Bound For Glory is one of the biggest wrestling events under the TNA Wrestling banne, which have provided fans some of the most wildest and shocking moments in all of professional wrestling.
With this year’s ppv shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory, now seems like a good time to go over the Ten Best Moments in Bound For Glory History.
Honorable Mentions
Matt Hardy Wins the IMPACT World Title (BFG 2015)
EC3’s Debut (BFG 2013)
Jordynne Grace Wins the DMC (Countdown to BFG 2021)
Rich Swann Wins the IMPACT World Title (BFG 2020)
Cody Rhodes’ Debut (BFG 2016)
Su Yung’s Surprise Return (BFG 2020)
EC3’s Post Show Speech (BFG 2016)
The Debut of the Death Machine (BFG 2017)
Kylie Rae’s Debut (BFG 2019)
Johnny Impact Wins the IMPACT World Title (BFG 2018)
All of the Hall of Fame Inductions (BFG 2012-Present Day)
#10. Rhino Wins the NWA Title (BFG 2005)
Make sense we start this list off by talking about a moment from the very first Bound For Glory…
In late 2005, Kevin Nash was scheduled to take on Jeff Jarrett for the NWA World Championship in the main event of Bound For Glory with UFC superstar Tito Ortiz being the special guest referee.
However during the preshow, it was announced that Nash was unable to compete due to a medical emergency and thus a new match had to be made to close out the show; This led to a Ten Man Gauntlet Match to crown a new number one contender only for the title match to occur immediately afterwards.
Former ECW and WWE superstar Rhino would go on to won the gauntlet, before beating Jarrett in a five minute match to become the new NWA World Champion. Although Rhino’s reign with the belt only lasted a few days before going back to Jarrett, the moment itself was an iconic piece of history and great way to end the inaugural BFG.
#9. Short Time, Dangerous Landing (BFG 2019)
During a Five Person Ladder Match for the X Division Championship, Acey Romero (who had signed with the company days earlier) ended up taking the biggest, if not the most dangerous bump of the entire match.
At one point, the 300 plus pounder was climbing the ladder to retrieve the title when Tessa Blanchard (who also was a participant in the match) re-entered the ring and used all of her strength to push the ladder.
This led to Acey crashing into a table that was previously set up outside of the ring and the ladder itself almost came dangerously close to hitting some fans in the front row.
As risky as the moment itself was, it’s easily one of the most memorable in the TNA career of Acey Romero.
#8. Going Out in Flames (BFG 2008)
At Bound For Glory 2008, Beer Money put their TNA Tag Titles at stake in a Four Way Monster’s Ball Tag Team Match with the other teams being LAX, Team 3D and the makeshift duo of Abyss and Matt Morgan.
While the match itself was great, the most iconic visual from this bout would have to be the moment when Abyss gets chokeslammed off the stage by Brother Ray and Brother Devon whilst crash landing on a flaming table.
Of all the insane bumps “The Monster” ever took in his career, this might rank as one of the all time craziest.
#7. Jeff Hardy’s Massive Swanton (BFG 2005)
Speaking of Abyss and Monster’s Ball matches at Bound For Glory, we return to the 2005 PPV where “The Monster” is once again going through a table…Thankfully for him, the table wasn’t on fire this time.
At one point in the match, Abyss and Jeff Hardy could be seen brawling near the staging area when Hardy manages to get Abyss set up onto a table. As anyone who knows Jeff Hardy’s love of high risk offense, you can probably imagine what happens next.
Hardy hits a big Swanton Bomb from the top of the staging area onto Abyss through the table which gets the commentators and the fans in attendance to pop in absolutel amazement.
When reminiscing about this moment on Chris Van Vilet’s YouTube Channel, Hardy mentions how he thought it “Might be The End of My Career” and it was “The Scaredest I’ve Ever Been”.
#6. A Deal with the Devil (BFG 2010)
Sticking with Jeff Hardy for our next entry, The main event for 2010’s Bound For Glory saw Jeff Hardy, Mr. Anderson and Kurt Angle facing off in order to crown a new TNA World Heavyweight Champion.
Towards the end of the match, Eric Bischoff could be seen entering the ring with a steel chair getting ready hit one of the competitors when suddenly Hulk Hogan (who was walking on crutches following a surgery) made his way to ring much to everyone’s disbelief.
After staring each other down, Jeff intervenes on Hogan’s behalf and grabs one of the crutches, but instead of striking Bischoff, Hardy nails Anderson and Angle with the crutches leading to Hogan and Bischoff hugging each other in the ring and Hardy hitting the Twist of Fate onto Anderson becoming the new TNA World Champion.
