TNA Impact Wrestling: Rumors, News, Bound for Glory Update and Sept. 5 Preview

Despite hardly being mentioned before last week’s edition of Impact Wrestling, Sept. 12 is the No Surrender special that features the culmination of the Bound for Glory Series and names the new No. 1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

That makes Thursday’s pre-taped episode of Impact Wrestling the go-home show for one of the most important episodes of the year. The top four competitors in the BFG series after the 12-man gauntlet match this week will fight on Sept. 12 for a chance to main event TNA’s biggest pay-per-view of 2013.

Add in the fact that Bully Ray and Sting, who went off the air last week brawling, will square off in a match Thursday (not for a title despite general manager Hulk Hogan claiming it was to close the show), and this week’s Impact Wrestling is immensely important.

I’m sure glad TNA has been driving that point home for weeks...

Where: Wolstein Center, Cleveland, Ohio.

When: Thursday, Sept. 5, 9 p.m. ET (pre-taped)

Watch: Spike TV

Sting vs. Bully Ray

Last week’s show went off the air with the leaders of the Aces and Eights gang, Bully Ray, battling the leader of the Main Event Mafia, Sting, in the middle of the ring. While Hogan confused the world when he explained that it was happening then and for the title, it is now clear that the championship will not be on the line and the match will take place Sept. 5.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Is this the Beginning of the End for Aces and Eights?

Hogan came back from his time off like a bat out of hell making new rules and adding matches, and all signs are pointing to a climax for this storyline at Bound for Glory. It will undoubtedly take several months to wash the taste of this awful angle out of the fans’ mouths, but having Sting start the process of breaking the gang down is a good sign.

Hype Meter: 3 out of 5 Go-To Main Events

When TNA doubts what it is doing, the company puts what it considers its top name (Sting) in the main event. Sting has no business fighting Bully Ray again after an extended feud that resulted in the veteran never getting a title shot again. The fans will be willing to ignore the fundamental flaws as long as this is the point they can look back on and understand that the gang began dissolving here.

If the Aces and Eights storyline continues to look strong beyond Bound for Glory, this booking can’t be defended any longer. This angle is driving the company into the ground.

TNA News: Last Week’s Impact Ratings, via PWTorch.com.

Last-Chance Gauntlet Match

The Bound for Glory Series that has taken over the programming for the last several months is the most important part of what TNA has been booking heading into the company’s biggest show of the year. The concluding matches to decide the top four challengers were meant to be last week (not announced prior to the show), but Hogan hit the ramp again after the matches concluded to announce a mega 12-man, last-chance gauntlet match to win 20 points.

This was not best for business.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Which Superstar Will Win 20 Points?

There is no doubt that it should be AJ Styles that wins the 20 points and sneaks into the four-man finals at No Surrender. Styles has been portrayed as the anti-hero over the past few months, but instead of waiting for the perfect momentum to reveal that he is fighting for the fans, TNA has given the ending away early.

Now it is clear from his promo cut last week and the unusual finish to his match that he will win the 20 points, sneak into the final and win the chance to fight Bully Ray. Unless the company has a major swerve up its sleeve, TNA is on cruise control and the booking reflects that.

Hype Meter: 1 out of 5 Back-burner Storylines

TNA was so worried about the Aces and Eights vs. Main Event Mafia angle that it forgot to put the time and effort into the BFG Series. The lack of commitment shows in the lack of buildup to the culmination of this storyline; this should have been TNA’s main focus over the last month.

It can’t be understated how important this bracket and subsequent winner are to the future of Impact Wrestling. The lackluster way that the culminating match will take place and the announcement just two weeks ahead of time with details is not the right way to build toward such a monumental show.

TNA Rumors: Latest Chatter About AJ Styles Deal With TNA, per Wrestling Inc.

Bound for Glory Standings

1. Magnus, 39 points
2. Austin Aries, 35 points
3. Bobby Roode, 34 points
4. Jeff Hardy, 31 points
5. Christopher Daniels, 30 points
6. AJ Styles, 29 points
7. Samoa Joe, 26 points
8. Mr. Anderson, 24 points
9. Frankie Kazarian, 22 points
10. Joseph Park, 17 points
11. Hernandez, 7 points
12. Jay Bradley, 7 points

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