Sometimes, you have to be guarded in your approach to reporting what is going on in the world of professional wrestling. Those of you who have been reading professional wrestling news on my suite of websites dating back to 1996 know that there are times when my sites just don’t cover certain stories – and there is a reason for that lack of coverage. For better or for worse, iMPACT Wrestling just provided a great example of why certain stories do not really need to be covered.
While other websites out there went through the effort of copying and pasting the weekly Bound for Glory Series standings, we didn’t really cover those standings on TNAStars.com. Some of you folks might wonder why we didn’t cover them and the answer is pretty simple: while the Bound for Glory Series was a method of moving a wrestler towards the main event for the biggest pay-per-view of the year, it was totally unproven in terms of delivering that outcome. In other words, we knew what the Bound for Glory Series was supposed to do, but we didn’t know whether or not it would be successful in getting us to that point in a manner that made sense and was entertaining.
And, for my money, the Bound for Glory Series failed at the finish line.
To be more specific, I think the Bound for Glory Series led the viewers to a certain, expected conclusion (Crimson challenging for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory) and then pulled that conclusion at the last minute. It’s almost like the audience was running in a marathon and then as the finish line was in sight, someone pulled the road out from underneath us so we all fell right smack on our faces.
Sure, I’ve watched the progression of the Bound for Glory Series and I’ve noticed that the writers were focusing on certain storylines. First it was the story about certain guys not having any points. Then it was the story (that hasn’t gone away) about Samoa Joe not being able to get a win. There was the somewhat lackluster removal of Matt Morgan from the tournament because of an injury. We also had a story between D’Angelo Dinero and Devon that crossed from before the Series and will likely last until after the Series. Then there was the #1 vs. #2 match between Crimson and Rob Van Dam. And now we have the “Samoa Joe as a one man wrecking crew, but being stopped by Matt Morgan” story playing prevalently into the last weeks of the Series.
But more so than any of these sub-stories, the larger story during the Bound for Glory Series was the ascent of Crimson as a formidable opponent for any challenger in iMPACT Wrestling and as a real contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Whether it was the Series’ intent or not, that was the story that rose above the rest of the pack and got some momentum from the audience. Crimson even got a new entrance theme (I think) and a new t-shirt from this push!
And then, at what seemed like the last minute, he was taken out of the Series due to an attack by… Samoa Joe? Really? This is the same Samoa Joe that has been getting the equivalent of X-Pac heat from the audience, right? This is the same Samoa Joe that hasn’t been relevant in iMPACT Wrestling in over a year and a half, right? This is the same Samoa Joe that still isn’t relevant after knocking one of the most fan favorite wrestlers out of the Bound for Glory Series, right? I mean come on already!
Now don’t read my aggravation here as a deep dislike of Samoa Joe. On the contrary – I think he’s a talent wrestler and has a great deal to offer iMPACT Wrestling. But after more than a year of being irrelevant does it make any sense to have this guy be the spoiler in the Bound for Glory Series? That question holds even more weight when you consider that iMPACT Wrestling is trying to make this Series an anticipated annual tournament. Having an irrelevant performer essentially destroy the Series at the last minute is just bad writing. I think most of you folks know that I’m never one to rip on the writing (or the writers themselves) at iMPACT Wrestling, but this decision really kicked the wind out of a pretty momentous summer for Crimson and his new legion of fans.
And no, I’m not looking forward to the eventual payback match between Crimson and Samoa Joe because, frankly, Samoa Joe is still irrelevant in the eyes of many fans (this fan included). There is a larger conversation here about someone as talented as Samoa Joe being uselessly booked, but that’s a column for another day.
In the end, we’re left with a Bound for Glory Series that features Bobby Roode, Gunner, James Storm, and Bully Ray as the top ranked guys. Sure, Bully Ray and Gunner have both come into their own as personalities and heels in the last few months (Bully Ray more than Gunner, but Gunner has still had a nice progression). And sure, Bobby Roode and James Storm could each build some momentum as singles wrestlers. Yet the question remains – are any of these guys as exciting to watch as Crimson was during his climb to the top of the Bound for Glory Series?
For this fan of iMPACT Wrestling the answer is a resounding no.
– Joe
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I’m a big fan of Samoa Joe and it’s unfortunate that he’s not one of the top dogs right now. That said it was a bit odd and unexpected that Crimson suddenly was out of the running. The clip that was shown to explain this was, well, a clip, and it was just kind of thrown out there. “Oh by the way, Crimson is out of the running.” You’re right, it’s peculiar.
