Rich Swann get his revenge on Eric Young and win the World Title? Will Kylie Rae find the strength to defeat Deonna Purrazzo for the Knockouts Championship? Can Moose survive his fight with EC3 in an undisclosed location? We will find out together. Join me for live coverage of the event!
CHAMPIONS
- IMPACT WORLD CHAMPION: Eric Young
- IMPACT KNOCKOUTS CHAMPION: “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo
- IMPACT X-DIVISION CHAMPION: Rohit Raju
- IMPACT WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin
LINEUP
- SIX-WAY SCRAMBLE: Rohit Raju [c] vs. TJP vs. Chris Bey vs. Willie Mack vs. Trey Miguel vs. Jordynne Grace for the IMPACT X-DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP (***)
- Call Your Shot Gauntlet (*1/4)
- Eddie Edwards vs. Ken Shamrock (*3/4)
- The Motor City Machine Guns [c] vs. The Good Brothers vs. The North vs. Ace Austin & Madman Fulton for the IMPACT WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (**1/2)
- Deonna Purrazzo [c] vs.
Kylie RaeSu Yung for the IMPACT KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP (***1/4) - Eric Young [c] vs. Rich Swann for the IMPACT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (****)
*****
SIX-WAY SCRAMBLE
Rohit Raju [c] vs. TJP vs. Chris Bey vs. Willie Mack vs. Trey Miguel vs. Jordynne Grace for the IMPACT X DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
The challengers stalk Raju out to the ramp, TJP rolls him in. Mack clotheslines Miguel, Grace with a forearm, Raju tosses Grace out. TJP and Bey fight over attacking Raju and end up fighting each other, allowing the champ to bail and save himself. Bey flips over TJP, TJP cartwheels out of a headscissors attempt. Bey does the same and they jaw jack. Miguel hits a missile dropkick on TJP and dodges Bey’s jabs, countering a leapfrog attempt and connecting with a dropkick to the back of the head. Raju tries to get involved but Miguel catches him so he bails again. Mack with a twisting armdrag followed by a shoulderblock. Grace runs in and takes Mack down after repeated shoulderblocks, only gets a two-count. Mack slams Grace, TJP trips Mack up and goes for a Muta Lock but in comes Miguel; TJP traps his legs as well and has a double Indian Deathlock going. Bey runs in, TJP applies a front chancery. Grace tries to get involved, TJP grabs a side headlock. Grace escapes and grabs a backpack sleeper, Raju stomps everyone, the champ picking his spot.
Raju clears TJP and Bey from the match, stomps Grace while giving her a sarcastic round of applause. Raju drops a forearm, clears Miguel off the apron. Snap suplex to Grace, lateral press but she kicks out. Mack pulls Grace out of the ring, hits Raju with a pop-up forearm and the champ rolls to the floor. Miguel, TJP, and Bey try their hand but Mack drops them all. Raju walks in and gets treated like a pinball by the other challengers. Mack hits a standing moonsault for the 1…2…everybody else breaks it up. Grace with a tope suicida on TJP and Raju, they hang out for a bit and Mack flattens them with a tope con hilo. Miguel gets flipped back in the ring, kick to TJP. TJP gets Miguel on his shoulders, Bey kicks him off and Miguel flips onto Mack & Raju. Bey takes flight, crossbody to Mack, Grace, and Raju over the body of Bey. TJP wants to fly, Raju catches him with a jumping knee and rolls him up with a handful of tights for the 1…2…no. Crucifix driver by TJP, Grace breaks it up.
Grace goes for a Muscle Buster on Miguel, Miguel fights out but eats a forearm, Grace goes for a superplex but gets put in a tree of woe by Bey. TJP runs in, throws Bey off and goes for a superplex on Miguel. Bey pulls TJP off and goes for a superplex, TJP joins him, Grace tower of dooms them while still in the tree of woe, Raju with a double stomp to Grace for the 1…2…Mack breaks it up. Mack drops Raju with a Stunner, Bey with a top rope cutter on Mack. Miguel with a backflip into a dropkick to the back of Bey’s head. TJP traps Miguel in a submission, Grace pulls him off but gets caught in a kneebar. Grace almost taps, Miguel runs in and TJP puts HIM in a kneebar. Grace breaks that up with a senton. Grace Driver on Miguel for the 1…2…Raju makes the save. Grace tosses Raju out, heads to the top, Raju slams her off onto Mack. TJP hits Miguel with a Mamba Splash, Raju hits TJP with a running knee and covers Miguel for the 1…2…3!
