TNA Wrestling heads north of the border to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, for tonight’s Victory Road streaming special.
The show won’t feature either a TNA World or Knockouts title match as Trick Williams isn’t scheduled and Masha Slamovich was pulled to allegations of domestic abuse.
In one title match, X-Division Champion Leon Slater will defend against Myron Reed of The Rascalz while TNA International Champion Steve Maclin defends against Frankie Kazarian in a grudge match.
In a TNA vs. NXT bout, Mike Santana takes on Ridge Holland.
In the night’s third title bout, Knockouts Tag Team Champions Heather by Elegance and M by Elegance defend against The IInspiration’s Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay.
Knockouts Champion Ash by Elegance will be on the show for an announcement.
In a match to determine the order of entry advantage for Hardcore War at Bound for Glory, Moose takes on Mustafa Ali.
In a clash of former World Champions, Joe Hendry meets Eric Young while former TNA Tag Team Champions Nic Nemeth & Ryan Nemeth take on The Home Town Man & Matt Cardona.
The pre-show will feature Cedric Alexander vs. Trey Miguel vs. Zachary Wentz in a three-way while Matt Hardy talks to AJ Francis in an interview segment.
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Live! From Edmonton —deep breath— Alberta, Canada.
Pre-Show.
Tom Hannifan & Matthew Rehwoldt are on commentary for the last live TNA+ special the road to Bound for Glory.
Zachary Wentz pinned Cedric Alexander in a Triple Threat match which included Trey Miguel (7:51)
Miguel knocked his partner out of the match immediately with a superkick, making the match one-on-one for a minute between Miguel and Alexander. Wentz paid him back by setting up a double-team with Miguel but turning it into a flipping DDT on Miguel instead. Everyone takes turns hitting running dives on the floor on each other, until Wentz cuts Miguel’s last dive off with a cutter. Alexander starts German suplexing fools like he’s Brock Lesnar without the sordid legal background. Alexander suplexed them both individually and then both at the same time. Miguel and Wentz each hit a slingblade on Alexander, then went to slingblade each other, knocking themselves out. Wentz hit a rolling cutter on Miguel and then used the momentum to hit Miguel with a knee for a near fall. Alexander dropped Wentz with a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Miguel tied up Alexander’s legs, took out Wentz with a Lightning Spiral, and then rolled Alexander into a Muta Lock. Wentz broke that up with a swanton. Wentz hit a cutter on Alexander and got the pinfall.
— Gia Miller interviewed International Champion Steve Maclin, who will fight for all the Marines that have had to deal with the disrespect like Frankie Kazarian has given him. When he was done, El Mesías of AAA came out of nowhere to stare the TNA International Champion down.
AJ Francis’ First Class Penthouse. Francis wore a Houston Texans jacket to try and rub it in to the Edmonton crowd because they don’t have any professional sports franchises. But let’s be honest, calling the Houston Texans a professional franchise is a stretch. Francis screamed a lot and said nothing while the crowd chanted obscenities. Francis took off his jersey to reveal a Florida Panthers t-shirt to rub in how Edmonton lost the Stanley Cup to them twice. Francis tried to have the production team play music from his new album (debuting on streaming platforms everywhere Tuesday), but Matt Hardy’s music played instead. Francis ran down Hardy because he believed that First Class belongs in the Tag Team Title match at Bound for Glory. Hardy responded with the list of all the things the Hardys and Dudleys have done to reinvent tag team wrestling. This lead to a brawl. Francis hit a boot and chokeslammed Hardy though a table in the ring. Hardy v. Francis might be added to the show.
— The System. The System with the returning JDC came out. Eddie Edwards took the mic and issued a challenge to Order 4 for tonight. Santino Marella came out and made the Matt Hardy v. AJ Francis match (pending Hardy getting cleared by the medical professionals) as well as Order 4 v. The System, which will open the show!
Victory Road! The Main Show!
