My First TNA PPV - Bound For Glory 2025

On October 12, 2025 I attended my TNA Wrestling's Bound For Glory PPV on the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts.  This was my first ever TNA PPV, my first TNA live event since December 4, 2009, my 17th wrestling show of the year, and my 2nd wrestling show of the day.

Back at the beginning of the year we had heard rumors that TNA might run a PPV in New England in 2025.  Their last event in New England had been in a TNA One Night Only Hardcore Justice PPV in December 2013 at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium.  So they were do to run a show up this way.

Then in July they ran two days of TV tapings in Rhode Island, and I figured, that was what we would get.  However shortly after those tapings, their biggest show of the year Bound For Glory, was announced to be held at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, and I knew I couldn't miss it. 

Mikey, Eric Greenleaf and I picked up tickets during the presale and secured out seats this event historic event!  Mikey had gone to the Rhode Island TV taping and this was Greenie's first TNA show.

Not long after TNA announced Bound For Glory, Beyond Wrestling announced a show to be held earlier in the day in Lowell called Bound For the Floor, a single day 8 man tournament of mat based wrestling.  So of course we had to go to that and have a double shot day.

Greenie met me at my house early in the morning, just after 8am.  We headed to Auburn to pick up Mikey and continue the journey south.  We stopped at The Brook casino so Mikey could use his free play, that didn't take long at all.  At the store up the road I found the Diet Coke Lime, it was solid but it needs more Lime.

We got to the venue Taffeta Music Hall, about a half hour before doors were to open.   We got let in just as it started to rain.  Sadly attendance wasn't the best, but that didn't dampen my spirits as we got some fantastic wrestling matches!

Beyond Wrestling

Taffeta Music Hall: Featuring the Bound For the Floor Tournament 

Opening Round: Timothy Thatcher submitted Drew Gulak

Opening Round: Ryan Fancy submitted Joseph Alexander

Opening Round: Alex Reynolds pinned Matt Mako

Opening Round: Darian Bengston pinned Tracy Williams

Wrestling Open Tag Team Champion: The Shooter Boys: Aaron Ortiz & Anthony Vecchio defeated Star Struck: Anthony Greene & Channing Thomas pinning Greene

Brando Lee pinned The OXP

Semi Final Round: Ryan Clancy pinned Timothy Thatcher

Semi Final Round: Alex Reynolds pinned Darian Bengston

Progress Atlas Champion: Will Kroos pinned Aaron Rourke

WWE ID Champion: Cappuccino Jones pinned TJ Crawford

Tournament Final: Ryan Clancy submitted Alex Reynolds to become the IWTV Championship #1 contender

I was shocked that we got Timothy Thatcher vs. Drew Gulak as the first match of the first round.  I thought for sure they would be in the semi finals or even the finals.  

After the show we beat feet over to the Tsongas Center, it was only a short drive away and we got parked a few minutes before doors opened.  TNA does pre and post show meet and greets with their wrestlers, which is pretty cool.  Mikey and Eric both bought pre-show meet and greets while only Eric bought post-show meet and greets.  As I did neither when we got into the venue they headed off to do that while I got in the merchandise line.  I bought a TNA Bound For Glory Pin for my pin board at work. 

I walked around the venue and eventually met up with Calvin and we got some food.  The entrance was minimal with only a small set up when they wrestlers were coming out, the aisle was long too with a bend in it.  I very much appreciate the minimalist set up, it harkened back to old school PPV's of the 80's and 90's where the focus was on the in ring wrestling.  Also, to me it meant they sold so many tickets they needed the room for the fans to sit.  Turns out that was probably true as they announced an attendance of 7,794 a new North American record for the company. 

 

Their all time attendance recorded was in January 2009 a house show at Wembley arena in London with 8,100 fans, this also ended up being Hulk Hogan's last match.  Previous North American records was Slammiversary 2025 7,623 fans and Lockdown 2013 with 7,200.  TNA has been on a upward climb for months and I hope it continues for them. 

We all made it to our seats in time for the 6pm count down show, which also served as the TNA Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for The Beautiful People: Angelina Love & Velvet Sky and Mickie James.  That took about 45 minutes, and then we got the only pre-show match for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships as The Iinspiration defeated the Elegance Brand.