This paved the way for Jeff Hardy’s time as “The Antichrist of Professional Wrestling” which might be some of Jeff’s best character work in his entire career.
#5. The Return of the Hulkster (BFG 2011)
A year after Hogan turned heel at Bound For Glory 2010, the Hulkster would end up fighting one of his longtime rivals in Sting, at BFG 2011 in what would end up being Hogan’s final PPV match.
While the action between both Sting and Hogan was good considering their ages at the time, it’s what happened after the match that’s the center of this entry; Following the match, Eric Bischoff and the rest of Immortal came down to beat up Sting after Hogan tapped out to the Scorpion Death Lock which not only meant that Sting was victorious, but also meant that the control of TNA Wrestling was back in the hands of Dixie Carter.
A bloody faced Sting could be seen crawling for help from an equally bloodied Hulkster, who is standing in the corner as all of this was going down. As the Hulkster looks towards the crowd, the fans are encouraging him to save Sting which he does in spectular fashion.
After Hogan ripping off his shirt, he and the Stinger proceed to laid out Immortal before Hogan gives a big punch that knocks Bischoff sqaure on his ass.
Regardless of what you may think of Hogan or his time in TNA, it can’t be argued that this was one of his better moments in the company.
#4. Samoa Joe’s Infamous Dropkick (BFG 2008)
The final matchup at Bound For Glory 2008 saw Samoa Joe defending his TNA World Championship against “The Icon” Sting; Outside of the incredible action throughout the contest, the most memorable part of the match saw ‘The Samoan Submission Machine’ hitting a running missile dropkick from the stands inside Chicago’s Sears Centre.
Considering the small percentage for error in that moment and that fact it looked like Joe might have seriously hit himself, many fans viewed this as a stupid decision both by Joe and TNA management for having him do such a move that might’ve taken some time off his career.
It wasn’t until 2021 when Joe revealed on Twitter (now known as X) that the dropkick didn’t take time off his career and that he didn’t make this info public because he wanted wrestling fans to create a narrative surrounding his famous dropkick…Safe to say, he succeed.
#3. Gail Kim Wins The Knockouts Championship (BFG 2007)
Has there ever been anyone who’s helped to shape women’s wrestling in TNA more than Gail Kim.
As the first female inducted into the TNA Hall of Famer and multiple time champion, Gail Kim’s career is filled with incredible achievements, but her victory at Bound For Glory 2007 is undoubtedly one of the greatest.
In a Gaunlet Match to crown the first ever TNA Knockouts Champioin, Gail and Roxxi Laveaux ended up being the final two competitors with the match culminating in Kim becoming the first ever Knockouts Champion and paving the way for all the ladies that would go on to hold the title.
While her victory at BFG 2017 where she won the title for a record breaking seventh time is worth mentioning, it’s his first title win that stands out as one of the all time best.
#2. Spoiling the Moment (BFG 2021)
In the main event of Bound For Glory 2021, Josh Alexander defeated Christian Cage to become the new Impact World Champion, in a moment that felt deserved after years of hardship and injuries to get to this point in his career was truly special.
But just as everyone was celebrating Josh’s win including his wife and children, Moose (who had previously won the Call Your Shot Gaunlet match earlier in the night) sneaks in and plans to capitialize on this moment by attacking an exhausted Alexander.
Josh quickly tries to move his wife and children out of the ring, but just as the bell rings, Moose hits a spear before going for the cover and becoming the new IMPACT World Champion all at the expense of Josh Alexander.
This moment was not only unexpected, but it would set the foundation for a one-on-one title match between Alexander and Moose in the main event of Rebellion 2022.
#1. TNA Wrestling: We’re Back (BFG 2023)
In the final moments of Bound For Glory 2023, a number of IMPACT wrestlers came together in a dark forest where they discussed the legacy of IMPACT Wrestling and it needs to be changed, so for that to happen they need to go back to where it all started.
An old wooden chest being pulled from the water is opened by the wrestlers, and inside our the memories of the past combined with moments of the present coming together all while the wrestlers look on in awe and wonder.
Suddenly, the old TNA Wrestling logo appears with the words ‘We’re Back’ shot onto the screen with Hard To Kill 2023 being announced as the first pay-per-view of the returning TNA Wrestling brand.
Scott D’Amore’s passionate promo following the news to the fans in attendance chanting the words ‘TNA TNA TNA TNA’ to the reaction from everyone in the locker room not only got the wrestling world talking about IMPA…I mean TNA Wrestling again, but it’s easily one of, if not the best Bound For Glory Moment of All Time.
