BOUND FOR GLORY: Josh Alexander wins title, immediately loses to Moose

John Siino reviews Bound for Glory where Josh Alexander won the IMPACT Championship but immediately lost it to the Call Your Shot winner.

Photo Courtesy: IMPACT Wrestling

IMPACT! Wrestling Bound for Glory

October 23rd, 2021

By: John Siino

Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, NV

Commentary: Matt Striker & D’Lo Brown

Countdown to Glory Pre-Show

·       Gail Kim inducted Awesome Kong into the IMPACT! Wrestling Hall of Fame. The entire Knockouts Division came out to congratulate her after her speech.

·       IMPACT Digital Media Championship: Jordynne Grace (w/ Rachael Ellering) def. John Skyler, Madison Rayne (w/ Kaleb with a K), Fallah Bahh, Crazzy Steve (w/ Black Taurus) & Chelsea Green, pinning Skyler at 5:05 to become NEW IMPACT Digital Media Champion.

IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Decay (Rosemary & Havok) (c) vs. The IInspiration (Cassie Lee & Jessie McKay)

Harley Cameron sang out The IInspiration for their theme song, as they get to the ring, they grab mics and introduce themselves and say they are here to inspire the fans because they are The IInspiration. Rosemary and McKay start the match. Lee tags in, gets a sidewalk slam before Havok tags in and they double team her before she goes and tags McKay back in. McKay tries to kick at Havok and whip her but falls flat on her face. Decay trade splashes to McKay, before Rosemary goes to bite her face and put her in the Upside Down. Lee distracts Rosemary on the apron and get thrown off by McKay. Lee and McKay take turns tagging in and out and double-team Rosemary. Havok and Lee tag in and Havok easily takes her down a couple times before putting both Lee and McKay in the corner and splashing them. Lee and Rosemary go at it and double clothesline each other down. Lee and McKay work on Rosemary next and Lee gets a two count. Rosemary hits a spear on Lee, Havok goes for the cover and McKay breaks it up. Havok goes for a leg drop but lands awkwardly but ends up taking down Lee with a punch. Lee tries kicks to take down Havok, tags in McKay and they toss Havok into the corner and out of the ring where they throw her into the post. Rosemary and McKay go at it, but as Rosemary goes for the pin, Lee tags in knees Rosemary in the face before they hit an assisted sit-out powerbomb as Lee pins Rosemary.

Winners: The IInspiration (Cassie Lee & Jessie McKay) by pinfall at 8:58, to become NEW IMPACT Knockouts Tag Team Champions

Breaking Both Arms

Gia Miller is backstage with Deonna Purrazzo and Matthew Rehwoldt and asks Deonna about Rehwoldt being banned ringside for her match against Mickie James tonight. Deonna says this is so IMPACT for them to do that, especially after Mickie was the one who kept attacking her and just when they bring the fight to her, they are the ones to get punished for her. It’s ok, because she won her championships all alone and even though James might be a legend to some people, she isn’t to her, and she isn’t star-struck. She will do what the Virtuosa does best and break both of her arms.

IMPACT X Division Championship: El Phantasmo vs. Steve Maclin vs. Trey Miguel

This match is for the vacant X Division Championship that Josh Alexander relinquished. Trey Miguel has a Miles Morales Spider-Man-like entrance while wearing the new black & gold colors from Spider-Man: No Way Home. The match starts extremely fast with ELP getting dumped to the outside but Maclin catches Miguel for a suplex. ELP runs back in and drop-kicks Maclin to the outside. Miguel and Maclin fight on the apron before Miguel gets tripped up and knocked down by ELP. ELP and Maclin form a bit of an alliance and take turns chopping Miguel in the corner. It didn’t last long as ELP failed to take down Maclin and got knocked down himself. Miguel traps ELP in a Muta Lock, takes down Maclin, but Maclin gets back up just to get suplexed into a pin by Miguel before kicking out. ELP knocks Miguel to the outside and hits a cross body and Lionsault on Maclin for a two count. ELP starts walking the ropes, even jumping and dodging Miguel and hitting Maclin with a hurricanrana before cartwheeling all over and meeting Miguel on the outside. Back inside, Miguel hits a double stomp on both ELP and Maclin to their backs. Maclin comes back and takes out both Miguel and ELP and gets two counts on both. Maclin tries hitting Crosshairs on both of them, but Miguel dodges out, tries to springboard off the ropes with a handstand but Maclin hits a vicious-looking Crosshairs knocking Miguel out and diving onto both ELP and then Miguel on the other side. ELP ends up hitting a moonsault onto both, but Miguel comes back with a stunner to ELP bouncing off the ropes to the outside. Back inside, Miguel hits a Code Red on Maclin for a two. All three start fighting on the top rope, with ELP hitting a powerbomb on Maclin, then a super rana on Miguel on top of Maclin goes back up to hit a frog splash to Maclin for a two count. Maclin goes on the attack on ELP but catches a flying Miguel. Maclin gets super kicked to the outside, as Miguel rolls up ELP for a two. ELP tries to low blow Miguel, but Miguel has a cup. Miguel hits a brainbuster and the Meteora to pin ELP

