The opening minutes of the match worried me because it was so slow paced and there were so many headlocks. However, they picked up the pace as the match went along and there were several very good nearfalls leading up to the finish. The hot live crowd added to the atmosphere, and Mike Tenay and Don West did a good job of playing up the emotional return of Jarrett. The finish didn't bother me because it was obvious that Mick Foley was going to get involved. Overall, the match lived up to the hype and everyone involved did a nice job. That being said, I could have lived without the sick chairshot that Foley took.
Samoa Joe vs. Sting until the finish.
I was impressed when they brawled into the crowd to start the match because it served a couple purposes. First, it brought the crowd up again following the hot Jarrett vs. Angle match. Second, it helped cover for Sting, who isn't capable of delivering the type of main event performance in the ring that fans expect from a pay-per-view main event. Joe's big kick off the balcony was a crazy move and I hope that's the last time we see it, but at least he saved it for the company's biggest match of the year. The bump was no more insane than some of the big spots we've seen during Money in the Bank at WrestleMania.
Monsters Ball four-way tag match.
This was so much better than I expected it to be. I'm not even a fan of the hardcore style because it seems so passe, but this was a very entertaining brawl. The Abyss fire spot was downright frightening and unnecessary. I realize it's not the first burning table spot, but the guys who were placed in charge of extinguishing the blaze should have been more concerned with putting out the fire than running off camera.
Christian Cage vs. A.J. Styles vs. Booker T.
The finish was baffling in that Booker was the last guy who should have gone over, but I enjoyed the action and was especially impressed by the performance of Styles. He is a truly amazing talent and I hope there is already a plan in place for building toward the big main event of Joe vs. Styles for the TNA Title for next year's Bound For Glory. Wishful thinking, I'm sure, but that's the one big main event that TNA can count on to deliver in the ring like no other matchup in the company.
Overall show.
There were some bad moments and questionable decisions, and that main event finish (more on that below) was atrocious, but the overall show lived up to my expectations for Bound For Glory. The big matches delivered and the hardcore tag match helped put the show over the top.
TNA Bound For Glory Misses
Kevin Nash interferes in the Samoa Joe vs. Sting main event.
This event was promoted as TNA's biggest show of the year. It's their version of WrestleMania. Do you think WrestleMania would conclude with a cheap finish like that? This was low budget and minor league. I'm sure the creative team members think they shocked the internet world by having Nash show up and turn on Joe, but no one seemed surprised when he walked out and the finish left a really bad taste the mouths of viewers at the end of the pay-per-view. There's just no excuse for this finish and I'm still shocked (for all the wrong reasons) that they couldn't deliver a clean pinfall in the main event of their biggest show of the year. Way to spoil your own party, TNA.
Backstage skits with Mick Foley.
There were some entertaining moments (particularly his involvement with Team 3D), but these segments felt like they belonged on Impact rather than on the biggest pay-per-view of the year. Plus, it took some of the luster away when Foley made his appearance as the special enforcer later in the show.
Steve "Mongo" McMichael.
I must admit that I thought this was a decent idea to generate some buzz in the host city given his history with the Bears, but I had no idea that he'd count so slow that the late Bronco Lubich would look like he delivered fast counts in comparison. The worst part was that the wrestlers had to keep telling Mongo to make the count. He was awful, but at least he served some purpose in that he was able to pry the knot loose and open the bag of tacks that poor Hernandez struggled to open for what felt like an eternity. Apparently, Big Mex was never a boy scout.