There were a couple other guys in the tournament, if you look at it from the beginning, that I could have imagined ending up against Angle for the championship. RVD, Styles, Morgan. But who in this final four would make a compelling opponent for Angle? I can’t see a heel from Immortal getting that spot, not unless Kurt drops the championship before Bound For Glory.
So … I would venture to guess that either Gunner has a face turn, or one of Beer Money goes for it. And if Roode or Storm ends up going for the championship, will they break them up? Does one get jealous of the other? What happens to the tag division, which has already taken some hits?
Clearly Crimson was the way to go … I hope they know the decisions they are making with this are thought out.
Er, correction on that last line: “I hope they have thought out these decisions.”
I hope that they’ve thought out these decisions, too. I just can’t imagine the biggest show of the year being headlined by Bully Ray/Gunner/Bobby Roode/James Storm vs. Kurt Angle.
Of course, I still have the old school mindset of no matter what the show or who is on it – the World Heavyweight Championship match should be the main event instead of an attraction match like Hulk Hogan vs. Sting…
I kinda knew that Crimson wasn’t going to win the title at BFG, and I knew it was going to take some loophole in the “undefeated” concept to do it. And the really big problem with the revenge match between Crimson and Joe is that Joe hasn’t exactly provided himself a reason that he would actually win the match. It will either be Crimson winning cleanly (or with weapons if it’s a no DQ), or Joe catching another DQ.
I could totally see any one of those four headlining against Kurt Angle. The problem, however, is that this suddenly looks really, really predictable. I highly doubt that they’ll heel vs. heel the BFG main event (unless they flip Angle… and it’s not like they haven’t flipflopped characters so quickly before), and I think that Roode is getting the nod over Storm. I do feel as though there was a better way to keep Crimson out of the BFG main event with his undefeated streak in tact (am I the only one that was thinking that the No Surrender match to conclude the BFG series was supposed to be a 4-way match?).
I have no problem with non-title shots being the main event, but as of late, nothing has been worthy of doing it. Styles vs. Daniels came close, but something about that match… I don’t think it should have main evented Destination X. Taker vs. Michaels 2 shouldn’t have main evented its relative Wrestlemaina either. Hogan and Sting better not be the main event, because while I do believe in Sting’s ability to go, Hogan just… just can’t.
I thought it was supposed to be a four-way match at No Surrender, too. And I’m fearful about what we might see as the main event/show closer at Bound for Glory. This is a chance for iMPACT Wrestling to really put its best foot forward because I feel like more eyes will be on this show than any other show in 2011. They have to make it count.
With all this talk of non-title matches main eventing, and Hulk Hogan, and Wrestlemania, I’m brought all the way back to 1992, when everyone thought it would be Hogan vs. Flair at Mania VIII. But it was Flair vs. Savage for the title in a “double main event”, and the headline last match of the show was Hulk vs. Sid, which went to a DQ. Of course I was 8 in 1992, but damn did I enjoy that show. Even with a DQ ending you really couldn’t have put Savage vs. Flair on last … not with the return of the Warrior and all that … although certainly Savage vs. Flair was the better match from a purely technical standpoint.
And Hogan’s still/back at it. It’s almost twenty years later. Sting and Hogan will be great to see, even if Hulk can’t go. I mean Andre the Giant could hardly move during the most famous match of his career. It’s about the star power, and the nostalgia, and the drama … which those two I’m sure will deliver in spades.
So what an Angle main event has to do is something very different. With Angle in the match by default it’s going to be a better wrestling match, and that helps. I’m starting to wonder if the BFG series is what it appears to be … the matches go to a draw, and it’s not one-one-one at BFG? Maybe Crimson returns and gets to face the winner, and he really is wrestling Angle? Maybe I’m ranting and running an exercise in wishful thinking?
I was hoping they were going to either ghave Joe go on a huge streak when he hit -10, then he wasnt booked, then i thought hed get in by injuring everyone else and get in my default. Instead, they put over Gunner and Ray. I appreciate hrs trying to make it alone, but Ray will NEVER be a continuous main event draw. Joe vs Angle would have reignited what i believe to be the greatest rivalry in TNA history, but instead they are pushing Joe down further. Joe deserves to be consistantly top 5 with AJ and Kurt. Roode has the potential, but that doesnt mean u can only push 1. Is he still being punished for the Nash and Hall rant? Why? He has been proven right.
i think samoa joe should be suspended
I missed it, what did Joe do? Why should he be suspended?