TNA No Surrender Predictions: BFGS Finals, 3 Title Matches and More

TNA Wrestling presents No Surrender, live on pay-per-view tonight!

TNA’s annual September PPV debuted in July 2005 with Raven defeating Abyss in a Dollar Collar match to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in the main event. The following year, the event was moved to September where it has stayed to this day.

No Surrender is now the final stop of the Bound for Glory Series, where the final four will battle it out to win a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory next month.

For this year’s event, the final four go at it in three matches, while four more matches and a fight round out the rest of the event.

Here are the matches for the 2012 No Surrender and who I think will be coming out on top!

Rob Van Dam vs. Magnus

RVD’s PPV record: first event

Magnus’ PPV record: 0-1

Well, here’s a match that came out of nowhere.

This past Thursday on Impact Wrestling, Christy Hemme was interviewing Rob Van Dam about not making the Bound for Glory Series finals and they were interrupted by Magnus. He said Van Dam didn’t have it anymore and that he wasn’t “the man” like he once was, so RVD attacked him.

And there you have the basis for this match.

Looking at the history of No Surrender, Magnus has experience at the PPV, though his experience is a loss. This will mark RVD’s first match at the event, but he has overall experience in the business on his side.

Who’s going to win? Well, I’m going to give it to Magnus. He seems to be in the process of developing a cocky heel character and a loss would kill his momentum and pretty much end the feud before it even started.

Winner: Magnus

Austin Aries Challenges Anyone from the Aces and 8s

Aries’ PPV record: 1-0

Since right after Slammiversary, a group calling themselves the Aces and 8s have been attacking the superstars of TNA Wrestling. It didn’t matter if you were legends like Sting and Hulk Hogan, a new guy competing in Gut Check or the TNA world heavyweight champion—the group of masked men has targeted everyone.

Two weeks ago, a massive brawl ensued between the Aces and 8s and the TNA roster. It ended when a big member of the renegade group tried to break Austin Aries’ arm. He didn’t break it, but the champion was injured.

Last week, Aries got to fight him, though a brawl once again broke out after Aries gained the upper hand. The champion was taken out once again, though, this time by a member of the TNA crew recruited by the Aces and 8s.

This past Thursday, the group took him out for almost talking, but to be able to do so, the guy that tried to break Aries’ arm had to agree to fight him. He apparently never officially agreed, though, so Aries will be issuing a challenge to anyone in the Aces and 8s.

Whether he’s facing the guy who tried to break his arm or another member, this won’t be a match—it’ll be a fight. Aries has been looking weak the past few weeks, so it’s time to see the champion come out on top for once.

With a victory at last year’s No Surrender under his belt, I think Austin Aries will win this fight and ultimately unmask the guy he takes out.

Winner: Austin Aries

Miss Tessmacher vs. Tara: TNA Knockouts Championship

Number of times title defended at PPV: 2

Number of times successfully defended: 1

Tessmacher’s PPV record: first event

Tara’s PPV record: first event

The Knockouts division isn’t what it used to be. While the matches are still good, the roster is the smallest it has ever been. The women that are left are great talent, though, so this match between student and teacher should be a good one.

Miss Tessmacher and Tara have been almost inseparable for over a year now. They would win the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship in July of last year and held onto the belts for 106 days. Even after the loss, they remained together as a team.

They would separate to concentrate on singles careers, but the team known as TNT were still best friends.

On Open Fight Night two weeks ago, Tessmacher challenged her friend and teacher to prove to herself that she could defeat her. After a hard-fought battle, Tara came out on top. This past Thursday, the executive in charge of the Knockouts, Brooke Hogan, gave Tara this match, much to the dismay of Gail Kim.

With Tara’s victory a few weeks ago, I feel that Tessmacher will be retaining her title here, though history shows that she has a 50-50 shot at doing that. Neither woman has experience at the No Surrender event, so this could be anyone’s game, but I think it’ll be Tessmacher.

I can see two possible outcomes for the finish, though. The first is that Gail interferes and screws Tara out of the match. Since Tessmacher took the title off of her, she wants to be the one to defeat her. A Triple Threat match for Bound for Glory will then be set up.

The other way is that the student defeats her teacher clean. Tara will then turn heel due to the frustration of not being able to take the title away from her student and attack Tessmacher after the match. A rematch would then be set up for October.

No matter how it happens, Miss Tessmacher will be retaining here.

Winner and still champion: Miss Tessmacher

Zema Ion vs. Sonjay Dutt: TNA X-Division Championship

Number of times title defended at PPV: 7

Number of times successfully defended: 4

Ion’s PPV record: first event

Dutt’s PPV record: 2-1

Here’s another match that was just thrown onto the card.

I can’t even remember the last time X-Division champion Zema Ion was on television, or even the last time the division itself was mentioned. I don’t really know what to say about this match because it literally has zero hype.

Looking at the history of No Surrender, the X-Division Championship has been defended seven times while only four champions have successfully been able to keep it. That’s 57 percent of champions who have retained their title at this event.

In that aspect, Ion has a small advantage. At the same time, this would be the champion’s first-ever No Surrender event. Sonjay Dutt has competed at three previous ones, winning two of his matches. He has the No Surrender experience behind him for sure.

I have no doubt that this will be a great match, especially if TNA gives them a nice chunk of time. But with no build whatsoever, I think that the result is an obvious one, history or not.

I would love to see Dutt win a title that has eluded him since its creation, but since there hasn’t been any hype about the possibility that he could win the title, Zema Ion will be retaining here.

