TNA’s annual Bound for Glory emanates from the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachussetts, tonight with a card featuring title matches, surprises, and the final meeting between two legendary tag teams.
The main event will feature TNA World Champion and WWE NXT star Trick Williams defending against Mike Santana.
TNA & NXT Tag Team Champions The Hardys put both titles on the line against Team 3D in their final clash, fittingly a tables match.
Other main card title bouts include TNA Knockouts Champion and NXT’s Kelani Jordan defending against Indi Hartwell, International Champion Frankie Kazarian defending against Steve Maclin, and X-Division Champion Leon Slater defending against NXT’s Je’Von Evans.
A Hardcore War match will see Order 4 (Mustafa Ali, Special Agent Zero, Jason Hotch, John Skyler & Tasha Steelz) against The System (Eddie Edwards, Moose, Brian Myers, JDC, & Alisha Edwards).
The annual Call Your Shot gauntlet match, plus Tessa Blanchard vs. Gia Miller rounds out the PPV card. The pre-show will see Knockouts Tag Team Champions The IInspiration defend against The Elegance Brand.
Our coverage begins with the pre-show at 6 PM Eastern.
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Pre show.
There was a modest set-up for the Hall of Fame inductions, with a small podium in the back of the arena so it looked like they were surrounded by fans.
Tommy Dreamer inducts the Beautiful People into the TNA Hall of Fame. Dreamer is accompanied by Jazz and TNA President Carlos Silva. Dreamer is here to induct the Beautiful People despite being ugly because Billy Gunn was unavailable. Dreamer quickly brought out Angelina Love & Velvet Sky, who put a paper bag over Tommy’s head. This is a full-circle moment for the Beautiful People, who debuted at Bound for Glory in 2007. Love thanked all the women who were in the “Gauntlet for the Gold” match in 2007, and her trainer. She also thanked her trainer, Tommy Dreamer for hiring her (she was his first hire), and “Cute Kip” (aka Billy Gunn). She also thanked The Jarrett Family and Vince Russo, the composer who created their entrance music, and all the production people. Love introduced her family to the crowd and thanked them her support. She apparently bit her sister to get the remote back when she tried to change the channel from wrestling (wish I’d thought of that). She thanked the fans and her partner Velvet Sky, and turned the podium over to her.
Velvet Sky also thanked all the people behind the scenes, and again noted it was a full circle moment for her having gotten her start at Bound for Glory. She also thanked Dreamer and Terry Taylor, Jeff Jarrett and Vince Russo, Jeremy Borash, Mikey Tenay, Don West and Taz. She thanked her parents for their support when she left college to chase her dream as a pro wrestler, her trainer Jason Knight. She thanked Afa and his family for inviting her to wrestle on her WXW shows, where she won her first wrestling championship. Sky also thanked her partner, and told the young girls out there to never stop chasing their dreams. She thanked her extended family and the fans, her “Pigeon Army.” She led the crowd in a chant of “Let the pigeons loose!” to end her speech.
Lisa Marie Varon inducts Mickie James into the TNA Hall of Fame. Varon, who was very emotional, brought out a copy of the TNA Knockouts Championship. Varon wanted to be comfortable so she tossed her heels into the crowd. Varon threw her speech away and spoke from the heart about how James came into WWE “like a Tennessee Tornado.” They did whatever it took to prove that they weren’t just the best match “for a women’s match” but for the best match, period. Varon described James as a friend that is there, who shows up. Varon described Mickie James as a role model “not just in wrestling, but in life.” Honestly, even though she was very emotional, you couldn’t have asked for a better induction from Varon.
The crowd chanted “you deserve it!” for Mickie. James described TNA as “a family.” She thanked Jeff and Jerry Jarrett for taking a chance on “Alexis Laree” and thanked Raven, Julio and CM Park for her early days in TNA (the weekly-ppv days). That was her launching pad to WWE. She then thanked Dixie Carter for convincing her to come back to TNA in 2010 and reinvent herself as “Hardcore Country.” She praised TNA as a company in 2010 who didn’t just give women four minute matches, but main events. James got emotional talking about her last TNA run, how she came into a locker room feeling defeated but left feeling vindicated. She praised the loyalty of the TNA fanbase and the “Hardcore Country” fanbase. James thanked her parents for instilling her love for wrestling and not to listen to the naysayers who are afraid to go after your dreams. For her haters, fakers, and under-appreciators, she finished with the lyrics from her “Hardcore Country” song.
