TNA Impact Wrestling: Rumors, News, Bound for Glory Update and August 1 Preview

After watching Manik win the new X Division Championship on last week’s TNA Impact Wrestling, and seeing general manager Hulk Hogan uphold Chris Sabin’s World Heavyweight Championship victory, there is no doubt this week’s episode is going to be a great follow up.

The build-up for the Bound for Glory pay-per-view is kicking into high gear as TNA heads into August, and all wrestling fans should be excited about what promises to be an exciting end to the summer.

With a champion vs. champion match scheduled for Thursday, the reveal of the man behind the cryptic #August1Warning vignettes and three fan-chosen BFG Series matches, this week’s Impact Wrestling will be something TNA fans can’t afford to miss.

Where: Kay Yeager Coliseum, Wichita Falls, Texas

When: Thursday, Aug. 1, at 9 p.m. ET

Watch: Spike TV

Champion vs. Champion Match Highlights Wild Night

The proposed match between Sabin and Manik will be as exciting as they come in the ring, but Bully Ray and the Aces and Eights are not going out like that.

Bully Ray and his goons will make their way to ringside for the match, and in turn, that will undoubtedly get the Main Event Mafia involved as well. While a clean match with great in-ring action would be amazing, this main event will likely turn into an all-out brawl between the rival gangs.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Will This Main Event Have a Clean Finish?

The easiest way out of the champion vs. champion matches without giving either a loss is having a non-finish, and that is exactly what TNA will do on Thursday.

With Bully Ray still trying to get his revenge on Sabin and the Main Event Mafia protecting the new title holder, the two champions will not have the chance to finish their match. What the fans will see of the one-on-one bout should be amazing, though.

Hype Meter: 4 out of 5 Potentially Amazing Episodes

With the chaos likely booked for the main event and the fact that ImpactWrestling.com revealed that half of the fan-chosen matches would take place on this episode—Austin Aries vs. AJ Styles, Joseph Park vs. Jay Bradley and Hernandez vs. Bobby Roode—this is sure to be a memorable Impact.

It is awful to see Roode wasted against Hernandez, but the excellent matchup between Styles and Aries has the potential to be something special. Add in the reveal of the man behind the #August1Warning videos, and this is going to be an unpredictable Thursday.

TNA Rumors: How Long Did TNA Have Chris Sabin’s Title Win Planned? Per Wrestling Observer Newsletter via Wrestling Inc.

The Person Behind #August1Warning Is Revealed

In case you missed it—since it was never played on an episode of Impact Wrestling—the YouTube video above was sent to TNA via a wrestler using the name #August1Warning. The creepy vignette has built up some serious interest on the internet over the last week, and it's time for the creator to come forward and inflict the pain he was talking about.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Who Will Be TNA’s Big Reveal?

The speculation about who is responsible for the video has run rampant, but judging from the shape of the person’s head in the clip, it looks to be either Bobby Lashley or Hardcore Holly.

While Lashley would be a solid signing for Impact Wrestling—the former WWE Superstar could also work in Bellator MMA—the fact that Holly just debuted for TNA on its One Night Only iPPV in July is a strong indication that it could be him as well.

Hype Meter: 3 out of 5 Lackluster Reveals

No matter who is responsible for the videos, the fact that these vignettes never made television is an example of what is wrong with TNA. The purpose is to build up hype over a few weeks and let the speculation build to the ultimate reveal. Instead, the video was found online for one week before the big payoff.

There is no question that TNA has brought more than a few lackluster names into the company over the last several years, but this is Impact Wrestling’s chance to turn the page on the old way of doing business. Let’s hope it doesn’t screw this up too.

TNA Rumors: The Official Breakdown of the #August1Warning, via ImpactWrestlinc.com

Bound for Glory Standings

1. Magnus, 49 points

2. Samoa Joe, 26 points

3. AJ Styles, 22 points

4. Christopher Daniels, 21 points

5. Jeff Hardy, 17 points

6. Austin Aries, 14 points

7. Mr. Anderson, 14 points

8. Hernandez, 7 points

9. Jay Bradley, 0 points

10. Frankie Kazarian, 0 points

11. Bobby Roode, 0 points

12. Joseph Park, -10 points

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