Maggie Lee goes by M by Elegance in TNA and I ama huge fan of hers.  I've seen her wrestle at Limitless numerous times and got to see her accompany Ash by Elegance to the ring at NXT Heatwave.  It was very cool to see her wrestler her first TNA PPV match.  

We had a great view of the ring from out seats, unless everyone was standing up of course, but we couldn't see the entrance area very well, but that was cool.  Here are the full show results:

Steve Maclin pinned International Champion: Frankie Kazarian to win the title

Solid match, Maclin was very over with the crowd. Match was a bit short, but it flowed well.

Tessa Blanchard with Victoria Crawford pinned Gia Miller with Jody Threat after hitting her with a roll of quarters.

I'm a Tessa fan, glad to see her back in TNA, seems like she has been working in CMLL more as of late. This was a good storyline with Tessa attaching Gia a few months back leading to her suspension, she got breast implants, she posted a video about it. This was billed as Gia's first TNA match, it was not. Back in 2021 & 2022 she wrestled two matches under the name Rusty Iron.

For only having a couple dozen matches under her belt I thought Gia looked very good, and gave it her all. Tessa looked great and I enjoyed the old school finish of a roll of quarters to the head for the pin.

Call Your Shot Gauntlet: Frankie Kazarian & Nic Nemeth co-won the match with a double pin

This was the only time not seeing the entrance was a bit of a bummer because you couldn't see who was coming out until they were in the ring. The wrestlers were leaving to the back walking or fighting in front of us, that was cool. Crowd was good with the double pin, until they announced two winners instead of continuing the match, then they booed Santino out of the building.

Call Your Shot Gauntlet Order of Entry

Lei Ying Lee

Mara Sade

Ryan Nemeth

Nic Nemeth

Cedric Alexander

Rich Swann

AJ Francis

Travis Williams

BDE

The Rascals: Myron Reed, Try Miguel, & Zachary Wentz

Dani Luna

Eric Young

Jake Something

Rosemary

The Home Town Man

Zack Clayton

Frankie Kazarian - Jody Threat was the original #17 but was attacked by Kazarian who took her spot

Santino Marella

Matt Cardona

Mance Warner

Call Your Shot Gauntlet Order of Elimination

AJ Francis eliminates Mara Sade (7:26)

AJ Francis eliminates Lei Ying Lee(7:37)

AJ Francis eliminates Rich Swann (8:02)

BDE , Myron Reed, Zachary Wentz & Trey Miguel eliminate AJ Francis (11:42)

Eric Young eliminates Travis Williams (14:34)

Eric Young eliminates BDE (16:28)

Eric Young eliminates Trey Miguel (17:53)

Eric Young eliminates Cedric Alexander (17:56)

Home Town Man eliminates Jake Something (19:06)

Dani Luna eliminates Rosemary (20:28)

Home Town Man eliminates Dani Luna (20:35)

Nic Nemeth eliminates Santino Marella (23:10)

Matt Cardona eliminates Zack Clayton (24:02)

Eric Young eliminates Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz (24:54)

Eric Young eliminates Home Town Man (27:48)

Matt Cardona eliminates Eric Young (27:52)

Matt Cardona eliminates Mance Warner (28:04)

Nic Nemeth eliminates Ryan Nemeth (29:05)

Mance Warner & Steph De Lander eliminates Matt Cardona (29:25)

Nic Nemeth vs. Frankie Kazarian - Double Pin

Knockouts World Champion: Kelani Jordan pinned Indie Hartwell

I head to the bathroom and grabbed snack with this match, watched half of it from the top of the building. I need to watch it on the DVD when it comes out. I was surprised the Kelani won.

Hardcore War: The System: Alisha Edwards, Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers, JDC & Moose defeated Order 4: Tasha Steelz, Mustafa Ali, Jason Hotch, John Skyler & Special Agent 0

Order of Entry: Jason Hotch & Eddie Edwards, John Skyler, JDC, Tasha Steelz, Alisha Edwards, Special Agent 0, Brian Myers, Mustafa Ali, and Moose.

This was a wargames style match with Hotch & Eddie starting, then the rest of the wrestlers came out in increments. Skyler bleed HEAVILY! Alisha took a wicked thumbtack bump that was unexpected. Very solid match lots of brawling outside the ring.

X-Division Champion: Leon Slater wrestled Je’Von Evans to a 20 minute draw, in a 5 minute overtime period Dark State ran in causing the match to be a no contest

This match was absolutely tremendous! I was happy with the draw, because it was that good. Then they did the 5 more minutes, and after about a minute Dark State ran in and beat both men down causing the no contest finish. This, again, pissed everyone off. They should have had Dark State run in before they restarted the match. Fans were not impressed.