WWE could learn something from TNA about keeping these things short and to the point.
Tom Hannifan & Matthew Rehwoldt were on commentary for the pre-show match.
The IInspiration (Cassie Lee & Jessie McKay) v. The Elegance Brand (M & Heather) (w/ The Personal Concierge) for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Title (4:37)
Ash walked out with the Elegance Brand but adjourned to the back for the match. Heather and M jumped the IInspiration before the bell. M hit a Van Terminator style coast-to-coast dropkick on Cassie for a near fall. M tied Lee up in a bow-and arrow type move to allow Heather to come off the top with a double stop for another near fall.
Finally, McCay got the tag and ran wild on her opponents. She threw Ashley into M, then hit M with a boot so she DDT’d her partner. McCay caught a pump kick from M but kicked out at two. McKay ducked a shot from Ashley, who hit her partner. Then the IInspiration finished off M with the Idolizer and Lee got the pinfall.
After the match, TNA President Carlos Silva presented the IInspiration with their tag team title belts.
Bound for Glory!
Tom Hannifan & Matthew Rehwoldt were on commentary.
The US Marines from “Recruiting Station Boston” present the colors and the National Anthem is played.
Steve Maclin defeated Frankie Kazarian to regain the TNA International Title (7:58)
The anthem and the Marines led right into Steve Maclin’s entrance for the opening match, so it would have been booking malpractice for him not to win the title back. Maclin also has his mother and other friends and family at ringside.
Maclin started off fast against Kazarian. Kazarian caught Maclin with a guillotine legdrop, then hit him with a sunset bomb to the floor. This was barely a minute into the match. Kazarian sent Maclin into the steel stairs, then got into Maclin’s mother’s face. Kazarian offered mom a free shot, and she gave him a double bird instead. Maclin jumped Kazarian tossed him back into the ring.
Back in the ring, Maclin Kazarian with a Thez press. Maclin escaped a chicken wing attempt and caught Kazarian with an olympic slam. Maclin hung Kazarian into the ropes for a shoulder block. Kaz tried to duck it, but Maclin went for a chicken wing. Kazarian countered that into a cradle, but got caught using the ropes and the ref stopped her count. Kazarian tried for a springboard, but Maclin pulled him into a Boston Crab, that he refused to break right away.
Kazarian hit a Pelé kick and the Angle’s Wings for a near fall since stealing people’s moves is all the rage this weekend. Kazarian tried to go for an avalanche Fade to Black, but Maclin broke that up by biting Kazarian. Kazarian dodged a top rope headbutt, then caught Maclin with a cutter for a near fall. Kazarian hung Maclin upside down for a running shoulder block, but Maclin escaped, hung up Kazarian and hit him with the shoulder block. Maclin hit the KIA and got the pinfall to regain the championship.
After the match, Maclin and his mother celebrated the title victory by flipping off the camera.
— Hannifan and Rehwoldt ran down the card. When Hannifan and Rehwoldt were running down the card, the only match that got a notable pop was Hardys/Team 3D.
— Trick Williams and his lawyer ran down the why he wears his championship belt upside down, and if there’s any shenanigans he’s lawyer will be laying down cases on the all the snitches.
Tessa Blanchard (w/ Victoria Crawford) defeated Gia Miller (w/ Jody Threat) (6:15)
Miller came out with all kinds of intensity, while Blanchard was nonplussed. Miller wrestles “occasionally,” but this is her first match in TNA.
Blanchard offerend Miller a headlock. Which she took, but Blanchard quickly escaped. Blanchard turned her back and Miller got a quick cradle on her for another near fall. Blanchard then snapped Miller’s neck against the ropes and stopped screwing around. Blanchard pressed Miller’s face into the steel stairs, then suplexed her on the stairs. Blanchard then drug beat on Miller in front of her family, seated at ringside.
Back in the ring, Blanchard distracted the ref so Crawford could get a shot in. Blanchard hit Miller with a superkick. Crawford interfered in front of the referee, who ejected Crawford. Blanchard dumped Crawford to the floor. Security tried to escort Crawford away, but Blanchard interfered. Threat then came off the top with a forward moonsault to take out everybody. Threat chased Crawford to the back.
