Tag Archives: Impact Wrestling

King Mo makes his TNA debut this Thursday

As an all-star collegiate wrestler and multi-time amateur wrestling champion, Muhammaed Lawal‘s transition into mixed martial arts has proven to be a royal success. As a former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, King Mo is simultaneously signed to Bellator Fighting Championships and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is currently training at Ohio Valley Wrestling. Making his Impact Wrestling debut on Spike this Thursday, it was announced last week that Mo would be the special guest enforcer in the match between “Cowboy” James Storm and Bobby Roode at Bound for Glory.

“I’m really not anticipating too much,” says Mo. “I’m just there to be the enforcer and make sure I enforce the rules like a good referee, straight down the middle. Bobby Roode tends to get out of line sometimes and I might have to check him. But I can’t play favorites right now. I’m going to go out there and just be neutral.”

Already known for theatrical ring entrances that include a crown, robe, throne and lovely ladies by his side, King Mo seems like a perfect fit for professional wrestling. But even with his fighting and wrestling background and penchant for showmanship, he’s still humble enough to admit that he’s not quite ready for his first pro wrestling match.

“I’ve still got a long way to go,” he says. “People think this is easy, but it’s as hard as MMA. In MMA, you get hit, but you can come back. This is a lot different. This is an art, it’s entertainment and it’s tough. I’m just waiting on them to tell me I’m ready. As far as my first match, I’m hoping it’s somebody I can pin real quick. You know, a scrub.”

All joking aside, however, Mo is clearly aware that neither Roode nor Storm could be considered a scrub. And as a special enforcer, he has the authority to utilize his fighting background to keep order at Bound for Glory. But when it does come time for him to step into the squared circle for competition, he knows it will be a serious matter.

“To me it’s all the same,” he says of his dual careers. “I treat it like it’s training camp and I’m here to learn and improve. That’s what I do in MMA: I’m there to learn and improve. When your body takes a beating and pounding, that’s part of the game … and I’m up for the challenge.”

www.impactwrestling.com

Samoa Joe looks to put a submission hold on the Bound for Glory Series

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Since joining Total Nonstop Action Wrestling seven years ago, Samoa Joe has typically been a man of few words, letting his in-ring dominance speak for itself. After a lackluster showing in last year’s Bound for Glory Series, Joe was able to rebound by shifting his focus to the tag team division earlier this year, where he and Magnus proved to be dominant World Tag Team Champions. After that title run ran its course, Joe began proving himself as a singles competitor once again, most recently with a much more successful showing in this year’s Bound for Glory Series. Depending on the outcome of his Impact Wrestling match tonight against Jeff Hardy, Joe could very well emerge as the points leader in the tournament, which would allow him to choose his opponent in the semifinals this Sunday at No Surrender, a pay-per-view where he has historically had great success. Perhaps more focused than ever, the “Samoan Submission Machine” takes a moment to talk to Wrestling with Pop Culture.

With this year’s Bound for Glory Series you took a different approach on your road to Bound for Glory. How has the way TNA has presented the tournament this year differed from last year?

I think the biggest difference in the tournament this year from last year is that it actually makes sense this year. I have to hand it to the tournament organizers, they’ve put together a hell of a tournament and kept the form and the function of the tournament very basic. Last year we had some ridiculous scenarios put together and kind of pushed different guys in the tournament, which led to me not really appreciating how things were being run and maybe overreacting a bit.

The tournament changes have been indicative of some other changes within TNA. How do you feel about the way the television show has been presented more recently?

I think going live and working live is a better atmosphere for television and delivers a better product. So that’s the biggest thing I’ve noticed that’s made an impact. The better athletes and professional wrestlers of the world thrive in a live environment.

You’ve had a clear resurgence in this year’s tournament over last year’s. What would you say you’ve done differently to get back to the top of the card, and what do you think you need to do to stay there?

If there’s anything I’ve done differently, I’ve made a little more noise than usual. The other thing is, whenever I’m presented with the opportunity to go out there and do the best I can do, I think I do that. So those are the major contributing factors to my turnaround in the Bound for Glory Series.

As mixed martial arts has grown in popularity in recent years, how has that affected the way wrestling is presented? Has it been a challenge to present an in-ring product that competes with MMA, or do you just try to put on the best wrestling show you can?

MMA has definitely changed the way pro wrestlers ply their craft and I’ve always been a big proponent of making those changes and trying to implement them in the realm of professional wrestling. Pro wrestling’s always going to have its strengths, so I think it’s just a really experimental time right now. The better pro wrestlers of the world will be able to adapt to that style in the wrestling world.

You’ve been with the company through its ups and downs. What’s kept you motivated during the times when maybe you’re not happy with the way you’re being used?

The thing that keeps me motivated regardless of what I go through is just maintaining the ability to go out there and perform in front of as many fans as possible. It gives me the opportunity to do what I love, which is pro wrestling. That’s always been my biggest motivating factor.

You’ve just recently returned to singles competition after forming a tag team with Magnus. How do you feel about the way he was able to evolve and improve after you took him under your wing and worked with him?

When it comes to Magnus, he’s a guy that hasn’t reached his potential, but is definitely just realizing what he can be. He’s becoming a very, very good professional wrestler and in the next few years people will be speaking of his work very, very highly. It’s been a very interesting evolution, to say the least.

Given the changes that have been occurring within TNA, as well as the differences between your performance in last year’s Bound for Glory tournament in comparison to this year, what are your thoughts in the way TNA has presented you over the years and how that evolution might play into your relationship with the company moving forward?

When it comes to me and TNA, I’ve never been afraid to try something or give something a shot. I’ve always kind of rolled with the opportunities I’ve been presented and they know I’ve never been afraid of doing that. At this point, they just have a more hands-off approach and let me go out there and do what I do best and I’m put in a position to showcase why people like to come and watch TNA Wrestling shows.

You’ve been part of every No Surrender pay-per-view since its inception, and you typically do very well at this event. Tonight’s match against Jeff Hardy obviously effects your place on the No Surrender card, but given your history at that event what is your mindset going into tonight’s Impact Wrestling and this Sunday’s pay-per-view?

I’m squarely focused on trying to get as big of an advantage and as close as I can to getting back the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. That’s my plan. If I go out there and beat Jeff Hardy, I’ve sealed it up, I’m number one, I get to pick my opponent and figure out how I’ll go into that championship match. That’s a huge advantage, so that’s what I’m really focused on right now is trying to get myself in the best position possible. I’ll do that any way I can.