Tables Elimination Match: World Tag Team Champions & NXT Tag Team Champions: The Hardys: Matt & Jeff defeated Team 3D: Bubba Ray & D-Von The Dudley Boyz 

Dudleys eliminated Jeff Hardy with a 3D

Jeff Hardy eliminated D-Von with a swanton off a ladder

The Hardys eliminated Bubba Ray with a crucifix bomb Emotion wise this match was a 10, match quality it was a 5. Dudley's got the big entrance where they were announced as Team 3D, Bubba Ray and D-Von the Dudley Boys. Like how the Road Warriors were introduced in the WWF. Jeff was put through the table superfast, even though he was "eliminated" he never left the match. Bubba Ray seemed to just give up at the end and accept his fate that he was going to put through the table. I think they did the best they could with how beat up their bodies are. It was very emotional and to see the Dudley's final match, most likely, was very special. After the match the Dudley's took off their boots and gave them to Matt & Jeff.

Mike Santana pinned World Champion: Trick Williams to win the championship

This was a decent match, with the build the last few months there was no way Santana was not going to win the title. Fans very much wanted a new champ crowned and hated Williams. After Santana won instead of letting him celebrate they did a spot where both Frankie Kazarian and Nick Nemeth attempted to cash in their Call Your Shot contract but where thwarted.

Santana celebrated in the ring with his daughter after the match.

Greenie went right up to the line for his Dudley Boys meet and greet, Mikey and I went down to the floor and just walked around, got a look at the ring close up.

We then headed to the lobby to wait, and we saw the Dudley's and Santana walk by to their sessions. The Dudley's got a round of applause and thank yous from those in the lobby. Bubba just kept his head down and didn't say anything, D-Von was very cool and thanked everyone making eye contact with people. Santana had a camera crew following him and also acknowledged everyone as he walked through.

It didn't take as long as we thought it would for Greenie to meet everyone he wanted to, watching the traffic leave the parking garage we probably would have still sitting in traffic that long anyhow.

We made a couple stops on the ride home for caffeine. We dropped Mikey at his house and then I got home about 3am. Greenie still had a drive and got home about 430am he said. It was a very long day but a fun one with lots of great wrestling!

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

Dusty Rhodes NWA Title Reigns

In this post we take a look at the 3 NWA World Title Reigns of "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.

The "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes is arguable one of the most beloved and popular wrestlers off all time who is well known for his career inside and out side of the ring.  Dusty began wrestling in 1967 ending his full time in ring career in 1991, wrestling on and off over the next 19 years having his last match in 2010 teaming with his sons Cody and Dustin.  During his near 50 years in wrestling he was a wrestler, booker, promoter, commentator, and his last role as a mentor and coach at NXT.

My first memories of seeing Dusty Rhodes wrestle was battling Ric Flair for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.  A title coveted and held 3 times for a combined 107 days.  According to Cagematch, Dusty competed for the title 274 times.  The first time he challenged for the title was against Dory Funk Jr lost a best 2 out of 3 falls match on January 7, 1970 at the Fair Park Coliseum Lubbock, Texas for NWA Western States.  The last time on October 8, 2003 challenged AJ Styles at NWA TNA episode 66 at the Tennessee State Fairground in Nashville coming up short in 15:40. 

Dusty's first and shortest title reign was mere 5 days from August 21, 1979 to August 26, 1979 however he did have 3 successful title defenses.

August 21, 1979 Tampa, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

Dusty Rhodes defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race to win the title

August 23, 1979 Key West, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Harley Race

August 25, 1979 St. Peterburg, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Terry Funk

August 26, 1979 Jacksonville, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Don Muraco

August 26, 1979 Orlando, Florida, Championship Wrestling From Florida

Harley Race defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the title

Dusty's second reign was his longest lasting 88 days from June 21, 1981 to September 17, 1981 with 63 successful defenses.

June 21, 1981 The Omni, Atlanta, Georgia, Georgia Championship Wrestling

Dusty Rhodes defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Harley Race to win the title

September 17, 1981 Kansas City, Kansas, Central States Wrestling

Ric Flair defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the title

Special Guest Referee Lou Thesz

Dusty would defend the title in 11 states and 1 Canadian Province: Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ohio, Iowa, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Georgia Championship Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Central States Wrestling, NWA St. Louis, NWA Tri State, & Maple Leaf Wrestling.