Winner and Still Champion: Zema Ion

Bully Ray (62 Pts.) vs. James Storm (73 Pts.): BFGS Semifinal Match

Bully’s PPV record: 2-3

Storm’s PPV record: 3-3

One year ago, both Bully Ray and James Storm made the final four of the first-ever Bound for Glory Series. In their semifinal match, the Bully would defeat Storm to advance to the finals.

A year later, the series returned and both wrestlers were entered back into it.

Storm has dominated the series since day one. Except for one week when Samoa Joe took the top spot, the Cowboy has remained No. 1 for the majority of the series.

Bully Ray wasn’t so lucky, though. He remained at the bottom for most of the summer, but a win at Hardcore Justice in August for 20 points put him right back into the game. He then started winning and winning until he tied for fourth place with Rob Van Dam. This past Thursday, Bully Ray defeated Van Dam to secure his spot in the final four.

Being in first place, Storm was given the right to choose his opponent, and he chose Bully Ray due to the events of last year.

This match is going to be a physical one, but a very good one as well. With Bobby Roode no longer world champion, I think this series is anyone’s game at this point.

Looking at the history of No Surrender, both wrestlers have a similar record, with Storm having one more match than Bully Ray. Factoring in that, the odds of either winning is almost right down the middle.

As much as I would love to see Bully Ray finally get a one-on-one world title shot, though, I think that his victory last year against Storm is going to cost him one this year against the same opponent.

Winner: James Storm (80 pts.)

Samoa Joe (68 Pts.) vs. Jeff Hardy (59 Pts.): BFGS Semifinal Match

Joe’s PPV record: 5-2

Hardy’s PPV record: 0-0-1

What a difference a year makes.

During last year’s Bound for Glory Series, Samoa Joe just couldn’t secure a victory. By the end of the series, the Samoan Submission Machine had a depressing negative 10 points.

Concentrating on submission holds, Samoa Joe has remained in the top four during the entire series this year. For at least one week, he even took the No. 1 spot away from James Storm. The former TNA and ROH world champion has stayed at No. 2 for most of the series, which is a huge step up from what happened last year.

This was Jeff Hardy's first BFGS, and he remained in the middle of the pack for most of the summer. He had one final match this past Thursday and defeated Samoa Joe via submission to gain 10 points and to secure the final spot in the top four.

Samoa Joe has competed at seven No Surrender events and has won five of his matches. That’s a respectable 71 percent winning average for him. Jeff Hardy has only fought at one event in the past and it ended in a draw.

Joe’s No Surrender experiences will add to a desire for revenge that he undoubtedly has, and I believe Samoa Joe will be winning here.

He’s going to be heading into this match angry knowing that Hardy made him tap out, and he’s going to take it all out on the Charismatic Enigma. He’s going to lock in the Coquina Clutch and make him tap out.

Winner: Samoa Joe (78 pts.)

Daniels and Kazarian vs. AJ Styles and Kurt Angle: TNA Tag Team Championship

Number of times titles defended at PPV: 5

Number of times successfully Defended: 3

Daniels’ PPV record: 3-2

Kaz’s PPV record: 0-3

Styles’ PPV record: 5-0-1

Angle’s PPV record: 2-4-1

Do I really need to go over the storied AJ Styles/Christopher Daniels feud?

It has been going on for years, with this current chapter beginning at last year’s Destination X PPV. Filled with jealousy, backstabbing, blackmailing and championships, Styles and Daniels have been at each other’s throats in a big way.

This latest chapter is nearing its end, though. At Slammiversary in June, these four wrestlers had what will no doubt be a Match of the Year candidate for the TNA Tag Team Championships. Styles and Angle would take the titles away from Daniels and Kazarian, but the former champions would regain the gold just 18 days later on Impact Wrestling.

Styles and Angle would never receive their rematch, and after Daniels and Kazarian successfully retained against Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez this past Thursday, Hulk Hogan announced that they would finally be getting it.

Looking at the history of No Surrender, the tag titles have been defended five times and successfully kept by the champions on three of those occasions. That’s 60 percent of champions who have held onto their titles, so Daniels and Kaz have an advantage in terms of that. Their individual records are a different story, though.

With Styles’ almost perfect record at 92 percent and Angle’s 35 percent average, they have the advantage over Daniels’ 60 percent and Kaz’s big zero. If you add in the revenge Styles desperately seeks and Angle’s never-ending quest for gold, I think fans will see new champions here.

Then at Bound for Glory, the feud will finally come to an end when Styles defeats Daniels one final time one-on-one.

As for the match itself, expect another Match of the Year candidate.

Winners and New Champions: AJ Styles and Kurt Angle

James Storm (80 pts.) vs. Samoa Joe (78 pts.): BFGS Finals

This match obviously depends on if my predictions for the semifinals are correct.

If you asked me who I thought would win the Bound for Glory Series when it started, my answer would have been James Storm. My personal pick to win has always been Samoa Joe, but with the events in the Bobby Roode/James Storm feud, Storm seemed like the guy to win.

Then Roode lost the title to Austin Aries at Destination X and failed to regain it at Hardcore Justice. What seemed like a guaranteed victory for Storm wasn’t looking much like a guarantee anymore.

This match really could either way, though.

The big thing has been Storm fighting back after losing to Roode at Lockdown in April, but Samoa Joe has been on the kind of roll that he hasn’t been on in years. This match is a hard choice if it does end up being the finals.

The Cowboy deserves it, but so does the Samoan Submission Machine. With Austin Aries as champion, I’m going to go with a Samoa Joe victory.

If I’m wrong, though, I perfectly fine with taking the loss, but I have a gut feeling that the 2012 Bound for Glory Series will belong to Samoa Joe.

Winner: Samoa Joe