Rohit Raju [c] defeated TJP, Chris Bey, Trey Miguel, Jordynne Grace, & Willie Mack to retain the IMPACT X-DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP (13:20)
- Entertaining opener, a little clusterf*cky but the multi-man X-Division matches usually are. Raju worked smarter and not harder to retain his championship and I dug the finish. Some stuff felt a little TOO set up which took me out of it, but overall I still dug it. (***)
-Matthews and Callis go over the lineup for tonight.
–Fallah Bahh tells John E. Bravo, dressed as Two Face, that the check bounced for the wedding venue. Rosemary asks if there’s a problem, Bravo says Bahh messed it up and they may have to get married in the ring. Rosemary says they’re human problems and it doesn’t matter where they get married as long as it’s sweet, virginal him. Anyone involved in the Call Your Shot gauntlet get called out of the backstage party. Johnny Swinger isn’t involved apparently.
–Heath and Rhino are ready for the gauntlet…especially when they do A LIVE SECOND TAKE OH MAN I LOVE IT. They hype each other up.
-VIDEO = Rules of the Call Your Shot Gauntlet. Battle Royal until it’s down to the final two, when it becomes a regular match. Winner can challenge for any title of their choosing. If Heath or Rhino win, Heath gets an Impact contract. If neither win they will BOTH be gone.
CALL YOUR SHOT GAUNTLET
Rhino out first due to taking the pin last week on Impact Wrestling, second out is the returning Daivari. He used to wrestle as Sheik Abdul Bashir for the company, not sure why he isn’t using that name. Daivari is JACKED. The two battle it out, action moving to the outside (through the ropes, not over the top, so they aren’t eliminated). Rhino misses a clothesline, goes arm-first into the ringpost. Back in the ring Rhino tries to eliminate Daivari but gets kicked away.
Next entrant is Larry D of XXXL. Running Euro to Rhino in the corner followed by a Warrior Splash. He’s looking pretty svelte. Larry and Daviari work together to try and eliminate Rhino but he fights them off. Next entrant is Crazzy Steve, going after Larry D. He tries to eliminate him, Daivari stops him for some reason. Number 5 is Acey Romero of XXXL. Immediately they squash Steve, Romero working him over while Larry D and Daivari continue to try and get Rhino out. Number 6 is Tenille Dashwood, led by Kaleb with a K. Dashwood refuses to enter the ring, making Kaleb do it instead. Kaleb “surprises” XXXL by knowing how to wrestle. Havok is next out, led by best friend Nevaeh. Tilt-a-whirl headscissors on Romero, Kaleb gets tossed out, but Dashwood is still in it and she finally gets involved as Brian Myers makes his way out as the next entrant. Myers sent to apron, hip tosses Steve to the floor. CRAZZY STEVE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Number 9 is Swoggle, who Myers is happy to see. They work together, Myers picking Swoggle up to send into Daivari. DAIVARI HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Myers then throws Swoggle out, so SWOGGLE IS ELIMINATED.