The System (Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers, JDC) defeated Order 4 (Jason Hotch, John Skyler, Agent Zero) (4:32)
This is Agent Zero’s in-ring debut. He wrestles in a suit pants and a dress shirt with the sleeves cut off. He still doesn’t look big enough for this role. He did have a sharp short-arm powerslam though. Order 4 worked over Edwards in their corner. JDC eventually go the tag and took it to both members of the Great Hands. JDC hit a falcon arrow on Hodge for a near fall. Zero tried to run in but got clotheslined to the floor. JDC hit a top rope legdrop on Skyler and got the pinfall. Short and inoffensive.
Ash by Elegance Vacates the TNA Knockouts Championship. Ash was announced as both a TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion and the TNA Knockouts World Champion. Marella and TNA president Carlos Silva. Ash announced that she is no longer able to compete and is giving up the TNA Knockouts Title. Ash thanked the crowd for their support and expressed confidence in the women in the Knockouts Locker Room to elevate the TNA Knockouts Title as she would have. Ash received a standing ovation from the crowd as she left the ring, and left the title in the ring. Marella then announced the TNA Knockouts Tag Title match will be moved to this Thursday to make room for a TNA Knockouts Battle Royal, where the last two women in the ring will fight it out for the TNA Knockouts Championship.
Lei Ying Lee and Kelani Jordan survived a Battle Royal to qualify for a match for the vacant TNA Knockouts Championship (4:45)
It’s battle royal rules, but the last two women remaining will fight it out in a singles match for the title later in the show. Indi Hartwell will be the guest referee for the title match as planned, so she is not in this match.
There were only 10 women in the battle royal. A The IInspiration and Heather & M got into it to start. The Conceigere guy jumped into the ring to try and help the Elegance Brand by throwing a woman that even the commentators couldn’t identify to the wolves. I believe it was Lili “La Pescadita” Ruiz. Anyway, the IInspiration tossed her to the floor. That was an ignonimous TNA debut. Jody Threat was clotheslined out of the match by Dani Luna. Luna also eliminated Xia Brookside. Everyone ganged up on Luna to eliminate her. The IInspriation and The Elegance Brand teased eliminating each other until Lei Yǐng Lee and Kelani Jordan dumped all four of them. This left Jordan and Lee as the two finalists for the title match later in the show. This wasn’t much but I can’t blame TNA for their whole Knockouts title picture completely blowing up on them over the past 48 hours.
Matt Cardona & The Home Town Man (w/ Buzz, the Mascot of the Edmonton Stingers) defeated The Nemeth Brothers (6:27)
Ryan won (or lost, I don’t know) the paper-rock-scissors contest and had to start the match with Cardona. I wonder if that’s a work or a shoot. Cardona got a near fall on Ryan with a flapjack. The fans chanted “Chelsea’s Husband!” for Cardona. The crowd was also into the Home Town Man, which I guess makes sense since he’s from Edmonton. Although he’s also been from Phoenix. And Minnesota… is this a deal like Ted DiBiase’s seasonal residences?
Joe Hendry was shown backstage on the floor hurting, the victim of an apparent attack.
Nic Nemeth got a near fall on the Home Town Man after a big elbow drop. Cardona got the hot tag and hit a middle rope dropkick on Nic. Cardona hit the Unpretty-Her on Nic for a near fall. Nemeth countered Radio Silence and Ryan caught Cardona with a jumping DDT for a near fall. Home Town Man came in with a crossbody on both Nemeths for a near fall. Home Town Man tried to hit both Nemeths with a sliced bread, but they countered it and took the Man out with a Hart Attack. Ryan tried to tie up Home Town Man with a sharpshooter, but Home Town Man countered that with a small package and got the pinfall!
After the match, The Nemeths took out Cardona with a Danger Zone. The Nemeths stripped The Home Town Man of his mask, but Cardona covered his face up before we could learn his identity. This better lead to a Hair vs. Mask match at Bound for Glory.