Assuming you do defeat Hardy tonight and finish the tournament with the most points in the series, how might you go about choosing your opponent this Sunday?

That’s purely reactionary. I’m going to have to see what condition people are in when it comes time to make that decision. And I wouldn’t tell you anyway because, what’s the fun in that?

For more information, go to www.impactwrestling.com.

TNA X Division Champion Zema Ion readies for his next challenger

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To Zema Ion, image seems to be everything. His arrogance, talent and incessant spraying of his wildly-styled hair make it easy for fans to hate Ion each time he steps into a Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ring. But his acrobatic style and willingness to take risks in order to win match make it a little easier for him to boast and gloat. Now that he’s the company’s X Division Champion, many fans watch not only in hopes of seeing him lose his title, but also to see what high-flying maneuver he’s going to pull off this time. Having proven his abilities in the United States, Japan and Mexico prior to joining the TNA roster last summer, the high-fying Filipino has successfully defended his title against fan favorite Kenny King and welcomes his next challenger. With three Impact Wrestling World Tour stops in Georgia this week, followed by the No Surrender pay-per-view on Sunday, Ion will have four more chances to prove his worth as champion. And to hear him talk, holding on to that title for several more months won’t be a problem at all. As he prepares for these matches, Ion talks to Wrestling with Pop Culture about his title, his hair and how Southern wrestling fans are likely to receive him.

Since winning the X Division Championship at Destination X back in July, you’ve successfully defended the title twice against Kenny King. With No Surrender this Sunday, do you know who your next challenger will be?

Word on the street is that my challenger is actually Sonjay Dutt. If he wants to show up in Georgia this weekend, I have no problem giving him a shot. I hear that he’s also my opponent on the pay-per-view this Sunday at No Surrender, so Sonjay Dutt is next in line and hopefully he doesn’t win it back from me.

TNA is running three shows in Georgia this week leading into Sunday’s pay-per-view. Will you be at all three of these shows?

Yes, sir. I will be in Dalton, Ga. tonight at the Dalton Trade Center, Atlanta Friday night at the Tabernacle and Saturday in Gainesville.

Prior to joining TNA, you’ve mostly wrestled in the Northeast, as well as Japan and Mexico. Those styles are very different from what Southern wrestling fans are used to. How do you think your style of wrestling might be received by these Southern audiences this weekend?

If the Southern crowds like some high-flying, lucha libre style wrestling, which I’m sure they probably do, then I think I’ll fit right in. Southern crowds? I already know what I’m getting when I go down there – they’re going to hate me. I mean, I’m effeminate, I have nice hair, I spray my hair every two minutes, I’m not exactly the most manly type of man in their eyes. I imagine I will not get a warm reception once I arrive, and that’s just fine because I wouldn’t have it any other way.

You still wrestle on the independent circuit as well, and have held a few titles prior to winning the X Division Championship. Do you currently hold any other titles in other promotions?

I currently do not hold any titles on the independent scene, but I’m sure sooner or later I’ll have a chance to regain one. Then I’ll be a champion in not just TNA, but in smaller promotions.

Before you won the X Division title, Austin Aries was on a mission to elevate the status of that title to the more meaningful place it once was. Now that you’re the champion, what are your plans with the title?

Well, I’ve already proven to be the prettiest X Division Champion there ever was and I’m on my way to being the most dangerous as well. I think those are two pretty good accolades to have as the X Division Champion. As far as other goals, Austin Aries currently has the record as the longest reigning X Division Champion of all time. So naturally I want to beat that record and I want to be the longest reigning X Division Champion ever. I’d say I’m well on my way. I think he had it somewhere near one year, so I’ve got at least seven more months to go.

You challenged Aries for the X Division title several times before he opted to go for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Destination X. Would you like to eventually parlay your X Division Championship into a World Championship the way he did?

Absolutely! That’s the great thing about being the X Division Champion is at Destination X next year, once again the X Division Champion will automatically receive a World Heavyweight title shot. So if I do make my goals come true and become the longest reigning X Division Champion, that should put me in line for a World title shot next July.

The same night you won your X Division title, Jesse Sorensen made his first on-camera appearance in TNA since suffering a spinal injury in February at Against All Odds. The implication was that you had intentionally injured him, and you didn’t exactly deny those accusations. I think a lot of people were surprised by that entire exchange since it previously seemed like the injury was an accident. What do you anticipate from Sorensen upon his return to the ring?

Well, I was a threat to Jesse Sorensen before he broke his neck and if he wants to actually seriously come back to professional wrestling after breaking his neck, then get back in the ring with me, be my guest. That’s on him, but I’ll be waiting for his return, that’s for sure.

For more information, go to www.impactwrestling.com.

Wrestling with Pop Culture has three pairs of tickets to this week’s Impact Wrestling World Tour stops in Georgia to give away. The first three people to comment below with the name of your favorite X Division Champion of all time and why will win a pair of tickets to the show of your choosing. Just specify if you’d like tickets to the Dalton, Atlanta or Gainesville show and your tickets will be at will call.

Brooke Tessmacher looks to justify her championship at Hardcore Justice

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Women wrestlers have always struggled to get the same attention as their male counterparts. And many would argue that the focus on “divas” with backgrounds in modeling and dancing has only further diminished the legitimacy of women in the ring. But since the inception of its Knockouts Championship almost five years ago, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling has consistently featured some of wrestling’s top female wrestlers in competitive matches rather than pillow fights and lingerie matches. As a result, it was a surprise to many when Brooke Tessmacher, a former Hooters Swimsuit Pageant competitor who broke into the wrestling world as a valet and dancer, defeated Gail Kim, one of the most accomplished female wrestlers of our time, to become the new Knockouts Champion two months ago at Slammiversary. For those who thought this victory was a fluke, Tessmacher has retained the title with impressive victories over Mickie James and, most recently, Kim on Impact Wrestling. Having clearly come a long way since her days as a swimsuit model, Tessmacher takes on former champion Madison Rayne this Sunday at Hardcore Justice (hopefully, for Tessmacher’s sake, Rayne‘s new love interest Earl Hebner won’t be the referee). As she prepares for her next challenge, Tessmacher discusses her beginnings, how she has improved and how she hopes to continue as TNA’s top female competitor.

You’ve obviously come a long way since you started your wrestling career six years ago, with most of your success coming very recently. What do you attribute this recent success to?