Back in the ring, Miller made a comeback. She hit a Thez press and monkey flipped Blanchard out of the corner. She went for a crossbody that missed badly, but Blanchard still sold it for a near fall. Miller walked into a boot and Blanchard worked her over with right hands in the corner. Miller countered by locking up Blanchard’s arms and hit her with a straight headbutt. Miller tried to power Blanchard out of the corner with a powerbomb, but Blanchard pulled a roll of quarters out of somewhere, knocked out Miller, and got the pinfall. Just like daddy taught her!
The TNA Injury Report:
- Team 3D and the Hardys are cleared, but the Matt Hardy is beat up.
- Joe Hendry is hurt after the no-dq match from last week.
- Mike Santana and Trick Williams are also cleared for their title match.
Franike Kazarian and Nic Nemeth co-won the Call Your Shot Gauntlet in a double-pin (30:57)
Two wrestlers enter. After 2 minutes, a wrestle enters every 60 seconds. Eliminations occur by pinfall until the final 2 wrestlers are left. Then it’s a one-on-one match to determine a winner. And the winner gets a title shot at whatever championship they want for up to a calendar year.
Léi Yîng Lee was the first entrant by virtue of being the last person eliminated in a qualifying match a few weeks ago. Mara Sadé was the second entrant. They did a basic babyface match for two minutes, teasing near eliminations. After two minutes (no gimmicked clock, or at least it was close enough for now), Ryan Nemeth (3) was next. The knockouts double-teamed Nemeth until Nic Nemeth (4) came in to a huge pop. Sadé dropped Nic with a superkick. Lee and Sadé tried to dump Nic, but Ryan made the save. Nic took out both women with a double clothesline.
Cedric Alexander (5) came in and dumped both Nemeths with German suplexes. Rich Swann (6) of First Class was nexst, and he had a great exhcange with Alexander. Swann thendug into Alexander’s face with an eye rake. Alexander responded with a big boot. AJ Francis (7) was in next, and they missed an opportunity to do a skit in the preshow of Francis and Swann buying consecutive numbers. Francis tossed Lee to the mat in an ugly visual. Francis then eliminated both Sadé and Lee. Francis then chokeslammed Swann (his partner!) and then dumped him to the floor.
Travis Williams (8) came in after winning a coin flip against his partner to be the representative for his team. The Nemeths teamed up against Williams while Alexander and Francis went at it in another corner. BDE (9) was next. He’s a “famous wrestling Youtuber.” I’ve never heard of him. He did a spot with Francis and then ate a superkick from Nic Nemeth. The Rascals (10), all of them, were next. So yes, one tag team was only around one representative in the match, but this team was allowed three. At least these inconsistencies can be explained by Santino being… well, being Santion.
BDE and the Rascals combined to superkick Francis out of the match.
Dani Luna (11) came in and suplexed two of the Rascals. Williams and Luna did spots while everyone else laid around the ring out of their way. Eric Young (12) was next and went after former partner Williams. Williams almost eliminated Young with a clothesline. They fought on the apron. Young lowblowed Williams, hit him with a piledriver on the apron, and dumped him to the floor.
Jake Something came in at 13, shout out to Taylor Swift! Something and Luna powerbombed two of the Rascals. They tried to dump Trey Miguel and Myron Reed, but they skinned the cat back in. Young smacked BDE and eliminated him. Rosemary (14) was next. Miguel and Alexander were eliminated by Eric Young.
The Home Town Man (15) came in with the UMass mascot. Something tried to hold the Home Town Man for the mist from Rosemary. But the Man ducked and Something got misted and eliminated. You could say he got… something in his eyes.
Zack Clayton (16) came out with Guido from the ECW’s original FBI. He hit Clayton hit the Home Town man with a powerslam and a clothesline. Dani Luna eliminated Rosemary, and the Man eliminated Luna. Jody Threat (17) ran around and around the ring until Frankie Kazarian floored her with a clothesline. She never got in the ring, so Frankie Kazarian took her spot, shoving Santino Marella in the process. So of course, Santino Marella was in at 18. Marella hit Kazarian with the COBRA (which sent Kazarian through the ropes and to the floor, which becomes annoyingly important later). Santino came in… and was instantly eliminated by a Nic Nemeth clothesline. He wasn’t ready!
But do you know who’s always read? Matt Cardona (19), who came in and eliminated Clayton. Cardona pulled Guildo into the ring and eliminated him, too. Mance Warner (20) entered last with Halloween party rejects and his fiancé Steph DeLander. The other Rascals were eliminated while Warner made his entrance. DeLander gave Warner a steel chair. Everyone just let Warner hit them with the steel chair until Cardona caught him from behind with a forearm.