Mike Santana defeated Ridge Holland (7:57)
Santana cut an impassioned promo before the match outside the arena surrounded by fans. If Holland took out Santana, Trick Williams promised him a title shot. So Santana came out swinging, dumped Holland to the floor and hit him with a tope con hilo on the floor. Holland sent Santana into the ring apron then got a near fall back in the ring off a suplex. Holland avoided an enziguri. Santana caught him with a crossbody, but Holland came back with a powerslam and kind of a Snowplow looking move for a near fall. Holland went for a implant DDT, but Santana blocked it and backdropped his way out of the move. Santana hit a pair of lariats, and flying lariat and then kipped up. Santana hit an enziguri in the corner. Holland blocked a rolling cutter but got dropped with a Death Valley Driver. Holland blocked the discus lariat, but walked into the rolling cutter. Santana hit the cannonball in the corner. Santana hit a top rope superplex. Santana then tried to transition into another suplex, but Holland countered with a vertical powerslam for a near fall. Santana avoided a clothesline from Holland and came back and hit the discus lariat to get the pinfall victory.
After the match, TNA World Champion Trick Williams ran in from behind and hit Santana with the championship belt. The crowd is behind Santana, but every time Williams appears he comes off as ten times the star, and the booking of Williams laying out Santana with a belt shot and then walking away didn’t really help Santana. This needed to be more like Santana succumbing to a bunch of NXT thugs lead by Williams, but still being defiant after taking a beating.
— Matt Hardy bullied the doctor into cleaning him for a match with AJ Francis later tonight.
Mustafa Ali defeated Moose to win the advantage for Hardcore War at Bound for Glory (12:18)
The members of Order 4 and the System each came out with their respective representavies in the match, then adjourned to the back. Except for the “escorts” of Ali, a trio of masked belly dancers.
Moose killed Ali with a boot to start the match. Moose brushed off a pair of chops by Ali and hit a pair of his own. Moose set Ali on the turnbuckles than dropkicked him to the floor. As impressive as Moose looks, Ali is doing a tremendous job bumping all over the place and selling like crazy. On the floor, Moose tried to powerbomb Ali, but Ali countered with a spinning DDT. Ali’s “escorts” watched from the entrance ramp.
Back in the ring, Ali hit a springboard moonsault, but Moose’s kickoff sent Ali out of the ring. Ali hit a rolling neckbreaker for a near fall. Ali tried to slow things down with a chinlock, but Moose easily powered out. Ali hit a jumping rana, then sent Moose into a ring barricade with a plancha. Moose avoided the 450, then dropped Ali with an uranagi and a senton. More chops were exchanged. Ali hit a super kicked, but Moose turned Ali inside out with a clothesline. Ali countered a powerbomb attempt with a code red for a near fall. Ali went to the top, but Moose cut him off with a chop. Moose tried for a superplex, but Ali blocked it. Ali tried a springboard, but Moose caught him and countered with the Go to Hell (a Sky High) for a near fall. Ali dodged a spear and went for a suplex, but Moose blocked it. Ali countered the counter and got the suplex and god, Ali is just magnitudes of order better than anyone else on this show so far.
Moose hit a spear out of nowhere and almost got a three, but Ali’s foot was on the rope and the ref stopped her count. The fans chanted “ref you suck!” But that was 100% the right call so that crowd owes her an apology. Both guys dropped to the floor. Moose charged at Ali, and Ali backdropped Moose right onto the steel stairs. Back in the ring, Ali hit the 450, but Moose SAT UP while holding Ali. Ali’s facials were great here. Ali went at Moose with rights, but Moose hulked up. Ali dove into a headbutt from Moose. Ali caught a charging Moose with a cradle for two. Ali went for a backslide, which Moose countered. Moose hit a huge powebomb for another near fall. Ali’s escorts surrounded the ring. They all got on the apron, and distracted the ref. One slid into the ring and gave Moose a low blow behind the ref’s back. Ali then hit the 450 and got the pinfall.
And of course after the match, the “dancer” who gave the low blow revealed herself to be Tasha Steelz. This was a great match.
