10 Things You Didn't Know About Impact Wrestling's Bound For Glory PPV

Bound for Glory became Impact Wrestling/TNA’s biggest annual event from its start all the way back in 2005. TNA needed one show per year that would become their own WrestleMania of expecting huge matches and payoffs to important feuds. The show obviously didn’t become an equal to WrestleMania, but it did a nice job at becoming a big deal for TNA.

Names like Sting, Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle and AJ Styles had some of the biggest moments of their careers at this event. TNA always had their fair share of backstage stories and interesting tidbits coming out for better or worse. The biggest PPV of the year was no exception with certain things providing interest. Each of the following tidbits will provide a deeper look at the history of Bound for Glory.

10 Sting Treated 2009 Main Event As His Retirement Match

The Bound for Glory 2009 main event featured AJ Styles scoring one of the biggest victories of his TNA career over Sting. Styles retained the TNA World Championship to end Sting’s three-year streak of winning world title matches in the Bound for Glory main event.

TNA implied that it could have been Sting’s last big match without using the term retirement. Sting’s contract ended after this show and was unsure about coming back to the ring. History would see Sting not only return to TNA but having stints in WWE and now AEW thirteen years later.

9 Impact Tried To Sign Bray Wyatt & Braun Strowman For 2021 Show

Impact Wrestling used the WWE releases in 2021 to boost their roster and try to bring fans back into watching the product. Mickie James, the Iiconics and a few other stars signed with the company around this time, but the company had even bigger plans.

Fightful reported that Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman were each contacted by Impact with the hopes of them debuting at Bound for Glory 2021. The deals didn’t pan out and neither man have yet to appear for a major promotion since then.

8 Impact Stopped Booking Austin Aries After Controversial Moment

Austin Aries created controversy and further harmed his already toxic reputation by insulting Johnny Impact aka John Morrison’s wife Taya Valkyrie for her looks ahead of their match. The promos getting personal played into the Bound for Glory 2018 main event between Morrison and Aries for the Impact World Championship.

Morrison won a solid match to become the world champ and get his revenge against Aries. However, the post-match antics saw Aries standing up to no sell the finish and showed his middle fingers to Don Callis on commentary. Aries ended up never returning to Impact and doubling down on his wrestling reputation.

7 Hulk Hogan Almost Missed Heel Turn Following Back Surgery

TNA advertised Bound for Glory 2010 as the biggest show in company history since it was the first of that event under Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff’s regime. Hogan and Bischoff planned to turn heel along with Jeff Hardy to form the Immortal faction.

A last-minute change was almost needed since Hogan’s back issues grew worse from previous injuries this year. Hogan having a back surgery the previous month kept him off television for a while. TNA saw Hogan gutting it out despite feeling pain to help pay off the angle of 10 10 10.

6 AJ Styles' Contract Was Legit Expiring When Winning Title From Bully Ray

TNA ran a storyline of AJ Styles’ contract expiring heading into his world title shot against Bully Ray at Bound for Glory 2013. Dixie Carter turning heel and playing a TNA version of Stephanie McMahon saw her becoming the main rival of Styles in the feud.

However, there was reality in play as AJ’s contract expired at the end of the year and had no agreed to a new deal. TNA booked Styles to win the belt under the assumption he’d re-sign like every other time. AJ instead left the company a few months later to completely change plans.

5 Kevin Nash Was Meant To Win NWA Title On First Show

The first Bound for Glory PPV in 2005 featured Rhino winning a gauntlet to earn a title shot and defeating Jeff Jarrett to become NWA Heavyweight Champion on the same night. TNA initially booked Kevin Nash challenging Jarrett for the same title in the main event.

The plan was always for a face to win the title and have a short title reign dropping it back a few weeks later on a Spike TV special. Nash was admitted to the hospital days prior for a health scare dealing with chest pains and missed the show. TNA had Rhino take his place for the feel-good ending and get a major title reign.

4 TNA Kept Christian Cage Undefeated To Put Over Samoa Joe

Most fans enjoyed the TNA stint of Christian Cage getting to prove he was a main eventer for the first time. However, an overlooked element of his run was how long he remained unpinned. Christian took multiple losses in triple threat matches and non-pinfall bouts.

TNA saved the big moment of someone finally pinning Cage at Bound for Glory 2007. Samoa Joe received the huge victory by decisively defeating Christian and gaining back some momentum after ending his own undefeated streak that year.

3 Sting Vs Hulk Hogan Had Their Most Well-Received Match

The rivalry between Sting and Hulk Hogan is remembered most for their WCW years, but they continued it in TNA. Fans were shocked when Hogan vs Sting was booked as a huge attraction match for Bound for Glory 2011.

TNA set up the match over a year in advance with Sting being the one to call out Hogan’s evil plan. The match was well-received with fans enjoying one more Hogan bout, even with his limitations. No one would accuse it of being a good technical wrestling match, but it had more positive reviews than any of their WCW matches.

2 Kurt Angle Was Upset About Changed Finish Of Bobby Roode Match

The match to follow Hulk Hogan vs Sting at Bound for Glory 2012 in the main event spot was Kurt Angle defending the TNA World Championship against Bobby Roode. TNA placed Roode in the #1 contender spot as a face, but Hogan buried him in radio interviews disliking the storyline and his character.

TNA changed plans at the last minute for Angle to retain and to later turn Roode heel for his reign. However, it upset Angle since he was scheduled to take time off after the show due to an injury. TNA had Angle drop the title to James Storm a few days later within seconds since he couldn’t work another full match.

1 Chris Jericho Was Teased For 2018 Event

The new regime of Don Callis and Scott D’Amore taking over Impact Wrestling led to better relationships with new wrestlers coming in. Impact had some momentum heading into Bound for Glory 2018, to the point where speculation began for Chris Jericho to appear at the show.

AEW had yet to start, and Jericho had made appearances outside of WWE for NJPW and the All In PPV. Impact even focused in on fans with Jericho signs heading into the show and everyone thought he’d appear at the show. The deal fell apart and fans were upset with the lack of Jericho at the show.