Number 10 is Tommy Dreamer, paying homage to the late Road Warrior Animal, facepaint and haircut included, and carrying weapons. Swoggle comes back in, MINI DOOMSDAY DEVICE on Myers. Number 11 is Alisha Edwards. Dreamer has a kendo stick, Myers hides behind Dashwood and connects with a forearm before tossing him to the floor. TOMMY DREAMER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Alisha hits Myers with the stick, Myers no-sells and tosses her to the floor. ALISHA EDWARDS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Number 12 is Kiera Hogan, accompanied by Tasha Steelz. Myers and Dashwood take selfies, then dumps her right on Kaleb with a K. TENILLE DASHWOOD HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Brian Myers is wrecking fools. Hogan stomps on Havok, Steelz talking trash from the floor. Number 13 is Taya Valkyrie with John E. Bravo. Valkyrie chops XXXL, XXXL try to squash her but she moves and they run into each other, double knees to both in the corner. Number 14 is…Fallah Bahh, clutching the wad of cash. Havok puts Hogan on the apron and shoves her into Steelz, Steelz hitting her head on a garbage can. Valkyrie then dumps Havok out. KIERA HOGAN AND HAVOK HAVE BEEN ELININATED.
Number 15 is…“THE COWBOY” JAMES STORM! Hell yeah! Storm takes it to both XXXL members, sending Romero into Larry D and hits a neckbreaker. Superkick and Larry D…doesn’t fall out even though Bravo holds the ropes, so Storm helps him out. Ha. LARRY D HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Number 16 is Adam Thornstowe of Reno Scum. Myers attacks Storm and tries to eliminate him but the Cowboy hangs on. Number 17 is Luster the Legend of Reno Scum, the duo double teaming a whole host of folks including a cool Air Hardy double stomp by Thornstowe. Number 18 is Heath, Myers immediately goes after him and eats a neckbreaker. Big boot to Thornstowe, knee to Luster. Heath and Romero trade jabs, Heath clotheslines him out. ACEY ROMERO HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Myers attacks Heath and goes for the elimination but Heath sends him out instead! BRIAN MYERS HAS BEEN ELIMINATED AND NOW HIS ELIMINATION STREAK HAS NO REAL POINT. Number 19 is Sami Callihan, who will also be at Ken Shamrock’s side later tonight. The final entrant, Hernandez, makes his way out and now it’s the MATCH BEY-wait wrong match.
Hernandez goes right at Bahh, ripping the shirt off and rips the wad of cash out, throwing it to the floor (?!?). Hernandez tosses Bahh out but Bahh gets the money back so he wins anyway? FALLAH BAHH HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Hernandez eliminates himself (?!?) to go after his money. HERNANDEZ HAS BEEN ELIMINATED I GUESS. Rhino tosses Thornstowe out, so ADAM THORNSTOWE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Storm almost goes out but hangs on; Luster does not though and get sent to the floor by Rhino. LUSTER THE LEGEND HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Callihan, Rhino, Storm, Heath are the final four. Storm beats Heath down then attacks Rhino. Callihan tries to throw him out, Storm tries to skin the cat and take Callihan out but eats a superkick and JAMES STORM HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. Callihan then tosses Heath out so OH NO HEATH HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.
Bell rings and now it’s Rhino vs. Sami Callihan for the Call Your Shot. Callihan blinds Rhino, connects with a piledriver for the 1…2…Rhino kicks out! Callihan grabs a chair, medical team appear to be checking on Heath at ringside. Ref makes Callihan get rid of the chair, Rhino with a GORE for the 1…2…3!
Rhino wins the Call Your Shot Gauntlet, last eliminating Sami Callihan (25:25)
- Well that was…long. It had some moments but a lot of jank too. Appeared that Heath got hurt during the match and when Rhino won the commentary shifted gears and focused on Rhino winning instead of Rhino winning to help Heath. Uh-oh. (*1/4)
–Gia Miller interviews The North. They will take what’s rightfully theirs tonight. Ethan Page says they’re going to do more than win the titles, they’re going to HURT somebody. Tonight they climb back on their throne as the best tag team in the world and the Impact World Tag Team Champions.
- GREAT mic work from both men but especially Page. Ethan Page is the truth.
-FEUD RECAP: Moose vs. EC3
MOOSE VS. EC3: UNDISCLOSED LOCATION
Oh boy this is a cinematic match.