He retained the title in matches against former World Champions: Harley Race, Terry Funk, Dory Funk Jr, & Ivan Koloff.  As well as hall of famers Greg Valentine, Jimmy Snuka, Terry Gordy, Ken Patera, Roddy Piper, Bruiser Brody and more.  He wrestled Dory Funk Jr in two 60 time limit matches.

Dusty's 3rd and final reign lasted only 14 days from July 26, 1986 to August 9, 1986 with 5 successful defenses.  He defeated Ric Flair on the second to last stop of the 1986 Great American Bash tour inside a steel cage.  

Below are the title matches that Dusty competed in during this reign, however on July 28th he tagged with Magnum TA in Wilmington, NC in a DQ loss to the Midnight Express.  On July 29th in Rock Hill, SC at a TV taping dark match he teamed with The Rock n' Roll Express defeating Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, & Tully Blanchard.

July 26, 1986 Greensboro, North Carolina, JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

Great American Bash Tour

Steel Cage: Dusty Rhodes pinned NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Ric Flair to win the title

July 27, 1986 Dallas, Texas UWF: Universal Wrestling Federation

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair

July 31, 1986 Kansas City, Kansas CSW: Central States Wrestling

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair by Disqualification

Augusta 2, 1986 Atlanta, Georgia JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

Great American Bash Tour

Steel Cage: NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair

August 7, 1986 Kansas City, Kansas CSW: Central States Wrestling

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair by Disqualification

August 8, 1986 St. Joseph, Missouri CSW: Central States Wrestling

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair

August 9, 1986 St. Louis, Missouri  JCP/Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

Ric Flair defeated NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion: Dusty Rhodes to win the championship

On 3 occasions Dusty Rhodes, wrestling under a mask as The Midnight Rider defeated Ric Flair for the NWA Worlds Championship where the title change was reversed.  At that time Dusty was under suspension and was competing under a mask as The Midnight Rider a gimmick that has been done numerous times by other wrestlers.  The fans all know that it's Dusty Rhodes, as the do the wrestlers, but management can't prove it so they let it go.  However the NWA had a rule at that time that a masked wrestler was not allowed to be the NWA World Champion.

  

These three incidents occurred in the Championship Wrestling from Florida Territory: January 14, 1983 in Orlando, February 9 in Miami Beach, and February 12 in Sarasota.  The most famous of these 3 finishes that was later televised was on the 9th in Miami Beach.  NWA President Bob Geigle was the guest referee that night and after The Midnight Rider won the title Mr. Geigle advised the Midnight Rider that he would need to unmask to be awarded the championship.  Rider refused, knowing if he did it would prove that he was indeed Dusty Rhodes and violating his Suspension and he would never be able to wrestle again.  The title was decision was reversed and the title was returned to Flair.

There are numerous other incidents of times when Rhodes would appear to capture the title for the decision to be reversed.  The most famous of these on November 28, 1985 at Starrcade: The Gathering where in the main event portion of the show from the Omni in Atlanta, Georgia Dusty Rhodes would appear to defeat Ric Flair to win the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship.

The assigned official Tommy Young get's knocked out of the ring when Flair pulled him in front of a Rhodes clothesline.  Arn and Ole Anderson hit the ring attacking Rhodes, who manages to get them out of the ring and score and inside cradle for the pin when another referee hit the ring.

 

The bell rings, Dusty is awarded the title, he celebrates in the ring and the fans go home thinking they just witnessed history with the crowning of a new worlds champion.  Later, Tommy Young declares Rhodes the winner by DQ due to interference from the Andersons, Ric Flair is still the champion.   

On September 1, 2018 at All In in Hoffman Estates, Illinois Cody Rhodes pinned Nick Aldis to win the NWA World's Championship marking the first time that a father and son have held the same World Championship.

  

Cody would hold the title for 50 days losing it to Aldis in his only defense at the NWA 70th Anniversary show in Nashville, Tennessee.  