Joe Hendry defeated Eric Young (11:16)
Young grabbed the mic to declare himself the winner by forfeit, but of course says the name of his opponent, and he appeared. There was a fan opposite the hard cam holding up a sign that said “The Cleanse is Coming.” Lots of brawling around the ring to start. Back in the ring, Young hit a DDT to take control. Young was on offense for a long time. Young used a lot of wear down holds, which gave time for the crowd to get behind Hendry but didn’t do much for me. Hendry fought out of the sleeper three times but then got caught right back in it again. Hendry ultimately countered the sleeper by hitting Young with a suplex.
Hendry mounted the comeback with a step up rana and a fallaway slam. A fan dressed as Hendry stood next to the “Cleanse is Coming” sign guy, which I don’t think TNA intended to happen. Hendry with an Olympic Slam for a near fall. Hendry set up a superplex, but Young bit Hendry, pushed him to the mat and hit a flying elbow for near fall. Young mocked Hendry’s clap. Hendry escaped a death valley driver attempt, but Young hit a piledriver for a near fall. Young got into the face of the referee. Hendry came up behind Young and got hit with a lowbrow. Young went to the floor to bring in some steel chairs, but the former members of the Northern Army ran down to distract Young. Hendry then caught Young with the Standing Ovation on a steel chair and got the pinfall. Even though Hendry hit his finisher on a steel chair, Hannifan on commentary gave a convoluted explanation as to why that wasn’t a disqualification. This made no sense and it would have been better for him to just leave it alone. Match was fine and the crowd was way into it.
— The commentators talked up footage from NXT on Tuesday where the TNA roster “stood up” to the NXT roster. My angle sense in tingling.
Matt Hardy v. AJ Francis
Matt came out limping more than usual. Hardy then announced the match would be… a TABLES MATCH. Hardy promised to but Francis’ “big a$$” through a table.
Matt Hardy defeated AJ Francis in a Tables Match (9:47)
Matt tried to pull a table from under the ring, but Francis put it back and the crowd booed. Francis really knows how to be a heel. Hardy charged at Francis and dove into his “Right Hand of God.” Back in the ring, Francis choked Hardy against the ropes. The crowd did not like AJ Francis. Francis flipped himself over the ropes while hitting Hardy with a knee, but missed a senton. Hardy went to the floor to grab a table. Hardy struggled to get the table in the ring. Francis cut him off with a boot. Francis propped a table up in the corner and went to charge at Hardy, but Hardy got out of the way. Francis charged a Hardy with a cannonball, but Hardy ducked and Francis put himself through the table. But, since Hardy didn’t put him through the table, the match continued.
Hardy deleted Francis’ head into the turnbuckles, then hit a DDT out of the corner. Hardy was selling bad ribs and went to the floor to grab a chair. In an ill-advised spot, Hardy hung the chair around Francis’ head, but Francis pulled Hardy into the chair, catching Matt’s face on the legs of the chair. Francis threw the chair at Hardy’s face and choked him out with the chair. Francis went up for a moonsault, but taunted the crowd and Hardy recovered to hit him with the chair. Hardy drove Francis down to the mat with an avalanche side effect.
Hardy set up a table on the floor. Back in the ring, Francis hit Hardy with a spear. Francis grabbed Matt’s TNA tag title belt. Francis tried to hit Matt with the title belt, but Matt ducked and dropped Francis with a Twist of Fate. On the floor, Hardy hit Francis in the face with the belt (which set him up on the table). Hardy came off the top rope with a legdrop to put Francis through the table (on the floor!) and get the victory.
Kelani Jordan defeated Léi Yîng Lee for the vacant TNA Knockouts World Title with Indi Hartwell as Special Referee (15:14)
Hartwell patted down both competitors before calling for the bell, always a great spot for the special referee. She even checked Lee’s hair for weapons.