Moose pulls up to a warehouse, EC3 is inside beating up a disciple while other disciples look on. Moose enters and calls for EC3, but he’s nowhere to be found; just the masked disciples. He enters the bare-bones wrestling ring, holding the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. EC3 finally emerges and they trade strikes, some hilarious dance song playing in the background. EC3 in control for a bit, Moose with a low blow. Moose tosses EC3 into the corner, busting him open. Moose drills him with rights, a smile on EC3’s face. Moose brings a chair in and yells at EC3 that he needs some answers. EC3 trips him up and connects with a series of jabs.
Moose fights back and tries to send EC3 into the post but EC3 blocks and sends him into it instead. EC3 says some goofy ass Fight Club shit and throws Moose into a pair of guardrails. EC3 says “almost…almost” and rams Moose into the post twice. EC3 tells Moose he’s becoming who he’s supposed to be and sends him into the post for a third time. Moose crawls into the ring, EC3 says Moose has allowed those who he tried to impress to take from him emotionally, physically, and spiritually. EC3 grabs the TNA World Title and says he’s nothing until he becomes the animal he should be. EC3 has flashbacks to his previous TNA life, Moose hits him with a spear and both are down. Moose asks EC3 if he wants him to be a monster, hitting him with the TNA Title repeatedly. Moose lays in punches, which we get a POV of from EC3’s end. Moose picks EC3 up and asks again if this is what he wants. EC3 screams YES and the disciples start chanting “MOOSE”. EC3 quiets them and tells Moose to enjoy his narrative. Moose thanks him and knocks him out with the TNA World Title one last time. Minions carry EC3’s lifeless body away as Moose sits and thinks on the apron.
- Uhhhhhh…cool? It was well-made and everything and I appreciate what they were going for, but that Right Said Fred European dance track was a poor choice for a Fight Club edgelord. I don’t know. Mileage may vary. May need to watch that again separate from all this.
-EARLIER: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson congratulates Ken Shamrock on being inducted into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame.
-Matthews and Callis talk about Rhino winning the Call Your Shot gauntlet, meaning Heath gets to be part of Impact too. Okay cool so that is still part of the story. Cool.
-RECAP: Eddie Edwards vs. Ken Shamrock/Sami Callihan.
Eddie Edwards vs. “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock [w/ Sami Callihan]
Shamrock backs Edwards into the corner and connects with a host of jabs and knees as Edwards does his best to cover up. Edwards tries a side headlock, Shamrock takes him down and jabs at the back of the head. Shamrock keeps the MMA stuff going, grabbing a rear-naked choke but Edwards breaks it with an armbar. Shamrock wraps the legs around Edwards, Edwards belts him with forearms. Shamrock brings Edwards back down and goes for a kneebar, Edwards gets to the ropes quickly. Shamrock continues focusing on the leg, sending Edwards to the floor. Shamrock follows him out and hits a series of knees. Callihan watches, smile on his face, Edwards takes a swipe.
Edwards starts fighting back, going after the right knee and sending Shamrock to the floor with a baseball slide. Callihan checks on Shamrock, Edwards takes both out with a tope suicida, Callihan hurting his elbow. Edwards rolls Shamrock in, missile dropkick for the 1…2…not yet. Edwards connects with a Pearl River Plunge for the 1…2…Shamrock turns it into an armbar out of nowhere. Edwards escapes, backpack stunner out of the corner but doesn’t go for the cover, Shamrock sits up and locks in a rear-naked choke, Edwards escapes with a headbutt. Edwards hits two more headbutts, Boston Knee Party and single-leg Boston Crab. Callihan climbs the apron and KILLS THE LIGHTS VIA CELL PHONE. Lights back on Callihan has a baseball bat in hand. Edwards has his kendo stick and he sends Callihan out with two shots. Shamrock hits Edwards with a belly-to-belly suplex into the Ankle Lock. Edwards tries to fight through the pain but can’t and taps.