Young tried to toss the Home Town Man, but he skinned the cat to stay alive. They fought out to the apron, and Young eliminated the Man with a low blow. Cardona took out Young, then tossed Warner as well.
This left Cardona alone with the Nemeths. The Nemeths double-teamed Cardona, who made his won comeback. Cardona tossed Ryan over the ropes but he stayed on the apron. Ryan held Cardona open for a superkick from Nic, but Cardona ducked and Ryan was eliminated BY HIS BIG BROTHER.
It looked like it was Matt v. Nic Nemeth to finish. DeLander and Mance Warner distracted Cardona, and Nic Nemeth dumped him over the top. The ring announcer then announced that Cardona was eliminated. I thought I had the rules wrong, but since Frankie Kazarian was never eliminated by Santino Marella, that meant Frankie Kazarian and Nic Nemeth were the final two.
Nic and Kazarian wrestled for a bit, and eventually both men did a double-pin after a superplex. Santino Marella then announced both men won, which elicited a huge “bullsh!t” chant from the crowd. They tried to do a comedy spot with both of them trying to hold onto the trophy, but the crowd just booed all of this.
What an absolute dumpster fire of a finish. The crowd was right to boo this.
Kelani Jordan defeated Indi Hartwell to retain the TNA Knockouts World Championship (12:34)
It took four flights for Hartwell’s parents to get here to see her get an opportunity for the TNA Knockouts World Championship.
This was a very good babyface match to start, with both women going for near falls off cradles and dodging each other’s strikes early. Jordan hung up Hartwell in the ropes and came off with a legdrop for a near fall. Jordan hit Hartwell in the back with forearms and went for a suplex, but Hartwell escaped and caught Jordan with a spinebuster for a near fall. Hartwell hit Jordan with a boot for a near fall.
Hartwell stretched Jordan’s back across her knees, practically bending her in half. Jordan fought out and came out of the corner with a clothesline. They did “boo/yay” punches, with Hartwell getting the “yays!” Jordan hit a cartwheel back elbow. Hartwell went for a death valley driver, but Jordan escaped and hit a split jawbreaker for a near fall. Jordan locked in a half-crab, shoutout to Lance Storm! Hartwell eventually kicked out of that to escape.
Jordan came off the top with a crossbody, but Hartwell rolled through a powered Jordan up. Jordan turned that into small package for two. Hartwell and Jordan struggled to figure out a powerbomb, but eventually Hartwell hit the move for a near fall. Hartwell went for a boot, but Jordan caught it and hit a spinning kick. Jordan hit a frog splash for a near fall. Jordan kept trying to get the pin off that, but Hartwell kept kicking out.
Hartwell dropped to the floor. Jordan tried to follow, but Hartwell tripped her up. Hartwell hit Jordan with a boot. Back in the ring, Hartwell hit a top rope elbow for a near fall. Hartwell went for the Hurts Donut, but Jordan countered with a cradle. Hartwell caught Jordan with a Hurts Donut out of nowhere, but Jordan was too close to the ropes and broke the count. Hartwell went to the top again, but Jordan followed her up.
Jordan tried for a Spanish Fly, but Hartwell elbowed her down. Hartwell went for another top rope elbow, but Jordan ducked. Jordan then hit Hartwell with a split-legged moonsault, and got the pinfall.
Yes, the flew Hartwell’s parents around the world to watch her lose.
After the match, Hartwell shook Jordan’s hand and then got consoled by her family on the loss.
I’m worried for Mike Santana now.
— The Nemeths and Frankie Kazarian were in the back arguing about who hasn’t been world champion and when they might call their shot.
The System defeated Order 4 in Hardcore War (19:25)
This is War Games without the cage or double ring, but with weapons.
Jason Hotch started out with a trash can against Eddie Edwards who came with his family, Wally the mascot of the Boston Red Sox, and a kendo stick. Wally distracted Hotch by shaking his pelvis at him, allowing Edwards to hit Hotch with a dive to start the match. Hotch hit Edwards with a dropkick and went for a dive, but Edwards blocked that by throwing a trash can at his head. Edwards hit Hotch with chops that he sold like gunshots (cause they sounded like gunshots).
