TNA Bound for Glory 2012: This Week's Impact Wrestling Was Worth the Hype

Everyone got the memo this time around.

After a letdown last week on Impact Wrestling, the athletes got it together and gave one hell of a show. Last week, fans and writers alike were wondering if maybe the Bound for Glory PPV coming up a week from Sunday would leave us high and dry.

This Thursday, the wrestlers delivered in a big way, and writers like myself can breathe a sigh of relief—along with Donald Wood who seemed just as critical of last week's show.

This is why wrestling matters.

We have great matches from top to bottom on this card, with nothing left to chance. And the idea of James Storm and Bobby Roode squaring off in a match again—with King Mo as the guest referee—works for me even if it is not for the TNA Title.

I liked this week’s matches and story line and how they lead up to next week’s BFG matches. I also like the idea that Sting and Bully Ray will be challenging Aces and Eights wrestlers for access into the Impact Zone. It reminds me a bit of WCW back in the day when Curt Hennig replaced Arn Anderson as a member of the Four Horsemen—and then subsequently tore apart his stable mates as a turn coat for the NWO.

Will Bully Ray turn his back on Sting and Hulk Hogan—whom he claimed were his “brothers” Thursday night?

This is the chance for Bully Ray to really shine as a major commodity in TNA. He has risen to great heights as arguably the company’s top heel the last two years, and his style and his camera time have even made it cool for fans to cheer for him.

But I see the Bully in the same capacity as Hennig in trying to “save” TNA from the vileness of the outside instigators.

Sometimes the older skits and angles still work, and after seeing the Aces and Eights vignettes and the mannerisms of their leader (Eric Bischoff), I can only think Bully—who was a member of Immortal with Bischoff before—is only setting a trap for the Icon.

I’m stoked about this now!

TNA let me down last week. It has become a little stale. I had wanted to see someone other than Bischoff running this “game” (Bill Alfonso and ECW invaders?), and now I am kind of hoping this all breaks down the way I think it will. It could also lead to reconciliation between Bischoff and his son Garett.

If this works now the way I am hoping, we will see other wrestlers from rival organizations make their way into this stable (Chris Masters, anyone?).

And, once again, being bad is pretty darn cool.

So after being disenchanted with this notion of the upcoming PPV, I am revitalized and replenished. I won’t have to worry about Presidential Debates cheering me up or watching re-runs of the Kardashians. I have Bound for Glory and the great matches signed to keep my attention (besides Al Snow getting back in the ring).

And hopefully this year’s PPV will hit another home run. Because last year’s event led to some pretty darn good results in 2012.

And we haven’t even scratched the surface yet about the upcoming World Title match.

To steal a phrase from a rival wrestling promotion: "Business just picked up."