Ken Shamrock defeated Eddie Edwards via submission (12:32)
- Officially 12 minutes, but felt like 30. This faux-MMA stuff does nothing for me in pro wrestling. I get why they did it given Shamrock’s past and the fact that having a high-impact match is not in the cards anymore, but it bored the sh*t out of me. (*3/4)
—
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) [c] vs. The Good Brothers (“The Big LG” Doc Gallows & “Machine Gun” Karl Anderson) vs. The North (“All Ego” Ethan Page & “The Walking Weapon” Josh Alexander) vs. Ace Austin & Madman Fulton for the IMPACT WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The North attack MCMG during their entrance, Shelley getting laid out on the stage by Alexander with a double underhook piledriver. Medics and officials check on Shelley as Sabin crawls over to check on his partner. Shelley gets carried away from ringside, Sabin decides to go it alone and rushes the ring.
Sabin takes it to both North members, but gets felled with a dropkick from Page. Austin and Fulton tag themselves in to continue working Sabin over. Fulton manhandles Sabin into an inverted atomic drop followed by a big boot. Alexander tags himself in, brings Sabin over to the North’s corner so they can quick tag and double team. Alexander drops a knee, Page tags in and connects with a stomp to the ribs. Page with a powerslam and rolls to the floor, Alexander goes for a moonsault but MISSES. Fulton tags himself in and sends Sabin into his team’s corner. Austin launches off Fulton’s back for a kick, Fulton splashes Sabin against the ropes and Austin covers for the 1…2…kickout. Fulton tags back in, rolling senton, Austin with a legdrop and Fulton with a splash for the 1…2…Page breaks it up. Fulton throws Sabin to the mat with a delayed vertical suplex. Sabin tries to fight back, gets thrown into the corner. Sabin fights back, rolling through Austin’s roll-up and hitting Fulton with a DDT.
Anderson gets the tag, senton on Austin and a shot at Page’s mush. Austin catches Anderson with a kick, Anderson responds with a spinebuster. Gallows tags in, inverted Dudley Death Drop for the 1…2…Fulton breaks it up. The two hosses hot it up, Gallows sends Fulton out with a clothesline. North try to double team Gallows, Gallows hits a double clothesline. Sabin tags himself in, double crossbody. Tornado DDT on Alexander, Anderson tags himself in. Sabin drops Gallows, hits Anderson with a missile dropkick, then Gallows with a tope suicida. Sabin with a crossbody on Anderson, Anderson rolls through for the 1…2…Sabin kicks out. Anderson catches Sabin with a European uppercut, Austin tags himself in and Sabin counters a flying whatever with a dropkick. Sabin clears Fulton from the apron, PK to Page, superkick to Anderson, cannonball to Alexander off the apron. With everyone down, Sabin goes back to Austin and hits the Cradle Shot for the 1…2…Page breaks it up. Sabin fights off a superplex attempt, Page tags himself in and holds Sabin’s leg so Alexander can hit him with a right hook. Alexander tag in, DOUBLE RAZOR’S EDGE for the 1…2…Sabin kicks out! Gallows hits a phantom kick on Page, Austin dazes Gallows with a kick and sends him to the floor with a dropkick. Austin and Fulton double team Anderson, Fulton picks up Austin on his shoulders. Alexander gets in the way, North chop Fulton down and hit a superkick/forearm combo. Alexander escapes a Magic Killer attempt, Anderson with an O’Connor Roll for the 1…2…Anderson sent into Page who hits him with the title belt and Alexander covers for the 1…2…3.
The North defeated The Motor City Machine Guns [c], The Good Brothers, and Ace Austin & Madman Fulton to win the IMPACT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (14:27)
- The North are the best team in Impact Wrestling and deserve the titles. Match was okay but not the level I was hoping for, Shelley being taken out early killing the buzz a bit. Sabin was great anyway though, doing everything he could to retain on his own. At least The Good Brothers didn’t get the belts. (**1/2)
-Wedding stuff happens, Rosemary walks off with Havok to go resurrect Father James Mitchell. Taya Valkyrie asks John E. Bravo if she knows about all the penguins and stuff he has planned, Bravo tells her to shut up and says that once Rosemary is married to him she’ll do what he says. Oh boooy this dude is going to get ritualistically murdered.
-FEUD RECAP: Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kylie Rae
–Madison Rayne joins the commentary team for the Knockouts Title match.
