"Glory is like a circle in the water, which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, till by broad spreading, it disperses to naught." ― Willam Shakespeare
On Saturday October 24th, Impact Wrestling returns to FITE not just for Impact+ subscribers but for the FITE viewers the world over as they present the 2020 edition of Bound for Glory, a night where every major Impact Championship is on the line and some of the biggest personal issues of the year look to be settled once and for all.
With so many fresh faces having debuted over the course of the last year in Impact Wrestling, the very landscape of the promotion has been changed forever. At the same time, these new combatants have breathed new life into Impact's field of competition, forcing every talent to step up their game inside the ring and beyond.
As the wars waged within Impact's squared circle grow incredibly more fierce by the week, the Doomsday Clock has already begun to tick down. On October 24th, the clock strikes zero and all-out madness and chaos will reign supreme. Every talent believes they are Bound for Glory and that they will achieve what they deserve, but only a select few will stand victorious when the adrenaline of battle begins to wear off, when the bell rings and the very fate of their careers has changed forever.
"But shall we wear these glories for a day? Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them?" - William Shakespeare
Those who survive will wave the flag of victory. Those who don't may return to compete again, but do so knowing that their moment to be forever remembered in the time capsule of Impact Wrestling has slipped through their fingers, leaving them desperate to regain lost ground.
Bound for Glory will feature the following main event battles on October 24th, live on FITE!
IMPACT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - Eric Young vs. Rich Swann
Last year, Rich Swann suffered a near-career threatening injury to his ankle, only to shock the world by returning to the ring at Slammiversary. As fans across the globe celebrated his return to action in tremendous shape and at the top of his game, that joy soon turned to absolute horror when The World Class Maniac, Eric Young, emerged from the darkness that night, returning like a horror icon to threaten and destroy yet again. Young's brutal attack on Swann was so deliberate and surgical in its precision that Swann had no choice but to declare retirement, seemingly forever emasculated by the Canadian star.
Being forced into retirement was bad enough but even as Swann rehabbed and attempted to return to some form of normal in his post-wrestling life, he found himself disgusted and angered by Young's continued rampage across Impact, culminating with Young capturing the Impact World title and declaring all that had happened, including his plot to destroy Swann, was part of a plan to once again hold the most important championship in Impact Wrestling.
After watching Eddie Edwards fall to Young, Swann had no choice and demanded a chance to return to the ring and fight for the title, finally being awarded the chance at Bound for Glory. In what has been easily the most emotional period in Swann's career, fans have watched him literally rise from the ashes of defeat in an attempt to avenge everything Eric Young has inflicted upon himself and the rest of Impact Wrestling.
It would be easy to hope that this hero's journey will be completed, but the reality is that Young has continued to stalk and assault Swann, most recently at his physical rehabilitation clinic. Swann's ankle and leg remain a prime target for an unhinged champion willing to go to any extremes to put Swann down once and for all, ruining the hopes and dreams of everyone championing his comeback.
At Bound for Glory, a Madman who holds all the power and all the gold with unbridled brutality at his side seeks to stomp out the flame of hope that rests within Rich Swann. If a healthy challenger can take to the air with his passionate aerial assaults, the tide may finally turn within Impact Wrestling. It's just a matter of time until the victor is revealed for the world to see.
IMPACT KNOCKOUTS CHAMPION - Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kylie Rae.
Since her arrival at Impact Wrestling, Deonna Purrazzo has claimed to be the Virtuosa of the ring. Unfortunately for her opponents, Purrazzo has proven to be quite the prophet. She quickly captured the Knockouts Championship with ring skills that are perhaps only eclipsed by her arrogance. Whether it be breaking the arm of Susie or shocking the world by emerging victorious in the first-ever Knockouts Iron Man bout, Purrazzo, with Kimber Lee at her side, has redefined women's professional wrestling in just a short number of months.
However, Purrazzo faces her biggest test to date in Kylie Rae, who earned her way to the number one contender's position, only to find herself trapped inside the cosmic mystery known as WrestleHouse. Now that Rae has emerged back in the Impact Zone, even her friendly disposition has been soured by the antics and attacks Purrazzo has inflicted on her and her best friend Susie. Armed with technical wrestling excellence that mirrors Purrazzo's pedigree in the ring, Rae may indeed be the most unique threat to Purrazzo's claim to the Knockouts Championship. In what may be the most pure representation of good vs. evil in the history of Impact, the Knockouts Championship hangs in the balance at Bound for Glory.
IMPACT WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP - The Motor City Machine Guns vs. The Good Brothers vs. The North vs. Madman Fulton & Ace Austin
Slammiversary was a true changing of the guard within Impact's Tag Team division. The Motor City Machine Guns shocked the world, returning to defeat The Rascalz and then soon shocked The North, ending their record-breaking Tag Team Championship reign. As if that wasn't enough to shift the planet off its axis, Gallows and Anderson, the Good Brothers emerged in shocking fashion, immediately landing in the crosshairs of the disrespectful Ace Austin and his monstrous brute of a partner, Mad Man Fulton.