It’s been a long road and I have been really giving it everything I had over the past few months. When I first came into TNA and Impact as a secretary, it really wasn’t fulfilling. It wasn’t utilizing my talents for what I wanted to do, so I knew that in order to make an impact I had to quit everything else I was doing. I gave up a Hooters pageant to start training, I gave up another pageant and two other modeling gigs because I realized wrestling was the most important thing in my life. It being the most difficult sport I’ve ever been involved in, and the biggest challenge, I did have to give up a lot of things to do that.

As everyone knows, Tara did help me tremendously in the ring and out of the ring. Also, Booker’s school with Paul Cook in Houston has helped me a lot with one-on-one training. Without them, it wouldn’t have been possible. Being on the road with such talented knockouts as Mickie James, Gail Kim and Tara has allowed me to sit back and get a bird’s-eye view of how they perform, and that has really helped me step up my game. I’m constantly taking notes and to be there and see them yourself is the best way to climb up the ladder the quickest. I watched a lot of videos, a lot of tapes and spent a lot of man-hours. It’s been tough, but now I’m living my dream and it’s all paying off. It’s still very surreal to me.

How humbling or exciting is it to be the champion in one of the most stacked women’s divisions in wrestling?

I’ve had maybe 50, 60 matches now and for me to hold the championship and know that I’m the best at this time is very humbling. It’s a great feeling, it’s an exciting feeling, I wake up every day with the biggest smile on my face knowing I’m up there with these women and compared to these women like Mickie James, Tara and Gail Kim. I can only hope that I’ll have a career as long as them and that I’ll be able to hold this championship as long as them and, if I lose it, to get it back. I want to build my career just as they did. They’re amazing women and it’s crazy to be a part of it and compared to them.

With your improvement in the ring, do you think people are starting to take you more seriously as a wrestler as opposed to viewing you as a model in wrestling?

I do think they are taking me a little more seriously. I think I came in and really shocked people because I did improve a tremendous amount in a short period of time. And that was from all the work I put in. I think for a while I’l have to fight the stereotypical, “Oh, she’s just a model” thing. That’s fine. I’ll continue to keep improving and proving everyone wrong. But I think I’ve finally opened everyone’s eyes to say, “Oh, wow. This girl can work. She isn’t scared.” I’m a firecracker, so I can only go up.

How has your time in TNA compared to the work you did in WWE?

I look back and it’s a great company and it’s awesome to say I worked for them. But there really is hardly any comparison between the two when it comes to my career. I came out and did a sexy dance routine every week. It was fun, it was great, I made some good friends, but I’m an athlete and I wasn’t fulfilled doing a dance routine every week. Even though I wasn’t trained enough to have a full match, I would much rather have been training the whole time and getting ready for what I wanted to do rather than having to dance. At Impact Wrestling they’ve really believed in me and given me a chance. They opened the door for me and I just took and ran with it.

When you beat Gail Kim for the title, what was going through your mind before, during and after the match?

I remember sitting in the back before I walked out thinking, “OK, this is my one chance. I’m getting this right now. I have to be on my game now more than any other match.” And all of a sudden I just couldn’t breathe, the crowd was so loud and it just kind of took over me. I had been waiting for that moment for so long and I got so scared and freaked out. As soon as I entered the [ring], I just knew I wanted that championship more than anything. To win in your home state for the first time is indescribable. It was my moment to just take in everything that had just happened. My tears just started to flow as soon as I got backstage, it was just uncontrollable. I was just so happy and finally [realized], “Oh, my God. I did it! I did it! I cannot believe I did it! I just proved the whole wrestling world wrong.” No one took me seriously because I’m just a model, I’m inexperienced, especially getting in the ring with such a talented and tremendous athlete as Gail. It was a great feeling.

Do you feel more pressure now to retain the Knockouts Championship or was there more pressure for you trying to get to that level?

Of course there was a lot of pressure before because I was trying to prove everyone wrong about me being just a model that was trying to become an athlete, that I can do it, that I’m just as good and can hang in the ring. Now I do believe the pressure is a lot worse. Once you go up, all you can do is stay up and not fall down. So going out there every week to defend the championship is pretty difficult. With Gail Kim, Madison Rayne, Mickie James, it just takes one small mistake for it to be over, and that’s very difficult. When you’re as new as me, I still make rookie mistakes and I’m still learning. Thank God I have people like Tara and my trainers back at home to teach me these things because it only takes one wrong move to be done.

Since you won the championship, you’ve been on the road pretty much every weekend for TNA. How has working these house shows and live events helped you in terms of learning and growing as a performer in comparison to just doing TV in front of a live crowd?

My suggestion to everyone is to do as many live shows as you can because what they need the most is to get out there in front of people. It’s better to make mistakes when you’re not on live TV. You learn when you’re on the road, that’s how you get better and master your craft. When the title’s on the line, that’s not really the time to pull out new things and experiment. When you go on the road it gives you a chance to really master these things and try them out for the first time. It’s an awesome way to get out there and feel the crowd getting behind you. I love going on the road where people can see us who don’t normally get to see us. It’s awesome to get a new crowd out there and get new fans. So it’s great for experience, it’s great to help master your skills in the ring and it’s great to help calm you. I get so anxious, nervous, freaked out, excited and sweaty before I walk out and when you’re traveling on the road it teaches you to calm that, relax and really think about what matters and what you’re going to do in the ring and slow down.

Do you think it’s easier for women like yourself to make a career out of wrestling today or is it still an uphill battle as it has been in the past?

I don’t think it’s easier. When I got into the business, it was through the Diva Search. I don’t think they even have that anymore. I think it’s easier in the sense that women are getting looked at more, that we’re getting taken seriously. And we have Gut Check, which is an awesome way for people to come in and get recognized. But it’s still quite hard because you have to find your place to shine. We’re still proving ourselves every week, every month. It’s really just about putting yourself out there and finding where you can move forward.

As you’ve already mentioned, you got your start in wrestling through the Diva Search, then Extreme Exposé. You got your first big break in WWE around the same time that TNA introduced the Knockouts Championship. Even though you’ve defeated some of the top female talents to win and retain your title, you still have naysayers who only see you as a model and dancer. What more do you think you can do to win some of those people over and prove your worth as the Knockouts Champion?