–Kylie Rae doesn’t show up when her music hits. Deonna Purrazzo asks for a mic and says she wishes she was surprised but isn’t; Purrazzo says she would defend the Knockouts Championship tonight so any man or woman who wants a shot can get it. The call is answered by the returning SU YUNG. Susie is gone!
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo [c] [w/ Kimber Lee] vs. Kylie Rae SU YUNG for the IMPACT KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP
Yung goes on the attack immediately, throwing Purrazzo around the ring. Yung catches a kick attempt and repeatedly stomps Purrazzo, who bails from the ring quickly to stop the momentum. She climbs the apron, Yung meets her there and they trade shots. Yung sets up a chair at ringside, Purrazzo rolls her in, they trade near-falls, Yung connects with a palm strike. Yung brings Purrazzo off the buckles with a rana, covering for the 1…2…not yet. Purrazzo finally gets Yung to make a mistake and takes over, stomping her repeatedly in the corner. Purrazzo works the arm, wrenching it and bending it around her knee. Purrazzo ducks a clothesline and connects with a flatliner, hanging on to go for a submission. Purrazzo tries a cross armbreaker, Yung keeps her fingers locked so it doesn’t do the damage it should.
Purrazzo misses a kneedrop but catches a charging Yung with a kick. Purrazzo wraps Yung’s limbs over the bottom rope and her own body, then sends her to the floor with a dropkick. That was cool as f*ck. Apparently that’s called a Paradise Lock. Purrazzo connects with a trio of German suplexes, releasing on the third, Yung counters another suplex attempt with a DDT. They trade forearms, Yung hits a series of palm strikes followed by a clothesline into the corner. Yung with a Thesz Press into strikes. Purrazzo bails to the corner, Yung splashes her and connects with a bulldog, champ rolls to the floor. Yung seats Purrazzo on the chair she set up earlier and hits a cannonball off the apron. Yung connects with a Pedigree for the 1…2…Purrazzo kicks out. Yung pulls out the BLOODY GLOVE, Purrazzo ducks the mandible claw. Both dodge the ref, Purrazzo accidentally drops him with a big boot, Yung counters a piledriver and has the pin but the ref is out. Kimber Lee runs in and cracks a chair across the back. Lee puts the chair across Yung, Yung avoids it and grabs the Mandible Claw, Lee tries to interfere and spits mist in Lee’s eyes. Purrazzo grabs a Fujiwara Armbar, Yung uses her other hand to break it with the Mandible Claw. Purrazzo connects with a pump kick, Yung absorbs three pump kicks and connects with a stunner followed by the Panic Switch for the 1…2…3.
Su Yung defeated Deonna Purrazzo [c] via pinfall to win the IMPACT KNOCKOUTS CHAMPIONSHIP (15:04)
- In any other circumstance I would be THRILLED for a Su Yung return/title win. But the whole build, EVEN LEADING UP TO THE MATCH TONIGHT, was about Purrazzo taking on Kylie Rae. That’s the match they sold people on, that’s the match that had the story, and Impact baited and switched everyone for a Su Yung return. That’s some straight up bullshit. The match itself was pretty good outside of the clusterf*ck stuff at the end though; I’ll even go so far as to say it’s the one I liked the most tonight. But stars be damned this wasn’t the match Impact sold everyone on and to not deliver that was…bad. I hope everything is okay with Kylie Rae. (***1/4)
—
-The Knockouts Tag Team Championship return in 2021 at Hard to Kill, I assume Impact’s next PPV. Cool.