Winner: Trey Miguel by pinfall at 13:22, to become NEW IMPACT X Division Champion

So Much Sweeter

Gia Miller is backstage with Mickie James and says the stakes are higher tonight and only Deonna Purrazzo stands in her way and asks if it’s her toughest challenge to date. Mickie says yes, as Deonna is one of the greatest Knockouts Champions in history, but Deonna has made this very personal by showing up at her house. Mickie thinks about the last time she held this title 8 years ago and she’s been through a lot since and her biggest opponent was herself, as she questions if she still has it. Tonight is about proving to herself if she’s worthy of carrying a championship again and Deonna has no idea the heart she is bringing tonight and when Mickie’s arm is raised tonight it’ll be so much sweeter.

Violent by Design (Deaner & Joe Doering) (w/ Eric Young) vs. Heath & Rhino

Heath comes out but Rhino doesn’t come out with him. As they are waiting for Heath’s tag team partner, Deaner and Doering start attacking Heath as the bell sounds and this is a handicap match. Heath fights off Deaner as Doering comes in and gets some punches from Heath. Deaner comes back with a swinging neckbreaker and stomps Heath in their corner. Doering comes in and slams down Heath for a two-count. Doering hits a superfast cross body slam for a two before tagging in Deaner who misses a flying headbutt. Heath fights off Deaner and tosses Doering to the outside but Heath and Deaner take each other down with a double clothesline. Rhino’s music plays as he screams to Heath to tag him in. Rhino takes down Deaner and hits Doering with a belly-to-belly suplex with ease. Rhino calls for the Gore and hits Deaner with it for the pin.

Winners: Heath & Rhino by pinfall at 4:59

Countdown to Glory Highlights

They show highlights of Awesome Kong getting inducted into the IMPACT Hall of Fame from the Countdown to Glory pre-show by Gail Kim, where Kong thanks everybody for supporting TNA and IMPACT by buying everything and keeping all their names going and tells everybody that if they have a dream to purpose and go do it and don’t have anybody tell you, you can’t do it. They then show highlights from the Digital Media Championship with Jordynne Grace hitting John Skyler with the Grace Driver to become the first-ever champion.

Triple Crown Knockout

Gia Miller backstage with Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering and asks Grace how it feels to become the Digital Media Champion, and Grace says she’s the first-ever Triple Crown Knockouts Champion. Ellering says she’s going to win the Call Your Shot Gauntlet, but Moose and W. Morrissey come in and remind them that they are in it also and only one of them will win it and Morrissey tells Moose he’s right, and it won’t be Moose.

Call Your Shot Gauntlet Match

Chris Sabin is #1 and Rocky Romero is #2 in this 20-person gauntlet match where a new person comes out every two minutes. They shake hands before going into a test of strength. Romero hits his string of clotheslines in the corner as Madman Fulton comes out at #3 who tries to take both Sabin and Romero down but they double team him and try to throw him over the top rope, but Rohit Raju comes out as #4. Raju and Fulton team up to attack the babyfaces as Tasha Steelz comes out as #5 and joins in with the heels on the babyfaces as Fulton tosses Romero out over the top for the first elimination. Rachael Ellering comes out as #6 as Jordynne Grace sends her out to the ring and Ellering goes after Steelz. Raju pulls Fulton’s hair on the apron as Sabin and Ellering toss Fulton out of the ring. Savannah Evans comes out as #7 and joins Steelz to attack Ellering. Ellering eliminates Evans as Johnny Swinger comes out at #8 with Hernandez. While Swinger is coming out, Steelz eliminates Ellering. Swinger starts dancing for Steelz, but she takes him down and attacks him. Melina comes out as #9 as one of the surprises.