Jon Skyler was next with a steel chair,. Hotch hit Edwards with a spear and choked him with his t-shirt. The Great Hands hit Edwards with their finisher, the Favor (a combined blockbuster/Samoan drop). JDC came in next with a Patriots helmet. Edwards put the steel chair over Skyler’s crotch, and JDC hit the chair with the football helmet. JDC followed the Great Hands out to the floor with a dive.
Skyler came up busted open, and JDC pulled a cheese grater out from under the ring and used it to work over the cut.
Tasha Steelz came in with a Yankees jersey and a bat for her weapon. Skyler was a bloody mess and fans in the front row was concerned. Alicia Edwards came out with her kendo stick. Edwards cracked Steelz in the head. Edwards tried to grab Alicia and caught a kendo stick in the bean.
Eddie Edwards pulled out a stable gun. He stapled Skyler in the face, JDC stapled Hotch in the crotch, and Alicia stapled Steelz in the derrière.
Agent Zero was next for Order 4. He press-slammed JDC and tossed Eddie Edwards into the ringside stairs. Zero tossed the top half of the stairs at Eddie’s head. Zero is wrestling in tights and it’s roughly a 1000% improvement for his look. Brian Myers came out next, without a weapon. Zero didn’t have a weapon, either. Myers tried to use one of the trash cans around ringside, but Zero just put him dow with a boot. Zero dumped Myers with a hanging tree slam on the trash can.
Alicia rolled into the ring and found herself surrounded by Order 4 as Mustafa Ali was the last entrance for his team, brining a sledgehammer with him.
Eddie Edwards saved his wife momentarily from an attack from Order 4. The Great Hands and Ali dropkicked JDC in the corner. Moose entered last for his team, with a chain wrapped around him. The Great Hands came for Moose in the aisle way and he destroyed them. Ali tried to catch Moose with a dive, but he caught him and powerbombed him on the apron. Moose stood one-on-one with Agent Zero. After a pretty even standoff, Zero was able to dump Moose to the floor. All the members of Order 4 and the System brawled on the floor, and Zero came over the top rope with a dive onto everyone.
Back in the ring, Steelz pulled out a kendo stick wrapped in barb wire. Alicia Edwards dumped tacks in the ring. Alicia Edwards hit Steelz with the kendo stick to get rid of her. Alicia found herself alone in the ring… with Agent Zero, who gave her a hanging tree slam into the thumbtacks. JDC and Myers went after Zero with kendo sticks, and Moose rapped himself in the chain to spear Agent Zero.
Eddie tried to check on Alicia, but Ali hit him with a steel chair and dumped him. Ali dumped more thumbtacks on Alicia Edwards. Ali went for the 450, but Alicia rolled out of the way and Ali dove right into the tacks.
Eddie Edwards came back up and wrapped his knee in barbed wire. Edwards leveled Ali with a Boston Knee Party wrapped in barbed wire, and got the pinfall.
Leon Slater and Je’von Evans wrestled to a 20-minute time lime draw for the TNA X-Division Championship, which then became a non-finish (20:05)
The crowd was wild for this before they even touched, cheering and chanting “This is awesome!” Both guys teased big strikes against the other, than mocked their opponent for covering up in a panic. Slater caught Evans with a small package for a near fall, after about six counters and reversals. Evans used a go-behind to get some riding time, but Slater was quick to power up. Finally Slater shoved Evans hard when he was backed against the ropes, and things started to get less friendly.
Slater caught Evans with a chop, but Evans fired back. Evan sent Slater to the floor and followed him out with a tope. Slater shoved Evans off the ropes when he went for a springboard, then followed him out with a dive. Back in the ring, Slater hit a crossbody for two.
Slater hit deliberate chops on Evans to slow down the pace. Evans ducked a kick, caught Evans with a step-up springboard rana, and a dropkick. Evans caught Slater with an over the ropes plancha, then came back in the ring with a springboard clothesline on Slater for a near fall.
Evans hit a suplex and then immediately kipped up. Evans ducked an enziguri but Slater hit a heel kick on the rebound. Slater followed up with a springboard back elbow. Slater caught Evans with a flying boot for a near fall. Slater hit a slingshot cutter for a near fall. Evans went to the top, but Slater blocked it and they fought to the apron. Evans tried a suplex, but Slater escaped and tried for the slingshot cutter again, but this time Evans countered it into a spinning DDT that sent Slater across the ring. Evans then hit an out of the ring springboard cutter but smacked his tailbone against the ring apron and he probably hurt himself legit. Evans struggled to get to his feet. Slater slid in, and Evans came off the top with a splash. Evans then hit a second top rope splash from across the ring, but only got two.