It’s just me continuing what I’m doing at home, continuing the training, continuing watching these women every week and mastering what they’re doing and coming out there and doing my best. It will take time and I understand that. I understand that some people are like, “Oh, this is a joke. She doesn’t deserve it.” But in all reality, I do deserve to be where I am because I fought for this for a very long time. Some people don’t think I’m the best, but right now I am the best. I won fair and square. There was no cheating involved, there were no surprises and all I can do is come out each week and bring the fire that I bring and continue to win. And I will do that. I will not come out there and not bring everything I have each week. It’s going to take someone to kill me and lay me out before they take the championship from me. I will continue to prove everybody wrong each week, and I’m thrilled to do it. It gets me excited when I do hear that because I do want to prove everyone wrong. I’m a very competitive person by nature and you’re not going to be liked and believed in by everyone. One of my biggest priorities is to go out there and prove myself to everyone over time and prove that I do deserve it and can hang with these legends and be just as good.

We’ve seen former indie stars such as Austin Aries rise to the top of men’s wrestling in both TNA and WWE in recent months. Is there anyone in the indie scene that you’d like to see rise to the top in women’s wrestling?

I don’t really follow it too much, but I do follow the women that we have here and I’m very proud of the girls we have. Austin Aries is phenomenal and was kind of the underdog and look at him now. That’s a great story. I’m sure there are a lot of women out there and I would love to have them be part of our company and give everything that we give.

Many look at the feud between Gail Kim and Awesome Kong a few years ago as the pinnacle of contemporary women’s wrestling. Would you welcome a similarly hard-fought feud with someone like Kong?

I’ll never forget that. It was one of the best feuds in all of TNA’s history and in women’s wrestling in general. It’s something I don’t think anybody will ever forget and something you can never take away. I’ve watched tons of those videos to learn and grow myself.

She is killer, man. She’s strong, she’s tough and she is unlike anybody else we have right now. I’m up for any challenge and would never turn down any challenge. I know that would probably be one of the most difficult challenges I would have to face. I would definitely have to grow and get stronger and really learn her craft to be able to master it. I’d have to try and run circles around that girl because she is insanely powerful and I am very small. But I’d definitely welcome it, but I’m not saying it’s something that would be really exciting. It would be very scary for me because I am so new. But, yeah. I’d take her on.

When you are studying wrestling tapes to learn your craft, who do you find the most inspiration from? Is it just women wrestlers or do you find inspiration from men as well?

I watch both men and women. I watch a lot of Shawn Michaels and Trish Stratus. Trish came into the business as a model and was not taken seriously. To watch her grow and become one of the best female wrestlers today, hopefully I can be as great as that. Also, of course, Tara. I’ve watched a lot of her tapes and can only learn from the best. Mickie James, as well. But mostly Trish Stratus because we came in the same way. I can only hope my career can be as long and fulfilled as hers.

What’s your opinion of the direction TNA is heading and the role women’s wrestling might play in that development?

Now that we have one of the toughest and best [women’s] divisions out there – we’re shooting Impact live now, going to more countries – we’re only going to get better. As we have more time we’re just going to keep proving ourselves. I think we have made a huge impact in this company and in the wrestling world, and we’re only going to keep doing that.

For more information, go to www.impactwrestling.com.

“The Icon” Sting prepares for Slammiversary title match

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From his World Championship Wrestling debut as a blonde surfer with colorful face paint and tights in the ’80s to the mysterious Crow-like persona he adopted for most of the ’90s after the arrival of the NWO, Sting has earned his moniker as “The Icon.” As the only WCW Champion to never appear in WWE, Sting made his full-time debut for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2006 and has become one of the company’s main attractions. Sting‘s look and demeanor changed again – this time to “The Insane Icon,” an off-kilter character based on Heath Ledger’s take on the Joker – after Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff‘s takeover of TNA over the past couple of years. Having helped restore some order by defeating Hogan for control of the company at Bound for Glory last October, the four-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion has been absent from Impact Wrestling for the past two months. But he made his big return on May 31 by defeating current champion Bobby Roode in a non-title match. But when Sting faces Roode in the main event at Slammiversary this Sunday, it will be for the TNA Championship. As Sting prepares for his much younger opponent, Wrestling with Pop Culture gets to hear from him about his outlook on his career, TNA’s new format and other topics.

Outside of WCW, TNA has been the brand you’ve been most closely identified with. With TNA celebrating its 10th anniversary this weekend with Slammiversary, how does the company compare today to its earlier days in Nashville where you made appearances? When did the moment come about that you decided to make TNA, as you’ve described it, your brand?

It probably came the second or third appearance I made with TNA. Spike was coming onboard and they were interested in my return to wrestling along with Dixie Carter, Jeff Jarrett and, at the time, his father Jerry. So it was just something that I said, “It’s now or never.” I didn’t like the way wrestling ended in 2001 for me, so I just took it on and I loved the brand.

The difference between then and now? Well, we were at the fairgrounds in front of not very many people. The fairgrounds are not even there anymore. Now we’re in 120 countries worldwide, we filled up Wembley Stadium earlier this year, which was phenomenal, unbelievable. The ratings we have in other countries and here in the United States are growing every year. We are a growing company and it feels good. They’ve been good growing pains.

What would you say has been your defining moment during your TNA run?

I don’t know if there’s really one moment. Although I will say that the first time walking through the curtains at the Impact Zone – even the fairgrounds for that matter – was almost a life-changing event for me. It had been so long since I had been in the ring and I was wondering if people had forgotten who I am. Then when I got in there and there were chants of, “You’ve still got it!” That, to me, was the defining moment. It felt good that night.

Who have been some of your favorite opponents in TNA?

I would have to say Kurt Angle at Bound for Glory in ’07. He took me to my limit that night. That one match will go down in history for me as one of my better matches. It was pretty long and intense and we had a really good pace the whole night. A year later I was still feeling that one.

You’re facing Bobby Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship this Sunday, and you’ve faced him in the past, including on last week’s live Impact show. What are your thoughts on how he’s grown as the TNA Champion and how have you been maintaining your conditioning against someone of his athleticism?

Whether you love him or hate him or you’re indifferent, Bobby Roode brings it every single night. He looks the part, he can work with anyone and have a great match and I think he carries himself well. I have personally pushed to keep him where he is, so I think there’s something good there and we’re all witnessing it now.

I’ve been in the gym every day this week and every time I’m put into a situation where I’m going to work with someone like Bobby Roode or Kurt Angle, believe me, I’m trying to get that cardio in and I’ve got a trainer I’ve been working with the last three months. We’ve made some huge strides and I’m just trying to get more mobility and flexibility in my movements and my body. So I’m training a lot differently now and I’m training more consistently and harder than I have in a long time, combined with eating the right way. Last Thursday night I could tell there was a difference in the way I felt in the ring, I had lots of fans and some of the wrestlers make comments, and I think this week will be even better. Over the next eight weeks, 16 weeks especially, I’m hoping to get back to where I was 15 years ago.