Personally I think it would be pretty awesome if Dustin Rhodes came back from his surgeries and won the NWA World title as well.  He deserves a World Championship run, and even though brothers have held the title before, Terry & Dory Funk, it would be very cool. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

The WWE is no longer for Wrestling Fans

If your reading the blog then you know that I am a lifelong wrestling fan.  My dad was a fan of wrestling and I started watching wrestling because of him, I've never not watched wrestling.  WWE, then WWF, you could say was my first favorite promotion, we didn't have cable at my mom's house so I could only watch Superstars and Saturday Night's Main Event.  My dad has cable and got WTBS so I could watch NWA / WCW plus AWA on ESPN and later even UWF and the Savoldi's ICW / IWCCW.  My dad would also rent all of the wrestling tapes, through all that as a kid WWF was THE BEST.

My tastes in wrestling has changed, but I have never not loved pro wrestling.  I was the perfect age and demographic for ECW in the mid to late 1990's.  In the early 2000's I really go into New Japan Pro Wrestling and that style.  With the advent YouTube and streaming watching wrestling around the world became easier. I've been a subscriber of New Japan World since it's launch.

My passion for WWE has a whole has dwindled, over the years as talking segments became the predominant part of their shows.  I like bell to bell in ring action, that is what I appreciate.  WWE has not been my number 1 flavor of wrestling for many years now, for a time NXT with my number 1 US promotion but then they did that NXT 2.0 ridiculousness and to me it just went down hill.

Since the launch of AEW they have taken over as my number 1 US promotion, world wide New Japan is number 2.  I enjoy wrestling from across the independents, Japan, Mexico, the UK, Canada and beyond.

I haven't watch a full episode of Raw or Smackdown since the VERY disappointing March 10, 2025 episode of Raw from Madison Square Garden.  I had, had hopes that they would put on a great show.  Instead on an over 2.5 hours show, we got 53:55 of in ring action spread over 4 matches.  I keep up and I read the results but I only go watch specific matches now.  I watch the PLE's but get frustrated with all the recaps and promo packages and video packages between matches. 

Ever since TKO bought out WWE they have slowly changed the company structure.  They, essentially do not do house shows in the US, only running a couple in Texas this year.  Ticket prices are ridiculous!  The cheapest seats at WrestleMania 42 in 2026 are $800.  The upcoming Raw in Boston, Cena's last Boston Appearance, the backrow of the balcony was near $300 and now with Ticketmaster dynamic pricing it's over $400.  The back row of the balcony!  With these ticket prices and lack of house shows WWE has priced me out.  It's not affordable to take my kids to a show.

With the lack of wrestling on their TV shows, I really have no interest in going to their TV product.  In the last 15 years the best wrestling was at their House shows.

My buddy Ben, a WWE loyalist and self described apologist, blindly loves everything WWE and thinks they do no wrong, even he feels betrayed by WWE's announcement to hold WrestleMania 43 in 2027 in Saudi Arabia.  WrestleMania weekend was a vacation destination for fans from around the world to converge on whatever city it was going to be held.  They are not going to have the same fans traveling to Saudi Arabia for the shows.

I was surprised when Royal Rumble 2026 was announced for Saudi Arabia, I never thought they would get Mania before the UK.  I thought for sure they would run WrestleMania at Wembley Stadium to get a bigger number than AEW.  With that rabid European fanbase it seemed like a nature place to have you first Mania outside for North America.

How can I watch WWE, great question, I have to pay for Netflix to watch Raw, I need to pay for Cable to watch Smackdown and NXT unless you have antenna that gets the CW.  You have to pay for Peacock to get the NXT PLE's, Saturday Night's Main Event, and the WWE Library and you have to pay for ESPN Premier package to get the PLE's.  That adds up to a shit-ton of money a month. 

I was very frustrated with how Vince was running the WWE near the end of his tenure.  After reading this quote TKO Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro saying that Vince McMahon was "primarily pricing tickets for families and wasn't totally focused on maxing the opportunity there".   It's odd to discover that Vince was actually doing right by the fans.  This quite also proves that TKO doesn't care about wrestling fans, just getting as much money as possible from them.  I get it, wrestling is a business and businesses to make money, but they are doing so at the expense of their fan base.  They are catering to the causal fan and social media influencers.

There are so many wrestler in the promotion that I love like AJ Styles, Stephanie Vaquer, Kevin Owens Dirty Dom, and other.  I do enjoy their Saturday Nights Main Event specials and how they are presenting Lucha Libre AAA.

As a whole though it's frustrating that the promotion that I literally watched my whole life has changed so dramatically that it's hard for me to watch.

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!