The Demon (Dale Torborg/KISS Demon from WCW) comes out as #10, as Swinger marks out and asks for an autograph. The Demon does and then eliminates Swinger. Brian Myers comes out as #11 with VSK and Zicky Dice and gets in the Demon’s face. Matt Cardona comes out as #12 in some nice-looking Ghostbusters-inspired gear. Laredo Kid comes out as #13 to a good reaction. Melina ducks and eliminates Tasha Steelz, but then Myers eliminates Melina. Sam Beale comes out at #14 as Myers instructs him to attack Cardona, despite being fired from The Learning Tree this past Thursday. Rich Swann comes out at #15, with Willie Mack sending him out. Swann goes right after Myers, but Beale saves him, just to eliminate Myers himself. Ace Austin comes out at #16. The Demon rushes at Austin and goes over the ropes and gets eliminated. Moose comes out at #17 and goes right after Swann. Beale tries to attack Moose, but Moose powerbombs Beale outside onto VSK and Dice to eliminate him. Eddie Edwards comes out at #18 and right away throws out Laredo Kid. Moose and Edwards end up going to the outside, under the top rope, and Moose powerbombs Edwards on the apron. Alisha comes out at #19 with two kendo sticks and tries to attack Moose with them. Eddie and Alisha, husband and wife, double team Moose with the kendo sticks inside the ring. W. Morrissey comes out at #20 and the final entrant and Alisha goes after him with the kendo stick, but Morrissey grabs her and tosses her to the outside on Beale, VSK, and Dice to eliminate her. Moose and Edwards fight on the apron, and Morrissey hits Edwards with a big boot eliminating him. Raju tries to form an alliance with Moose and Morrissey, but they just toss him out and eliminate him as they are down to six people. Austin and Sabin fight in the corner and Sabin tosses him out, with the referees distracted, Fulton comes back out and lays out Sabin. Moose and Morrissey easily toss out Sabin and eliminate him as it’s down to Moose, Morrissey, Cardona, and Swann. Morrissey tries to eliminate Swann, but Moose comes from behind him and eliminates them both. As it’s down to Moose and Cardona, they announce the final elimination now comes down to pinfall or submission. Cardona misses Radio Silence off the top rope, and Moose hits the Lights Out spear for the pin.

Winner: Moose by pinfall at 29:37, to win the Call Your Shot Gauntlet Trophy

Lord of the Rhinos

Gia Miller backstage with Heath and Rhino and Heath says he knew Rhino would be in his corner and compares him to Gandalf the Grey from Lord of the Rings and being there when it matters. Rhino says Uncle Rhino is back.

IMPACT World Tag Team Championship: The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) (c) vs. The Bullet Club (Chris Bey & Hikuleo) vs. FinJuice (David Finlay & Juice Robinson)

Chris Bey and David Finlay start this match. Juice comes in as he and Finlay double team on Bey including a senton from Juice. Bey fights out of it and tags out to Hikuleo as Doc Gallows comes in and the two tall guys go face to face and do not too sweet each other. They continue to trade strikes, but Bey tags in before Finlay blind tags himself in and gets thrown into the Good Brothers corner. Karl Anderson tags in and stomps Finlay out in the corner. Hikuleo comes in, splashes Finlay in the corner, and hits a stalled vertical suplex for a two count. Bey and Hikuleo keep Finlay in their corner. Juice comes in and hits a big back body drop on Bey before hitting Anderson with a series of punches and knocks Gallows off the apron. Juice hits a big gutbuster on Bey for two. Everybody runs in now and starts knocking each other down including Gallows and Hikuleo knocking each other down with a double clothesline. Juice hits a cannonball onto Bey, Finlay hits a superplex on him followed by a splash by Juice, but Anderson runs in and tosses Juice out and gets the pin on Bey himself for the win.

Winners: The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) by pinfall at 9:56, to retain

Not Ready to Pass the Torch

Gia Miller is backstage with Christian Cage and asks for any final thoughts before he defends his title tonight. Cage says he sacrificed a lot himself and helped build up this company to what it is now and now with his veteran status it’s a given for him to pass the torch. The problem is he’s not ready to pass the torch as it burns from his soul to be the IMPACT World Champion and Josh Alexander hasn’t proved it’s time to carry the torch. And he’s happy Alexander wears that headset, so he doesn’t have to hear the disappointment from the fans, his wife, and child after Christian beats him tonight.