With your talk of the future, every year Dixie Carter asks you to stay on another year. Do you see yourself finishing up your career in TNA?

It’s almost ridiculous for me to try to answer that question because every year I think, “This is it. I can’t physically go on anymore” Dixie has been persistent and I’m having a good time. A the same time, we’re growing. We turned WCW into what we turned that into years ago with Monday Nitro and I’d love to see the same situation here with TNA. It’s hard to walk away when we’re not quite there. Some people may think we’re not going to get there, but I think there are a whole bunch of people who think, “Oh, yes we will.” We’re getting ready to launch some new stuff, you’ve seen some bits and pieces of it and it’s only going to get better as time goes on.

As of this moment, yeah. Never say “never” in this business, we all know that. And wrestler’s honor means jack, right? It doesn’t mean anything. But I can tell you that as it stands at this moment I’m happy where I am and if things continue the way they have, I can see myself hanging my boots up right here.

When you talk about changing your diet and your workouts, that doesn’t sound like somebody that’s thinking about ending your in-ring career anytime soon. Is that the way you look at it right now?

No matter how hard I train, what trainer I get or what I do, the bottom line is I am aging. After a while you just can’t go. There have been times where I don’t know if I can do another match. But, I come back and heal up and start to feel better and train differently and things go well. I’m training because whether it’s a month or a year, I want to be remembered as the Sting who can still go.

TNA has received criticism for relying too much on the older guys at the expense of fresh talent. How would you respond to that?

You cannot please everyone. It boils down to, do we pay attention to everything we read on Twitter or all the blogs, websites and dirt sheets, or do we listen more to what the wrestling fans are saying in the arenas live? How do they react to each individual wrestler? Furthermore, what are those ratings like every quarter hour? These days you can break it down to a five minute rating. The answers are there and you’re not dealing with a bunch of idiots who don’t have brains. There are people behind this machine that want to make it the best it can be. So they’re not going to try to cram something down somebody’s throat that’s just not going to work. They’re going to at least come up with a good blend of some of the older guys and some of the younger guys coming up – i.e., Bobby Roode and Sting. I think that is paying off, it’s working.

You’ve been a main event wrestler for more than 20 years and you’ll be in another main event pay-per-view title match this Sunday. What keeps you excited and motivated about wrestling after all these years?

There was a time when it was really hard for me to find the love and get motivated again. But in the last couple of years, especially the last 12 months, there’s been something that has sparked in me and the interest and motivation is much higher. I’m having more fun now than I think I ever have. I’ve taken some risks, I’ll admit, changing my character up a little bit. Some people like it, some people don’t. But I think overall people have enjoyed watching it. I love the group of people I’ve been working with; Dixie Carter has been so good to work with and seems to get better every single year. A lot of fans don’t know this about me, but I’m still nervous walking through those curtains 25, 26 years later.

How difficult was it to take those risks and change things up a bit?

It’s scary. There’s no other way to say it. The last time I felt like that was when I changed from the blonde flattop haircut and slowly but surely emerged with a white face, trench coat and baseball bat up in the rafters. It’s one of those times when you think, “Well, wrestling fans are going to fart all over this and you’re done or it’s going to work.” To step out, especially at my age and with all my years of wrestling, and try something like that, I think it was pretty gutsy. I know it’s a gamble and I know there are potentially people who are going to absolutely hate it, fart on it and then you’ll be remembered as going out as this horrible character. But for me, I think you have to take risks. I’m trying to tell some of the younger guys to do that and trying to show them that taking risks is good.

You’re the only WCW Champion never to appear in WWE. You said in another interview that you did come close to appearing at WrestleMania in 2011. How close were you to actually going over for WrestleMania?

On a scale of one to ten, I think the first three times or so over the years that I spoke with Vince McMahon, there were probably a couple of times that I got up to a six or a seven. This last go-round, we were probably at about a nine. It was very, very close. I was actually surprised that things turned out the way they did.

What was your reaction when Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff joined TNA a couple of years ago and what has it been like working with them again?

My reaction when they came in was guarded, but at the same time with open arms. That was then, this is now. It’s a completely different time and we all have a different frame of mind and different agendas now. I think we’re more on the same page now than we were then, so I think it’s been good.

Following their arrival and the subsequent changes they made in TNA, your on-screen demeanor changed quite a bit and you did some things that were uncharacteristic of what we had seen from you previously in TNA. Considering the more recent changes going on in TNA, which sort of started at Bound for Glory 2011 when you defeated Hogan to give control of the company back to Carter, what are some recent or upcoming changes that you think will maybe undo some past mistakes and put TNA where you all want it to be in the wrestling world?

Only time will tell. Although I may not agree with every single thing that I’ve done in the last year or two, or for my whole career for that matter, there are times when I’m still willing to try it because I’ve got a group of people saying, “I think it’s going to work. Let’s try this.” Then it gets to a point where you’ve just got to say, “OK. I’m just going to make this the best I can possibly make it. Whether I feel it or not, I’m just going to get out there and do my job and do it well.” I think with some of this new stuff we’re getting ready to do, the more reality-based stuff, there are going to be wrestlers that surprise everybody and who will emerge. And there’s probably going to be other wrestlers who may not be able to find a niche in all this. If we honestly all go into this with the right frame of mind and say, “Let’s just make it the best we can possibly make it,” then I think we have a really good chance of creating something that has never been done before. And I think wrestling fans will probably get on to it.

For more information, go to www.impactwrestling.com.

TNA President Dixie Carter hopes changes will make an Impact

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As Total Nonstop Action Wrestling prepares to celebrate its tenth anniversary, wrestling fans have seen some big changes on Impact Wrestling over the past few weeks. And beginning May 31, there will be two more big changes as Impact goes to a live format and begins airing at 8 p.m. EST, one hour earlier than its previous 9 p.m. start time. With additional behind-the-scenes additions such as General Manager Hulk Hogan‘s daughter Brooke as the new Executive in Charge of the Knockouts Division, TNA is once again looking for ways to shake things up in the wrestling world. As she prepares for at least 12 weeks of live airings, TNA president Dixie Carter takes a moment to talk to Wrestling with Pop Culture about these and other developments in TNA.

With Impact Wrestling going to a live format starting May 31, what is the company’s attitude towards this change in comparison to the short-lived live Monday night broadcasts a couple of years ago?