As tempers flared and egos boiled over who was the best team, Ethan Page and Josh Alexander, The North, became more and more frustrated over the lack of acknowledgement for breaking records and changing Impact history as well as the attention given to other members of the ever-growing division. Although they recruited Fulton and Austin to assist them, that alliance was short-lived as well, setting the stage for a four way war at Bound for Glory where the emerging winners can truly boast they are the best tag team in Impact Wrestling.
This clash highlights what is perhaps the most competitive tag team division periods ever in the history of Impact Wrestling and to the victors go not just the gold and the chance to brag about being the best, but the ability to shape the future of Impact going forward.
IMPACT X-DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP - Rohit Raju vs. Chris Bey vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Willie Mack vs. Trey Miguel vs. TJP
For an endless number of months, Rohit Raju argued that his talents were being overlooked and that he wasn't being given true opportunities. Then, by a twist of fate, he was able to convince Chris Bey into adding him to an X-Division Championship bout with the idea that he'd assist Bey in victory. Instead, Raju captured the championship that has defined the most daredevil aspect of Impact's roster and since, has used every loophole, obstacle and manipulation to prevent challengers from actually getting a fair shot at the title.
Whether it was pitting Chris Bey, TJP and Trey Miguel against each other in order to push back having to put the title on the line, creating the "Defeat Rohit Challenge" and then using it to literally allow himself to be counted out against Willie Mack or allowing Jordynne Grace to believe she had won the title in what was actually a non-title bout, Raju has attempted to build the biggest mousetrap in order to prevent his challengers from grasping the gold, but at Bound for Glory, Raju may find the walls closing in on him.
Now forced into a Six-Way battle by Impact Executive Scott D'Amore, Raju is now faced with every single talent that he has carnied, worked and slicky slipped on by coming for him at the same time. If Raju, despite his own incredible in-ring skills, won't be able to rely on his usual machinations, is there any way he can survive this onslaught? Or, are we guaranteed a new champion will be crowned live on FITE?
Ken Shamrock vs. Eddie Edwards.
Eddie Edwards shocked the world at Slammiversary when FITE viewers watched his return to glory with his latest Impact Wrestling World Championship victory. Since then, the heart and soul of Impact has seen his career and spirit bruised and battered after Eric Young lured him into defending that title with Edwards losing and then even being forced to submit during a rematch at Victory Road. The mitigating factor in all this, as fierce a competitor Young truly is, may be Impact Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock. A demoralized Shamrock fell prey to his own doubts after losing to The North at Slammiversary, allowing Sami Callihan to twist and harden the psyche of one of the most fearsome fighters of all time, bringing the monster out of the World's Most Dangerous Man and aiming that weapon at Callihan's old foe Eddie Edwards. Responsible for an attack on Edwards so heinous that he himself admitted feelings of guilt for it, Shamrock has gone from the newest member of the Impact Hall of Fame to perhaps the most hated honoree in history. Edwards is coming for revenge at Bound for Glory, but can even Impact's favorite son rebound from injuries and heartache to achieve the Ultimate victory over one of the greatest hybrid MMA fighter-professional wrestling athletes who has ever lived? This will be a case of violence breeding violence, to be sure.
Moose vs. EC3
Since Moose somehow gained possession of the old TNA World Championship belt, he has crowned himself a king, building confidence around the throne he has declared his own, wiping out Impact Wrestling challengers from all sides since then. Until, EC3 entered the scene. Legitimately, a former TNA World Champion, EC3 has returned to Impact stating that he has come to control his own narrative and to bury the ghosts of his past, the lost glory that haunts him and the mocking failures that he believes prevent his passage to new heights. In the TNA title and Moose, EC3 sees the physical manifestation of all that went awry with his own career, thus he has broken every rule of nature in professional wrestling to torment Moose, stealing the TNA title and seemingly destroying it in the process. While EC3 has been obsessed with burning his own past to the ground, his torment of Moose has brought the former NFL star to the brink of madness and obsession as well. At Bound for Glory, these two world-class brawlers, each on the brink of apparent madness, have agreed to face off from an undisclosed location, making it impossible to truly predict what fate may befall either competitor. Moose's attempt to resurrect the TNA title may indeed become his own undoing - or perhaps the moment of ascension for EC3.
"Time's glory is to command contending kings, To unmask falsehood, and bring truth to light." - William Shakespeare.
Indeed, the truth of victory will come to light on Saturday October 24th.
On that evening, all will be revealed; Those standing witness to Impact Wrestling's most majestic event of the year live on FITE will learn firsthand indeed, who was Bound for Glory...and who actually achieved it.
Impact Wrestling's Bound for Glory will be available live on FITE in English, French, German and Spanish!
Mike Johnson is the lead reporter for PWInsider.com and has been writing about professional wrestling since 1996. He can be found on Twitter @MikePWInsider and MikeJohnsonWrites.com.
