Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of Impact Wrestling's Bound for Glory 2022 from The Washington Armory in Albany, NY!
Countdown to Bound for Glory
Impact Wrestling Digital Media Champion Brian Myers vs. Dirty Dango
The former Fandango in WWE has answered Myers' open challenge. The crowd chanted for him. They locked up and Dango, sporting shorter blonde hair, broke clean in the corner. Myers grabbed a side headlock and was sent into the ropes. He shoulderblocked Dango down to the mat, then did so a second time, Dango went up and over during an exchange and nailed a dropkick. He worked over Brian's arm.
Myers went for a sunset flip but Dango held on and drilled him with a left hand. He nailed a legdrop for a two count. Myers went to the floor and Dango followed. Myers cut him off as they returned to the ring and ran him into the ring post. Myers brought him back into the ring and nailed a snapmare, then cinched in a side chinlock. Dango fought back to his feet and nailed a pescado to the outside on Myers. He nailed an inverted atomic drop and began putting some offense together. He nailed a Russian Legsweep and a Falcon Arrow for a two count.
Myers caught him with an enziguri and hit an implant DDT for a two count. Dango cut him off with a kick and a tornado DDT for a two count. He nailed a charging uppercut in the corner and went to the top but Myers returned to his feet. Dango leapt into the ring but was hit with a spear and the Roster Cut for the pin.
Your winner, Brian Myers!
Solid match from bell to bell.
They aired a nice video package on Raven's Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame induction with Sami Callihan, Eddie Edwards, Lou D'Angeli, Tommy Dreamer, Jim Mitchell, Scott D'Amore and Mickie James, among others, talking up Raven's career.
Tommy Dreamer came out to induct Raven. He said three weeks ago, Scott D'Amore came to him and wanted to talk to him about the Hall of Fame and that they all voted and agreed on Dreamer. Dreamer said that his entire career flashed before his eyes and thought about how his family and mom could be there and got all emotional and then was told they voted Dreamer would induct Raven. Even when Raven isn't wrestling, Dreamer is doing the job for him.
Dreamer talked about Raven and said without him there would be no Mickie James, Dreamer, The Dudley Boyz, Stevie Richards, The Blue Meanie, Nova, Francine and Kimona. He pointed out Raven gave opportunities for a young CM Punk. He said that as you get older, you look back and he said life is all about moments. He said that when he was down on the mat after a DDT wiping the blood from his eyes, he never realized he was in the middle of a moment and neither did Raven. He said it was his honor to induct Raven and would give anything to have a moment like that again.
Raven came out to accept and DDT'd Dreamer. Just kidding, but he should have! Raven said that he's known for being narrisistic and being dick. He said that his qualities weren't great in life but these were great qualities for a professional wrestler. He said he never felt he deserved the cheers but boos made him feel right back at home. He said that he was one of the last guys to go through the territory system and then work in the modern, national stage. He got to do great things and learned a lot from The Grappler Len Denton and couldn't have done it without him. He drove Lenton and got to pick the brain of a true booking wizard. Denton was teaching him how to think serially and how to book that way so he learned how to think long-term about booking matches and stories. He joked the cheers were making him nervous and asked the crowd to boo him.
Raven said that he had to talk about Paul Heyman. His career had grown by leaps and bounds and Heyman let him do pretty much everything he wanted. He said his feuds with The Sandman and Tommy Dreamer stack up against everything else out there. He said he would have stayed there forever but lots of money was offered and went to WCW where his self-destructive ways led to his prematurely leaving. He got clean and sober and went to WWE which was a miserable experience but it allowed him to start to go to therapy and deal with his personal issues and he's done the work to try and be a better person.
He felt when he left WWE, it was a poor end to his career but then TNA called and he got to have another great run and be used the way he felt he should have been used. He said he started in Memphis and closed out in TNA, so it was a full circle. He said he wanted to thank so many, including Lodi, Sandman and Saturn but there's not enough time and his friends know what they mean to him. He thanked Tommy and said he has to single him out for being the yin to his yang, and for being his partner in a 28 year feud that finally ends tonight. Dreamer embraced him but Raven kicked and DDT'd him. The crowd booed and Raven said, "Thank you. Quote the Raven, nevermore."
Well, that's how that should have ended!
It was a really good speech from both Dreamer and Raven.
Tom Hanifan and Matthew Rehwoldt ran down the main events for the PPV.
Impact Wrestling Bound for Glory 2022
X-Division Champion Speedball Mike Bailey vs. Frankie Kazarian
Some nice, athletic wrestling early on. Kazarian worked him over on the floor and tossed the champ in the ring. He nailed a slingshot legdrop for a two count. Bailey tried to go for a kick but Kazarian snatched his leg and tied him up on the mat. Bailey nailed a series of kicks while on the mat, dazing Kazarian with shots to the neck and throat.
Bailey used a forward roll out of an Electric Chair for a two count, then nailed a single-leg dropkick. The crowd chanted for Bailey. Some nice back and forth action. Kazarian slapped Bailey but missed a springboard legdrop. Bailey began drilling him with a series of hard knees. Bailey nailed a running spinkick in the corner and scored a near fall. Kazarian cut him off with a slingshot cutter for a two count. Lots of really good near falls. Kazarian even kicked out of the Ultima Weapon.
They battled to the top, where Kazarian nailed The Flux Capacitor for another two count. They went back and forth. Bailey nailed a Poisonrana out of an Electric Chair. Bailey went to the top for a shooting star press but Kazarian nailed a cutter for a two count. Kazarian locked on the cross face chicken wing and Bailey tapped.
Your winner and new X-Division Champion Kazarian!
Very good match to open the show.
Gia Miller interviewed Mickie James backstage about her bout against Mia Yim. She said the stakes are high but Hardcore Country delivers. She asked for this match and this bout means the world to each of them. The Last Rodeo is knowing she can hang with the likes of Mia. She isnt passing the torch, she is the torch and they are burning Albany to the ground.
Mickie James vs. Mia Yim
Some nice back and forth action early where they mirrored the other. Mickie snatched a side headlock and brought her down to the mat. Yim shot her off into the ropes but was shoulderblocked down. They locked up and this time, Yim grabbed a head scissor and held her to the mat. James escaped and went back to the side headlock. James tried to go for a bulldog off the ropes but was shoved off and "tweaked" her knee and began limping a bit.
Yim caught James in the corner and snapped the leg. James went down as the referee checked on her. Yim kept working on the banged up knee but Mickie kept kicking out. They began slugging it out with Yim showing some aggression. Mickie nailed a Lou Thesz Press and nailed several clotheslines but her leg was hindering her offense. Yim nailed a powerbomb into the buckles for a two count.
They battled on the top where Mickie kissed her to stun Yim and shoved her off. She nailed another Thesz Press for a kick out. Mickie went for the Mick Kick but was caught in a Stretch Muffler. She drilled James with a kick to the head and a German suplex. She told James she was sorry and nailed Eat Defeat but James grabbed the ropes at the last second to break up the pinfall.
Yim went for another but James escaped and kicked her in the head. Mickie went for the DDT but was shoved into the buckles. Yim missed a cannonball in the corner. James nailed the DDT and scored the pin.
Your winner, Mickie James!
Good match that was competitive enough that you could buy into the story that James might lose and be forced to retire. Yim really worked hard here and this was a good performance from both.
James hugged Yim after. Yim was way too happy for someone who just lost a match.
Coverage continues on Page 2!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