IMPACT Knockouts Championship: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Mickie James

James attacks Deonna right away before the bell even rings, as they take it to the outside, with James whipping Deonna into the steel steps. They fight on the rampway, with James tossing Deonna into the stage light. Deonna drags Mickie to the ring by her hair, but Mickie fights her off until Deonna kicks her down. They go into the ring as the match officially starts after five minutes of fighting on the outside. They start rolling around on the mat until Deonna hits a snap suplex for a two-count. Deonna stomps Mickie out of the ring as she starts posing inside the ring. Mickie rolls back in and Deonna continues to stomp at her. Mickie tries a hurricanrana, but Deonna catches her and powerbombs her down for a two count. Mickie comes back with smacks, but they knock each other down with a double crossbody. They start trading strikes, but Mickie hits a kick for a two-count. James hits a Thesz Press off the top rope for another two, but Deonna blocks Mickie’s DDT with a kick for a two of her own. Mickie fights off and eventually hits her DDT but takes too long to go for the pin and only gets a two. Deonna goes for the Queen’s Gambit piledriver, but Mickie escapes and hits a back kick, Deonna quickly applies an armbar, but James puts her legs under the ropes. Deonna catches Mickie off the ropes and hits the Queen’s Gambit, but Mickie kicks out. Deonna goes and grabs a chair from under the ring, but the referee, Brandon Tolle, takes it away from her. They go to the top rope, but James kicks her off and hits Tolle with the Thesz Press by accident. Deonna grabs the chair, but Mickie counters with the Mick Kick and just gets a two-count. Mickie goes to the top again, but Deonna joins her and puts an armbar on while on the ropes, and tosses her down. Deonna calls for a DDT, but Mickie kicks out and hits a Tornado DDT for the pin and the win.

Winner: Mickie James by pinfall at 13:17, to become NEW IMPACT Knockouts Champion

Hard to Kill

They announce their next big pay-per-view will be Hard to Kill and it will happen on January 8th, from Dallas, Texas.

IMPACT World Championship: Christian Cage (c) vs. Josh Alexander

Alexander’s wife and child are sitting ringside for this as the crowd starts the match chanting ‘Bring it home’. They take it to the mat, with Christian being on top and into a headlock, but Alexander throws him off. They keep at it until Alexander throws Christian to the outside and follows him out there chopping him against the apron. Back inside, Alexander hits a suplex for a two count and seems to be showing signs of frustration. Christian gets out of a fireman’s carry, Alexander goes for the C4, but Christian back body drops him out of the ring and goes for the baseball slide, but Alexander catches him for an ankle lock. Christian ricochets Alexander off him and into the barricade outside. Christian starts to work on the neck of Alexander by twisting and cranking on it, but Alexander fights out. Christian comes back with kicks and punches and whips Alexander hard into the corner bouncing off for a two count. Christian starts delivering chops to Alexander in the corner, but Alexander reverses out for chops of his own. Alexander comes back with a release German suplex, bouncing Christian’s head off the corner turnbuckle. Alexander tries to go for a powerbomb, but Christian fights out and pushes him into the corner and delivers a flurry of punches, but Alexander drops him with a powerbomb onto his knee for a two count. Alexander puts Christian in a Fireman’s carry, but Christian counters with an inverted DDT for a two. Christian jumps off the top, but Alexander catches him, drops him, and hits a flying knee to the back of the head from the turnbuckle for a two. Christian comes back with a Tornado DDT and gets a two. Christian calls for the spear, but Alexander dodges it and into the Chaos Theory for a two. Alexander tries a crossface submission, but Christian bites out of it, into the ankle lock by Alexander transitioning into a sharpshooter, but Christian crawls to the rope to break it up. They start fighting on the top turnbuckle, but Alexander back body drops him, misses the moonsault as Christian hits a spear for a two. Christian calls for the Killswitch, but Alexander fights out of it only to get taken down with Christian, who goes to the top again. Alexander runs up and meets him up there but gets thrown off, Christian hits a splash for a two. Alexander goes for the C4, but Christian reverses out, Alexander catches him for an ankle lock but Christian kicks his way out, as Alexander hangs onto the ankle. As Christian is trying to crawl over, Alexander puts his foot on Christian’s hand. Christian uses his other hand to tap out and we have a new champion.

Winner: Josh Alexander by submission at 18:53, to become NEW IMPACT World Champion

Christian Cage hands Josh Alexander the World Title and hugs him. Alexander’s wife Jade Chung and their son come into the ring and embrace Alexander. As they are celebrating, Moose runs with his Call Your Shot Trophy and immediately cashes it in.

IMPACT World Championship: Josh Alexander (c) vs. Moose

Moose right away hits the Lights Out spear while Alexander’s wife and child are still there and gets the pin and the win.

Winner: Moose by pinfall at 8 seconds, to become NEW IMPACT World Champion

Alexander’s wife and child go right over to comfort him as Moose ends the show as the new champion. Wow. What a heel. Cashing in while his wife and kid are right there watching.

About John Siino 407 Articles
New York native and reporter at POST Wrestling. He is also Associate Producer at POISONRANA, co-host of 'Collision Course' and the host of the 'Shot in the Dark' podcast.