Slater caught Evans with a boot, Evans responded with a forearm, and Slater hit another kick. Evans snatched Slater up with a rana and a cradle for near fall. Evans came off the ropes with a springboard right into a flying hangman’s neckbreaker from Slater.
Both men struggled to get to their feet, exchanging strikes along the way. Slater wore out Evans with chops. Slather left himself open for a chop from Evans, so Evans hit him with a cutter, then another springboard cutter, but Slater kicked out at two.
Evans went to the top, but Slater caught him with an enziguri and followed him up top. They fought and both guys jumped to the floor on opposite sides of the corner. Slater tried for a springboard off the barricade, but Evans shoved him into the crowd. Evans then hit a running dive over the barricade onto Slater in the crowd. Evans jumped the rail, and Slater followed hitting his own dive over the barricade as the bell rang to signify the time limit for the match had expired.
TNA has time limits?
Santino Marella came out and announced they would have five more minutes.
Slater hit Evans with Utopia, and Evans slid to the floor. Slater followed him with his over the post dive. Slater went to the top, but Evans jumped up and pulled Slater down with Spanish Fly. Evans went for the cover… and the lights went out. Dark State ran in and attacked both Slater and Evans. Dark State gave Slater and Evans double-team power bombs. The crowd chanted “F*ck these guys!” in an example of probably the wrong kind of heat. That’s a TV finish, not a pay-per-view finish. The extra time was maybe a minute.
To recap: they did a time limit draw to tease a non-finish, restart the match, and then delivered the non-finish anyway, but a worse version of it!
Chris Bey returned to TNA. Chris Bey announced that TNA has set a new attendance record of 7,794. I’m sure we’re all going to wait for the turnstyle count to verfiy that number.
The Hardys v. The Dudley Boys (Team 3D) to retain the NXT and TNA Tag Team Titles in One Final Table(s Match) (15:41)
Brother Runt (aka Spike Dudley) came out and gave Team 3D their Dudley glasses. The crowd chanted “ECW!” for the reunited Dudley Boyz. The Dudleys set some tables up in the aisle. The Hardys brought a ladder and a steel chair with them. They set up a ladder in front of those tables. Uh-oh.
The Dudleys dumped Jeff to the floor and hit Matt with a 3D right away. Jeff tried to go at the Hardys 2-on-1. He tried for the Whisper in the Wind, but the Dudleys did their best impersonation of Samoa Joe and walked away from Jeff, and Jeff hit the mat. D-Von gave Jeff that “Wassup???” headbutt. At Bubba’s direction, the crowd called for D-Von to get the tables. The Dudleys gave Jeff the 3D through the table, getting the Dudleys are halfway to winning the match.
Matt came back in with the steel chair. Matt was able to send Bubba to the floor on a miscommunication. Matt and D-Von brawled on the floor. On the floor D-Von took too long setting up a table, and Matt caught D-Von with the Twist of Fate. Matt set up D-Von for an elbow through the table, but D-Von got out of the way and Matt went though the table. But Matt isn’t eliminated since he wasn’t “put through” the table.
Jeff came back and took out Bubba Ray with a clothesline off the apron. D-Von dragged Jeff around the other side of the ring. Back in the ring, Bubba set up a table in the corner. Matt dodged a charge from Bully, who bounced into the table but didn’t break it. Back to D-Von and Jeff, and D-Von hit Jeff with a table. D-Von climbed a ladder set up in the aisle way (to dive onto Jeff through a table), but Matt climbed up the other side of the ladder and cut him off. The Hardys set D-Von up on the table. Jeff hit a senton off the top of the ladder through the tables, but he came up a little short. His legs hit D-Von (which counted as D-Von going through the table) and I think he might have clipped the back of his head against the ladder, too. Most of Jeff’s body went through a table that D-Von wasn’t on.
This leaves Matt or Bubba as the last man to eliminate.
Back in the ring, The Hardys go after Bubba with steel chair shots. They set up another table. Jeff held open Bubba for a chair from Matt, but when Matt threw the chair Bubba ducked and he hit Jeff. Bubba tried to powerbomb Jeff through a table, but Matt moved it. The Hardys regained the advantage, and Jeff hit Bubba with a swanton bomb.