We’ve had two or three live Impact shows in the past, but this is a completely different feeling. The fact that we’re going live all summer, it’s a new time slot shifting an hour earlier, everybody’s really excited. It’s better than a one-night kind of event because we’ve got things planned all summer long, including some new things I’m very excited about. And to be able to do them live will make them that much more impactful.

It’s also been announced that Impact will take on more reality TV-like elements starting with this first live broadcast. Following last week’s segment where Hulk Hogan was trying to determine who would take on Bobby Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, what’s your take on that form of reality being interspersed into pro wrestling?

In that very segment you saw a different view of five very important people on our show. I am more excited about doing that than anything we’ve done in our company history. Fifteen years ago, reality TV didn’t exist. But it’s permanently altered the way the landscape is for network and cable television viewing today. We’ve done some stuff in the past, such as the fly-on-the-wall backstage element and the deliberation scene that you mentioned, and I think we’ve done an outstanding job of it. But it’s really time for us to take this to another level. It’s going to be an evolution in the coming weeks and months, but it is something that is going to be, in my opinion, a very much needed way of watching wrestling.

Why did you decide to hire Brooke Hogan to oversee the Knockouts instead of giving that role to someone with more wrestling experience?

This division is very important to me as the female head of a predominantly male wrestling company. For women to get out there and do this, I feel like we have to have a certain standard that needs to be better than anything else that’s out there. I feel like we have the best female wrestlers on the planet on any roster. I met Brooke a couple of years ago and we hit it off. My past life was in the music business and she’s been pursuing a music career and we really bonded over talking about music. Quite honestly, I went in with one perception of how she’d be talent wise and I was really blown away. I’ve been guiding her more and becoming more and more involved because I think she has a lot of potential. But during these conversations, they’d always find their way back to wrestling. Here’s a girl who has been living and breathing wrestling her entire life. She has been under the greatest single wrestler that will probably ever live in the history of our industry. We were having dinner with my daughter and my family the other night and she was saying, “I remember being 7 and sitting there while my dad was talking business with some of the greats.” She’s always learned from this, she’s incredibly intelligent and I think she’s a big star in her own right. We’ve got the big wrestlers, but what we really need is somebody to give them more exposure. I think Brooke is going to be a great character on television. She is not going to wrestle, she is going to continue to pursue her music. But one of the biggest things she will do for us is shine a spotlight on the Knockouts that they very much deserve.

With TNA celebrating its tenth anniversary this month, what has been your biggest challenge so far?

If you’re smart, you listen to your fans and you listen to your criticism and you learn from it and grow. Not everybody has the perspective or the information I have to make decisions within, so that’s a unique position to be in. But I do weigh that very carefully. I am so proud that in just a few short days we will be celebrating our tenth year in this business. I’ve never been more proud to be associated with anything in my professional career and I truly, truly love the men and women that make up our roster, that are behind the scenes and that work in the office. You have a group of people who work harder and care more, we have a really great working environment and we’ve achieved so much in ten years. It’s been really tough. There were times when I didn’t know if we were going to be in business for ten months – we almost didn’t last ten weeks – but we were strong, we pulled together, we made better decisions and I’m very proud of how much we’ve accomplished and where we’re going. I look back and we’ve made a ton of mistakes. I’ll be the first to say that and I’ll take responsibility for them, both creatively and how we’ve approached certain things. It’s been a learning curve and I think we’re on a very good road. If you’ve not watched our show in a long time, I would encourage people to tune in because I don’t think we’ve ever produced such quality television as we’re doing right now.

With the live format, do you plan on continuing to broadcast from Universal Studios in Orlando or would you like to eventually air live while on the road?

I think it’s interesting to hear about the rich history of wrestling in Florida, and I’ve gotten to experience a lot of that and hear about it from some of our talent. But as far as Orlando’s concerned, I’d rather be able to go live and stay there. The goal is ultimately to go live and on the road. There’s no doubt that that would be the very best product we could put out. But I want to be in business and having this conversation with you in another ten years, and to do so we’ve got to make some good business decisions. The touring market is soft right now and we’ve got to get to a place where we can generate the kind of income that will help cover the expenses of going both live and on the road. I think the new format will allow us to utilize the Universal property to its best ability, then take viewers on a greater journey outside the other seven days a week where you might see scenes playing out from any city in the country in a variety of different ways. And I think that will, in itself, freshen up our show, even staying at Universal.

Is there any possibility of Impact remaining live after this summer series is over?

Right now the plan is to go live a full 12 weeks. There is one dangling week between pay-per-views, so I hope we will at least be able to stretch it to 13. But that’s really all the talk there’s been so far. I wanted to do something and stay with it consistently for a period of time. It’s going to take a little while for us to see what will happen. We’re not only going live, we’re not only working on some elements that are changing in our format, but we’re also changing our time slot, too. And we’re doing it during the summer, so that’s a little bit of an uphill battle. Hopefully the product will speak for itself, people will find us and it will be very successful. We’d love to do it from here on out, obviously.

What have you learned from some of the mistakes that were made during the Monday night live experiment in 2010?

We’ve got an incredible competitor that has a 25-year head start on us. But the main thing I learned was that people watch television differently today than they did back in the Monday Night Wars. Even in the last 12 months we’ve seen a huge shift in how people watch TV. I practically don’t watch any show during its initial broadcast anymore. I’m a DVR person, I don’t have a lot of time in life and I think that we’re finding that the entire television industry is facing this same dilemma right now. I think there’s going to be a shift in how we look at our ratings and that will be interesting over time. But I feel good about the changes we’re making and I think it will have a big impact on our success.

It seems like WWE‘s attitude towards TNA and other wrestling companies has changed over the past several months, specifically with Ric Flair‘s recent induction into the WWE Hall of Fame again with the Four Horsemen. Why do you think that might be happening?

I can’t speak to how they feel. My personal opinion is that to not acknowledge competition is ridiculous. I think competition is absolutely critical to the success of any business, whether you’re The Home Depot and Lowe’s, Walgreens and CVS, Coke and Pepsi, Hertz and Avis. When you look at it, it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, it makes you better – it makes you work harder, it makes you pay more attention and it makes it exciting and fun. That’s how we feel about it. I don’t know how other people take it, but I think it’s absolutely critical for the fans, more than anything else, to have options.

Heading into your tenth anniversary celebration, and given all the changes that have been taking place on Impact leading into the new time and live format, how do you think all these changes will affect your standing against your bigger competitor? What other changes might you have planned to perhaps further elevate TNA to something close to WWE’s status?