Lee caught Jordan with a shoulder block. Jordan caught Lee with a dropkick to send her to the floor. Lee caught Jordan with a knee and a dropkick for a near fall. Jordan dodged a charge from Lee and caught her with a splash for a near fall. Jordan countered a fireman’s carry with a sunset flip, which set off an exchange of cradles and near falls between the two.
After dueling chants from the crowd for TNA and NXT, Lee caught Jordan with strikes in the corner. Release Northern Lights suplex got Lee a near fall. Lee went for a spinning face buster, but Jordan escaped. Both women nearly collided with Hartwell at points. Jordan worked over Lee with a half-crab. We all know what agent in the back gave her that idea. Lee eventually kicked Jordan to the floor to escape.
Jordan climbed the ropes, but Lee caught her with more strikes. Lee jumped from the mat to the top rope and took Jordan down with a hurricanrana in a cool spot. Both women began exchanging strikes in the center of the ring, with Lee eventually firing up to take control. Lee hit a thurst kick, a rolling necksnap and a seated dropkick for a near fall. Lee went for a powerbomb, but Jordan rolled through and hit a superkick. Jordan charged, but Lee caught her with a Blue Thunder Bomb for another near fall.
Jordan dropped to the floor to take a breather. Lee followed and Jordan caught her with a kick. Jordan tried to go for a rana off the apron but messed up the move and wound up powerbombing herself. Lee sold the move anyway and Jordan popped up. Back in the ring, Jordan went for a kick, but Lee countered and locked Jordan in an STF. Jordan fought her way out and rolled up Lee for a near fall. Jordan planted Lee with a sitout implant DDT. Jordan hit a frog splash for another near fall.
Jordan went for a split legged legdrop off the top, but somehow hit Hardwell. Lee hit Thunderstruck, but Hartwell was out. Hartwell recovered but Lee only got a two count. Lee and Jordan exchanged small packages for two. Jordan hit Lee with a a stunner, then delivered a split legged moonsault and got the pinfall.
After the match, Carlo Silva presented the TNA Knockouts World title to Jordan. Jordan also held up Lee’s hand in a show of respect. Ash also came out to congratulate the new champion.
Frankie Kazarian defeated Steve Maclin for the TNA International Championship (15:35)
The “TNA Headlines” graphic before the match all but gave away the finish, especially after the commentators harped on how it’s been 3 years since Kazarian held a TNA title.
Maclin handled Kazarian well early on, out wrestling him from the onset. Kazarian tried to turn things into a brawl and that went even worse for him. Maclin mauled him with forearms to the back in the corner, then dropped Kazarian with a backbreaker for near fall. Kazarian missed a legdrop on the apron, but Maclin missed a big dive to the floor. Kazarian followed up with a lariat on the floor to take control.
Back in the ring, Kazarian hit a slingshot legdrop. Kazarian caught Maclin with a forearm to the throat. Maclin had a bloody lip. Kazarian whipped him hard into the corner. Kazarian dove at Maclin, who tried to drive him down with a uranagi. Kazarian came back with a clothesline. Kazarian worked over Maclin with a cravat.
Kazarian hit a neckbreaker for a near fall, then went back to the cravat. Maclin fought his way out of the cravat and went for an Olympic Slam. Kazarian escaped and someone forgot what they were supposed to do, leading to an awkward spot. Maclin caught Kazarian with a face buster and both men were down.
Kazarian charged into a clothesline from Maclin. Maclin caught him with a Thez Press. Maclin hit a forearm in the corner and a short clothesline. Maclin got the Olympic Slam for a near fall. Kazarian went for the chicken wing, but Maclin escaped and hit a charging knee. A headbutt got Maclin a near fall. Maclin clubbed Kazarian in the corner and hung him upside down. Maclin charged, but Kazarian countered with a cutter in an amazing spot for a near fall.
Kazarian went for the chicken wing again, but Maclin countered. Kazarian caught Maclin with an elbow and avoided a charge in the corner. Kazarian climbed the ropes, but Maclin caught him with a right and fought up there with Kazarian. Maclin clubbed Kazarain in the back some more, then superplexed him down. Maclin rolled though and into a death valley driver style neckbreaker. Kazarian rolled to the floor.