The Hardys hit Bubba with more chair shots. D-Von was done and Bubba was struggling to get to his feet. Bubba looked defeated; he knew he was done. The Hardy threw down their chairs, and Bubba offered no resistance as the Hardys grabbed him for a double-team uranage through one final table to end the match and the 25-year feud.
After the match, Carlos Silva presented the Hardys with their tag team title belts. The Hardys helped Bubba Ray to his feet, and eventually D-Von got back to the ring as well. The four men shared an embrace in the ring. The crowd chanted “Thank You Dudleys!” The Hardys were about to leave, but the Dudleys pulled them back into the ring. The Dudleys then took their wrestling boots off in the middle of the ring, signaling the end of their in-ring careers. The Dudleys then handed their boots to the Hardy Boys. Both teams embraced as the crowd cheered. The Dudleys walked off into the sunset one last time while the Hardys celebrated in the ring.
The match was what it was, but the post-match was tremeounds.
— Genesis is coming to Dallas in January, 2026.
Mike Santana defeated Trick Williams to win the TNA World Championship (15:54)
Santana found Konnan while running around the crowd for his entrance. The crowd was insanely into both men’s entrances and the match had a big fight feel.
Williams grabbed the house mic from the ring announcer before she could announce his presence, then told Santana he would “beat his a$$ like the Boston Red Sox” and did his own ring announcement. Santana cut him off with a right hand and the match unofficially began with a brawl on the floor.
Santana and Williams fought into the crowd. Williams tried to use a trash can on Santana, but that backfired and he would up covered in trash. They brawled back to the ring area, and Santana dumped Williams onto the ring apron with a back suplex. Santana took a minute to celebrate with a fan, and this gave Williams the opening to hit Santana with the title belt.
Back in the ring, the referee started the match. Williams hit a Trick Kick and got a near fall. Williams followed that up with a death valley driver for another near fall. Williams dropped Santana with a flapjack. Williams hit a spin kick and a jumping neckbreaker for another near fall.
Williams hit Santana with a backhand, which only fired up Santana. But Santana charged at Williams and got backdropped to the floor. Back to the floor, Williams used a slingshot to send Santana into the ringpost headfirst. Santana came up bloody, and Williams slammed him on the floor. Williams tried to drive the steels stairs into Santana, but he got out of the way. Santana hit a superman forearm, but Williams backdropped Santana on the steel stairs.
On the floor, Williams whipped Santana into the ring barricade, then took Santana over to his daughter so she could watch him take a beating. Williams asked Santana’s daughter who her daddy was… and she slapped Trick! Stunned, Williams walked into a tope from Santana.
Back in the ring, Santana caught Williams with a powerbomb for a near fall. Santana went to the top again as the crowd did dueling chants for Santana and Williams. Santana hit a 450 splash for a near fall.
Trick’s lawyer came out to distract Santana. Santana went for his discus lariat, but Williams ducked it and hit a pair of uranages. Williams went to the top, but Santana caught him. Williams battled through and drove Santana to the mat with an avalanche uranage. But Williams only got a near fall.
Williams grabbed his title belt and went for a wild swing, but Santana ducked and rolled up Williams for two. After some more counters, Santana hit the discus lariat, but only got two. The lawyer got up on the apron again, and this time Santana pulled him in the ring and gave him a discus lariat. Williams caught Santana with a Trick Shot, but it only got two. Santana crawled up to his feet, looking at his daughter in the crowd. Williams charged in for another Trick Shot, but Santana ducked. Santana blocked another uranage, hit a flying lariat, and finally, finally, FINALLY hit the discus lariat and got the pinfall to bring the TNA World title home to TNA.
As Carlos Silva is walking in to award the belt to Santana, Nic Nemeth came out to cash in his stupid title shot. But the lights dropped. When they came back up, Elias was behind Nemeth, and he took him out with a chair shot. Frankie Kazarian came in to also try and cash in, but he could’t since he didn’t have the trophy. So Santana took him out with a lariat. Santana got to hand the TNA World title to his daughter and celebrate in the ring with her. None of that nonsense with Nemeth and Kazarian was necessary.
Mike Santana is the first TNA World Champion of Puerto Rican heritage.
There was some abosultely head-scratching booking decisions here. I actually thought the Guantlet match was kind of fun until the ridiculous finish (which the crowd hated), and also thought the X-Division title match was good until we got two non-finishes in less than five minutes (which the crowd also hated). But they stuck the landing with the emotional TNA World title change and the retirement of the Dudley Boys.