Our thought is instead of trying to compete in the same form and format as our competitor, let’s compete in the same industry but let’s try to be different and unique and look at it through fresh eyes and try to present our product in a way we feel we can do that will be best for us. We feel that will give us a really strong competitive advantage. The thing I’m most proud of is wrestling matters. Wrestling matters to me, to us, it’s not a dirty word and it’s something we’re all very, very proud of. And we’re very excited about taking what we do best and presenting it in a unique way, pulling that curtain back and livening the focus of the real elements that go into our business. I think it’s going to be absolutely fascinating.

Since you will be starting an hour earlier than usual, do you plan on toning down any of the blood, violence and sexual innuendos that have become part of the show?

We do take all of those elements very seriously and try to present them in the right way. Too much blood means nothing, too much language means nothing. I think whatever happens has to have meaning and it’s got to make sense. And in our attempt to keep things as real as possible, some of that is going to [happen].

Is there any concern about not having any sort of filter for censorship in the live format?

Live TV is live TV. There’s always going to be some mistakes, but I think that’s what makes live TV so special. Since our last TV tapings two weeks ago, all of this has transpired. When I left that week, I didn’t know we were going to be able to go live, much less be going live May 31. This is happening at warp speed for us, but I know we’re ready and we’re going to do great. I’ve gotten more texts than I ever have before from the guys about how excited they are about going live. If an F-bomb is dropped, it’s going to be bleeped out. We have that ability and we will do so. But if you’re watching a sports show that’s taped there’s not the same desire or need to watch it in real time. DVRs are just making our lives completely different and one way for us to try and combat that is to present our show live. One challenge has been that two or three people can sit in our audience during our taped shows and give their opinion of it and tell exactly what order the show’s going to happen in. So if you’re reading that, you’re going to make a decision based upon potentially two or three people’s opinion of a show versus watching it live. You’re also going to know when things are going to happen, so you may think, “This isn’t going to happen until the middle of the show, I don’t need to tune in until the top of the hour.” This eliminates all that and I can tell you from what we are going to do in this format, you are not going to want to miss it. We’re not going to stay the same from week to week. We’re going to mix it up and we’re going to make it a real challenge not to tune in for the full two hours.

For more information, go to www.impactwrestling.com.

Bound for Glory 2011 shows TNA heading in a slightly new direction

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Every good wrestling organization has a marquee annual event to build towards, where feuds come to fruition, old grudges are settled and new rivalries begin. For Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, that event takes place every October in the form of Bound for Glory. And 2011’s Bound for Glory took place in Philadelphia, a city rich in wrestling history thanks in large part to now-defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling being based there for most of the ’90s.

The Bound for Glory 2011 DVD shows how pivotal this event was to what has been going on in TNA for the year or so leading up to event. With most of the company’s top stars in action, Bound for Glory 2011 is headlined by two matches that proved to be detrimental to the company’s future – a battle for control of the company between Hulk Hogan and Sting, as well as a World Heavyweight Championship main event between then champion Kurt Angle and the winner of the Bound for Glory Series, Bobby Roode.

But the event gets off to a fast-paced start as Austin Aries defends his X Division Championship against former champion Brian Kendrick. With sprinklings of crowd support for Aries (despite his villainous behavior), this match has a lot of back-and-forth action as each competitor looks to outdo the other both in and out of the ring. And Kendrick puts up quite a fight, almost defeating Aries on several occasions, even hitting him with his signature Sliced Bread reverse DDT backflip off the top rope. But in the end Aries hoists Kendrick up and drops him to the mat for a brainbuster to retain the title.

Honoring their contributions to Philadelphia’s wrestling scene, longtime ECW rivals Rob Van Dam and Jerry Lynn are up next in a Full Metal Mayhem match where any metal object is legal. While neither man (especially Lynn) is as good as he was during ECW’s prime (as seen by a minor botch here and there), this match still offers a lot of nostalgia, not only with the use of steel chairs and ladders, but also with impressive athleticism. RVD hits Lynn with a chair kick before hitting his Rolling Thunder somersault onto a ladder to evoke “ECW!” chants from the enthusiastic audience. Lynn reciprocates by hitting a sunset powerbomb onto a ladder outside the ring, but RVD wins after hitting his Van Terminator dropkick with a chair.

That’s followed by a triple threat match between three of TNA’s most dominant wrestlers, the undefeated Crimson, Samoa Joe and Matt Morgan. With Joe having eliminated Crimson from the Bound for Glory Series by injuring his ankle, and Crimson and Morgan forming a bit of an alliance during their friendly rivalry, this match really could go either way depending on how each man works with the others. Establishing some teamwork early on, Crimson and Morgan take it to Joe before their bond begins to break down. Things come to a somewhat unexpected end after Morgan hits Joe with a knee lift only for Crimson to capitalize by pinning Joe to win the match.

The next match is another nod to ECW’s Philadelphia roots with a falls-count-anywhere contest between ECW alumnus Bully Ray and the loudmouth Mr. Anderson. While you might expect Bully Ray to appeal to the fans since he has such history in this town, he instead cuts a pre-match promo where he says, “Screw Philly!” before heading to the ring. Anderson gets the early advantage with a very ECW-like move where he takes a sign from the crowd that reads “Welcome to Philly, Asshole” (referring to Anderson’s self-proclaimed nickname), which is revealed to be a metal Dead End street sign. They fight up the entrance ramp and Bully mocks Anderson by using Anderson’s own micorphone to berate Anderson (and Philadelphia) before Anderson attacks him and the fight goes backstage. They make their way back to the ring and both men employ objects such as a guardrail and tables. After several near-falls, Anderson finally hits his mic check (reverse facebuster) through a table outside the ring for the pin.

The four-way match between Winter, Mickie James, Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky for the Knockouts Championship is about as chaotic as you might expect, especially with the obviously biased Karen Jarrett as guest referee. With little regard for any rules, it’s hard to keep up with who the legal competitor is and who is interfering. When Winter inadvertently spits red mist into Jarrett’s face, it looks as if James is going to pin Winter to win the title. Traci Brooks runs to the ring to make the count, but by then it’s Sky who gets the win to regain the Knockouts belt.

