IMPACT Wrestling’s annual Bound for Glory pay-per-view takes place tonight at the Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. The show features a returning Will Ospreay as well as Trinity putting the Knockouts title on the line against Mickie James in a first time matchup.
Knockouts Tag Team Championships: MK Ultra (c) vs. Deonna Purrazzo and Tasha Steelz
Killer Kelly and Masha Slamovich have been a force to be reckoned with since their team up earlier in 2023. Every time they’re on screen together they know exactly how to captivate their audience — oozing that dark feminine energy, Saturday they defend their titles against Tasha Steelz and Deonna Purrazzo who are pretty much the anti-thesis of MK Ultra. Since her return at IMPACT 1000, Steelz has defeated one half of the tag team champions, Killer Kelly, in singles action with Purrazzo in her corner. Both Purrazzo and Steelz are former Knockouts Tag Team Champions — Purrazzo as part of VXT with Chelsea Green and Steelz with Kiera Hogan as Fire ‘N Flava. Will “The Boricua Badass” and “The Virtuosa” become two-time Knockouts Tag Team Champions or will MKUltra continue their sensual assault on the women’s division?
Knockouts World Championship: Trinity (c) vs. Mickie James
It’s hard to believe that these two decorated women’s wrestlers have never met one-on-one inside of a wrestling ring until now. Trinity will defend the Knockouts title against former five-time Knockouts Champion Mickie James — a title that she never lost. James was forced to vacate the championship due to injury at the beginning of this year, recently making her return at the 1000th episode of IMPACT. It’s not difficult to assume that Trinity will be met with her greatest challenge since winning the championship from Deonna Purrazzo.
X-Division Championship: Chris Sabin (c) vs. Kenta
Chris Sabin won the X-Division Championship at Impact 1000 and shortly after NJPW’s KENTA revealed that he would be returning to IMPACT Wrestling at Bound for Glory. KENTA has been featured in IMPACT multiple times in 2023, including at No Surrender earlier this year where he partnered with Bullet Club’s Ace Austin and Chris Bey to take on Time Machine (Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin and KUSHIDA). Sabin vs. KENTA is a first time one-on-one mashup, however. Both men are some of the biggest stars not just in their respective companies, but in the world. Will Sabin retain or will KENTA continue to leave his fingerprints throughout IMPACT?
Impact World Championship: Alex Shelley (c) vs. Josh Alexander
Much like James, Alexander is coming back with a vengeance as he aims to reclaim the Impact World Championship currently held by Alex Shelley. Alexander is the longest reigning Impact World Champion, holding it for nearly an entire year before being forced to vacate due to injury. During his reign he defended his title against Shelley at Emergence 2022. The two took each other to the limit in a 30 minute contest and this weekend they’ll likely do the same, vying for a championship they both feel rightfully belongs to them.
Will Ospreay vs. Mike Bailey
Two of the best wrestlers on the planet will clash once again at Bound for Glory. Since their first meeting in PWG the two have been putting on incredible matches with each other, even as recently as 2022 when they wrestled at RevPro’s 10 year anniversary show. Ospreay has only appeared in IMPACT a handful of times on a 2016 UK tour, competing for the TNA King of The Mountain title at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, UK. He also wrestled the night before at TNA One Night Only in a tag team match at Wembley Arena and in a gauntlet match with the likes of Drew Galloway (a.k.a. WWE’s Drew McIntyre), Grado, Matt Hardy, Mike Bennett, Eddie Edwards, and more.
Impact Tag Team Championships: the Rascalz (c) vs. ABC
After losing their titles to Subculture at Slammiversary at the hands of The Good Hands, Ace Austin and Chris Bey have been working to reclaim the gold. After Bey won a briefcase briefcase that allotted him an opportunity to reclaim the tag titles with Austin, they activated it for Bound for Glory. Once the Rascalz successfully defended the titles against Rich Swann and Sami Callihan last month, the match was officially set. Both tag teams are on the rise — young and hungry to prove themselves in the next generation of the greatest tag teams. Officially formed in 2022, Austin and Bey have proved just how well they can work together with their undeniable chemistry wrestling in Bullet Club in Japan and in IMPACT. Wentz returned to IMPACT over the summer and reformed the Rascalz with Trey Miguel, competing with each other in an IMPACT ring for the first time since 2019.
Monster’s Ball: PCO vs. Rhino vs. Steve Maclin vs. Moose
The Monster’s Ball match is a stipulation match where everyone involved is sequestered without food, water and light for 24 hours before the match. This year, four of the biggest and intimidating men in IMPACT enter the Ball but only one will come out. PCO, Rhino, and Maclin all have a grudge against each other with Rhino and Maclin having the most bad blood of all. When Rhino returned at IMPACT 1000 the last few months Rhino has spent away healing an injury Maclin caused completely boiled over. With Maclin’s time in the forces and the other three competitors having previously competed in a Monster’s Ball match, it’s truly anyone’s game. This is the first Men’s Monster’s Ball four-way since 2007.
Call Your Shot Gauntlet
A variation of the Gauntlet for the Gold, Call Your Shot first appearing in 2019 at Bound for Glory and returns at Bound for Glory 2023. Whoever can withstand the 20 competitors in the ring will get a championship opportunity of their choosing wherever and whenever they like. Dirty Dango will enter the Gauntlet at the coveted #20 spot while Jake Something will enter at #1, hoping to get through the 19 other competitors and claim a #1 contenders spot for the championship of his choosing. Other competitors in the match include Brian Myers, 2022 winner Bully Ray, 2019 winner Eddie Edwards, Eric Young, Frankie Kazarian, Gisele Shaw, Jody Threat, Joe Hendry, Jordynne Grace, Kenny King and KiLynn King.
IMPACT Bound for Glory emanates from the Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois tonight at 8 p.m.. If you aren’t part of the sold out live crowd, the show will be stream on FITE.