-FEUD RECAP: Eric Young vs. Rich Swann
—
Eric Young [c] vs. Rich Swann for the IMPACT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Young immediately goes for the legs, Swann leaps and rolls over him. Swann dodges it again, Young vows to get the leg and says this is going to be on him. This time Young grabs the leg, Swann counters into a side headlock. Swann connects with a rana followed by a pair of dropkicks, champ bails to the floor. Young pulls Swann to the floor, Swann kicks him off into the post. Swann lights Young up with chops and rolls him in, Young rolls back out and walks up the ramp. Young goes for the ankle again, Swann rolls through and sends him back to the floor, following up with a baseball slide and a cannonball off the apron. Swann tries to counter with a back handspring and lands weird on his neck. Swann crumples down, Young rolls in and tells the ref to count. Swann beats the count and crotches him on the top rope. Swann elbows Young, Young hammers the neck and hits an AVALANCHE WHEELBARROW NECKBREAKER for the 1…2…Swann kicks out. Young tries to cover two more times but Swann manages to stay in the game.
Young continues focusing on the neck, Swann tries to fight back but Young backdrops him 180 degrees (so more like a frontdrop?) to put a stop to that. Young wrenches the chin to twist the neck in a gross position. Young yells at Swann to “GO AWAY” and connects with a Rude Awakening neckbreaker for the 1…2…Swann kicks out. Swann flips out of a back suplex and lays in a series of strikes. Young catches Swann mid-float-over and hits a Death Valley BRAINBUSTER for the 1…2…Swann kicks out again. Young says this is on Swann and D’Amore, not him. Young backs Swann into the corner and connects with a straight right, yelling at him to once again go away. Young says to stay down and go home, this world belongs to him.
Swann refuses to stay down and finds his second wind. Swann with HARD SLAPS back. Young sent to the corner, runs the apron and climbs the buckles, Swann meets him there and sends him to the mat with a slam from the middle buckle. Swann catches Young with a kick, rana off the buckles and FROG SPLASH for the 1…2…Young kicks out. Young and Swann fight on the buckles, the former bites the latter to send him crashing and connects with a top rope elbowdrop to the back of the neck for the 1…2…Young changes gears and locks in a Crossface instead. Swann gets his foot on the rope to force a break. The two trade hard strikes, Swann connects with a kick, Young counters a back handspring for an inverted F5 and the 1…2…Swann kicks out and Young yells in frustration. Young goes after the ankle, applying a kneebar/ankle lock in the center of the ring, Swann rolls and grabs the bottom rope. Swann counters a Piledriver with a roll-up for the 1…2…Young kicks out. Swann connects with a side kick to the jaw, finds the energy and hits a cartwheel STANDING 450 splash for the 1…2…YOUNG KICKS OUT.
Swann climbs to the top, Young attacks and puts him in the tree of woe, pulling the ankle against the strut that connects the buckle to the post. Swann stuns Young out of the corner with a cutter followed by a back handspring cutter and the PHOENIX SPLASH FOR THE 1…2…3!
Rich Swann defeated Eric Young [c] via pinfall to win the IMPACT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (21:32)
- Now THAT was a f*cking main event. I’ve been real down on this show for the most part but this ruled and won me back over. A tremendous match, hard-hitting and emotional. Young trying to impose his will and get Swann to give up, Swann fighting through the trash talk and the pain to find it within him to achieve his goal of becoming a World Champion. I loved it. GREAT match, wish it capped off a show worthy of it as the main event. Hell yeah. Rich Swann as a World Champion is fascinating and I hope it sticks for a bit. (****)
The Impact Wrestling locker room empties out to congratulate Rich Swann on his big win, lifting him up on their shoulders as the show concludes.
*****
FINAL THOUGHTS: Bound For Glory 2020 ended well, with an absolute banger between Young and Swann, but oh boy was it a struggle to get through this one. The Call Your Shot gauntlet was unbearable, EC3/Moose was hokey, Edwards/Shamrock was dull faux-MMA nonsense, and while I liked the Knockouts Title match it was NOT the one advertised/built up over the past few weeks. Glad Su Yung is back but should’ve happened for a better reason. Overall this show was a bust but Young/Swann is absolutely worth checking out if you have the time, and was good enough to get me to keep watching the weekly show to see what happens next.
- MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Eric Young vs. Rich Swann
- MOMENT OF THE NIGHT: EC3 and Moose battle in a goofy empty warehouse to a goddamn European 90s dance track. Wasn’t a good moment but it made me laugh.