Before the I Quit match between AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels gets underway, a nice video package recaps their rivalry dating back to their early X Division battles at the Asylum in the six-sided ring. Once the match gets started, Daniels‘ arrogance is apparent as he aggressively tries to make Styles quit very early on. The two trade submission moves until Daniels opens a toolbox and throws a wrench at the steel steps (to prove that these are real tools, I guess). He then tries to stab Styles in the face with a screwdriver, making it clear that their longtime friendship is definitely over. Styles ducks and Daniels embeds the screwdriver into the turnbuckle before hitting a beautiful Best Moonsault Ever to continue his dominance. Daniels goes on to straddle Styles’ neck with a steel chair while threatening to make everything Styles has done for TNA his own. A smack to Styles head with a microphone draws blood and Daniels instructs Styles’ wife Wendy to take the kids away from the TV screen because he’s going to murder Styles. Styles has time to recover a bit and when Daniels tries to smash him with the chair, Styles fights back, hitting him with a vicious series of clostheslines and kicks. He then nails Daniels with the Pelé kick, followed by the Styles Clash, before picking up the screwdriver. As soon as Daniels sees the screwdriver in Styles’ hand, he pleads “just don’t hurt me” before quitting and running to the back. As Styles celebrates his victory atop the entrance ramp, Daniels reemerges and attacks Styles from behind to get the last laugh.

Jeff Jarrett, who is not scheduled to wrestle, then comes to the ring and says, “Nero, I’m calling you out, bitch.” Jeff Hardy answers and a fight ensues. Security eventually breaks them up while the crowd chants, “Let them fight!” That leads right into the match between Hogan and Sting for control of TNA. Sting, still doing his mentally unstable Joker-like thing, comes to the ring in a purple trench coat that looks like a cross between a Mardi Gras marching band jacket and something Michael Jackson might have worn. When he removes his jacket, he reveals a Hulkamania T-shirt, which is clearly a psychology game on the part of the man who has been trying to get Hogan to return to his more noble ways. Hogan responds by signaling for Ric Flair to come from the back to be in his corner. Despite his recent back surgery and overall inability to move around like he used to, Hogan gets a surprising jump on Sting early on, Hulking up, then doing a D-Generation X-style crotch chop to anger Sting. Sting rips his Hulkamania shirt off and throws it at Flair, giving Hogan an opportunity to hit Sting. The fight goes to the floor and Flair and Hogan double-team Sting right in front of former TNA owner Dixie Carter, who will regain control of the company if Sting is victorious. Hogan hits a low blow on Sting and referee Jackson James inexplicably does nothing to stop Hogan and Flair’s dirty tactics.

Hogan hits Sting in the head with a foreign object of some sort before throwing a now-bleeding Sting back into the ring. As Hogan does some Flair-like gloating, Sting takes him down and uses the same foreign object on Hogan. With both men bleeding, Sting hits Hogan with a Stinger Splash in the corner, then locks on the Scorpion Deathlock. Despite the fact that Hogan taps out, the referee (who is revealed to be Garett Bischoff, son of longtime Hogan cohort Eric Bischoff) is reluctant to end the match, but finally awards the victory to Sting. Eric Bischoff, Flair and the rest of Immortal (Scott Steiner, Bully Ray and Gunner) rush to the ring and start beating Sting down with chairs. Garett has a change of heart and tries to stop his father, but Eric hits him with a chair as Flair continues the assault on Sting. Former Immortal member Abyss is seen watching from behind the curtain while Sting crawls to Hogan’s feet and begs for his help. With the audience’s encouragement, Hogan tears his shirt off and takes out the members of Immortal one at a time until there’s a standoff with Immortal stuck between Hogan and Sting. Immortal is vanquished and Hogan and Sting celebrate in the ring while Carter and her husband rejoice from ringside. Considering Hogan’s recent medical issues, and the fact that both of these guys are in their 50s, this match is a lot better than expected. Sting does carry most of the match, but the involvement of the rest of Immortal and Garett helps offset some of Hogan’s complications in the ring.

While Hogan, Sting and most of the members of Immortal are icons of wrestling’s past, Roode is one of TNA’s homegrown talents and has become the younger guy most fans want to see carrying the company. (Keep in mind Bound for Glory took place just weeks before Roode broke a bottle over his Beer Money tag team partner James Storm, effectively turning on the fans and the company.) Having won the Bound for Glory Series, Roode earned a shot at Angle‘s TNA World Heavyweight Championship. And having overcome Angle’s gauntlet on Impact Wrestling, where Roode was forced to square off against his Fortune stablemates and friends in the weeks leading up to Bound for Glory, Roode enters this match with a lot of momentum and appears to be ready to win his first TNA World Championship.

As the match begins, Angle immediately takes control with his grappling skills. But Angle gets a little too cocky and when he goes to the top rope for a moonsault, Roode hits him with a suplex off the top rope, proving he can hang with Angle as a wrestler. Roode soon follows that up with a crossface submission move, which Angle reverses into an ankle lock. Angle and Roode trade blows, wrestling moves and submission maneuvers, with Roode getting a few two-counts on Angle. But this back-and-forth culminates with an Angle Slam. Angle goes for another slam, which Roode counters with an arm drag. Angle resorts to a low blow, then hits Roode with two suplexes, but Roode counters a third suplex with another crossface submission move. Angle gets to the ropes, the two exchange some blows, then Angle comes off the second rope and falls right into another crossface. Angle counters with another Angle Slam then gets the pin while using the rope for leverage (and while Roode’s hand is under the rope). But since referee Brian Hebner doesn’t see any of that, the win goes to Angle.

With TNA fans and wrestlers alike rallying behind Roode during the build-up to this match, as well as the emotional battle that shows Roode coming so close to becoming the TNA Champion on several occassions, this convoluted ending is incredibly disappointing. But it’s a great match nonetheless and shows that the outcome could have gone either way. But such an anticlimactic ending (not because of who won, but how he won) leaves this Bound for Glory feeling a bit empty. And had Roode not left Bound for Glory feeling like he was screwed out of the title, he may never have resorted to the unscrupulous tactics he has since adopted.

Though Bound for Glory is not yet the pop culture spectacle that WrestleMania has become for WWE, it’s still the biggest event of the year for a company whose history isn’t nearly as rich as its more established rival. And even though this DVD is dominated by wrestling veterans who are past their prime, it also serves as a passing of the torch in many respects, with younger TNA talents proving their worth, and political power being wrestled away from Hogan and Bischoff.

The second disc features exclusive Before the Bell previews for each match, a Roode video package, wrestler interviews, the Bound for Glory pre-show (including the World Tag Team Championship match between Mexican America and Ink Inc.) and other extras.

For more information, go to www.shoptna.com.