Kazarian caught Maclin with a slingshot DDT for a near fall. Kazarian set up Maclin on the ropes and set up the Flux Capacitor, but Maclin shoved Kazarian off. Maclin went for a top rope headbutt, but Kazarian got out of the way and tried to lock in a chicken wing. Maclin fought his way out and sent Kazarian to the floor. Maclin hit a dive to the floor on Kazarian.
Back in the ring, Maclin hung Kazarian upside down, but was distracted by El Mesías as he made his way to the ring. Maclin hit El Mesías with a dive. While the ref sent Mesías to the back, Kazarian low-blowed Maclin by kicking the middle rope as he stepped over it. Kazarian then caught Maclin with a slingshot cutter to get the pinfall and the International Title. This was solid.
Leon Slater defeated Myron Reed to retain the TNA X-Division Championship (13:43)
Both guys were very quick in the opening. Reed caught Slater with a legdrop to the back of the head. Reed kept trying to intimidate Staler. When he finally had enough of that, Slater leveled Reed with a forearm. Reed caught Slater with a lung blower. He went for a springboard, but Slater cut him off with a dropkick to send him to the floor. Slater followed out with a springboard plancha.
Back in the ring, Slater slowed down the pace with a series of hard chops. Salter pummeled Reed in the corner with right hands. Slater hit a crossbody for one. Slater floored Reed with a superkick. Reed caught Slater with a rana into a cradle for a near fall, then turned Slater inside out with a superkick.
Reed caught Slater with an enziguri, then tossed him to the mat after bouncing him off the top rope. Reed tried to set up Slater in the ropes, but Slater escaped. Reed jumped to avoid a kick but Slater grabbed him out of the air and hit the Utopia helicopter slam for a near fall. Reed caught Slater with a kick, but then dove off the middle rope into a boot from Slater. Reed rolled to the floor, and Slater followed him out with a flip dive over the turnbuckle to the floor.
Back in the ring, Reed avoided a 450 but Slater caught him with a lariat. Reed countered a suplex from Slater by supplying him to the floor, but Slater held on and tried for the suplex on the floor, but Reed countered that with a Stundog Millionaire on the floor. Then on the other side of the ring, Reed caught Slater with his over the top rope running cutter to the floor. Reed hit Slater with the 450 in the ring, but Slater kicked out.
Reed hit some overhand rights on Slater. Slater fought back with a chop. Reed avoided a leg lariat and hit a cutter. Reed propped up Slater in the corner. Reed went for a superplex, but Slater countered with a twisting superplex of his own. Slater hit the swanton 450 and got the pinfall to retain the title. Great match.
After the match, TNA President Carlos Silva presented Slater with his championship belt, and both men shook hands after the match.
Santino Marella came out while Slater celebrated to put over Leon Slater. Marella has been negotiated with Ava from NXT for Leon Slater’s Bound for Glory opponent, who will be Je’Von Evans. Evans cut a pre-taped promo from the video wall to announce the match.
Final Thoughts:
With no Men’s World title, Knockouts World title, or World Tag Team title match advertised going into, this felt like it was going to be an underwhelming B-show. But the International and X-Division title matches way overdelivered and Mustafa Ali’s match was tremendous. And the hot crowd made for an overall fun show.
Bound for Glory (so far…)
- Mike Santana (TNA) v. Trick Williams (NXT) for the TNA World Title (held by Williams).
- The Hardys v. Team 3D for the TNA World Tag Team Titles
- Je’Von Evans (NXT) v. Leon Slater (TNA) for the TNA X-Division (held by Slater)
- Indi Hartwell (TNA) v. Kelani Jordan (NXT) for the TNA Knockouts World Title (held by Jordan)
- Order 4 v. The System in a Hardcore War
- 20 person Guantlet with Léi Yîng Lee and Mance Warner (so far…)
