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TNA RETURNS - COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE IMPACT WRESTLING BOUND FOR GLORY COVERAGE FROM CHICAGO

Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of Impact Wrestling Bound for Glory 2023 from Chicago at Cicero Stadium!

The Countdown show opened with Matthew Rehwoldt and Tom Hannifan welcoming everyone to the show.

They went right to the Traci Brooks Hall of Fame induction video.

Gail Kim came out to induct Brooks.  Finding the perfect words to say about Brooks was hard.  She was the first wrestler Gail met when she walked into wrestling school and was welcomed wholeheartedly.  Brooks did that for every locker room she was a part of.  She and Gail were married on the road until Beth Phoenix came along.  She said wrestling has come so far since then.  They experienced their first bikini content together, their first hardcore match together and after a certain night on the road, Kim needed a new car.  Brooks was a wrestler, a manager, the Knockout law, a referee and will always be the original Knockout.  

Kim introduced Brooks, who came out with her husband and son.  She thanked Kim for not telling the entire car story and thanked Eric Tomkins for her video package.  She thanked her parents for instilling the work ethic in her.  She thanked her brothers and apologized to them for all her photo shoots.  She thanked her husband Frankie Kazarian for being such a great wrestler, husband and father.  She told their son Rebel that she and Frankie had their wrestling dreams when they were his age and she wants him to live his dreams.  She thanked Gail Kim and to all the Knockouts past and present for making it the best women's division in the business.  She thanked ODB, Jackie Moore, Christy Hemme, Socal Val, Mickie James, Molly Holly and a number of others.  She thanked a number of people who touched her career over the year.  She said Impact has been family, past and present and thanked the fans for cheering and booing her and letting this little farm girl from St. Marys, Ontario Canada become a star.  It was a great speech!

They then went to the induction for Don West and Mike Tenay.  The video was incredible.

Impact Wrestling President Scott D'Amore came out and congratulated Traci.  He went on to speak about how important Don and Mike were to Impact Wrestling and wrestling history with their calls.  He said when he came to Impact, Mike welcomed him and said he's going to love Mike's partner.  They did that for everyone.  They welcomed everyone.  He said Mike Tenay doesn't get anywhere near the respect he deserves.  He actively created those moments that he called.  When he thinks about Don West, he thinks about his hustle, his passion and his sense of humor.   He told a great story about Don West auctioning off a Scott D'Amore jacket and said he was the best salesperson of all time anywhere.  He praised Tenay's wife Karen and Don West's wife and family.

He introduced Mike Tenay.  The crowd chanted "Thank you Mike."  He thanked them back and thanked D'Amore and thanks Eric Tomkins for the video.  He said it was fitting they pay tribute to Don West here in Chicago.  If you are looking for a larger than life personality, look no further than Don West.  TNA execs saw him at Shop at Home and realized he would ne a great fit for pro wrestling.  Purists thought Don would be too much but he won them over with his work and genuine personality.  He pointed out that was so loved that Don's passing was mentioned by AEW and WWE, companies that he never worked for.    He and Don had ten years and no cross words, just true friendship.  He said it was great to have Don's family here.

Tenay talked about his many partners and praised Bobby Heenan, who was also from Chicago.  He told a story about Heenan being shot at by a fan in Chicago.  He thanked Eric Bischoff for putting him on the air while he was still inexperienced.  He thanked The Jarrett family, the late Zane Breslov, Konnan, and Keith Mitchell.  He congratulated Traci Brooks on her induction and thanked his family, including his granddaughter, who asked him if he now had to be called Mr. Hall of Fame.  He thanked his wife of 36 years, Karen.  He said she's the true Hall of Famer in the Tenay family.  He thanked everyone on behalf on himself and Don West.

These were truly great speeches.  I wish Don had been there.  He is missed.

BOUND FOR GLORY 2023.

You won't believe how this one ends.

I am told there will be at least three surprises in the Gauntlet for the Gold, by the way.

X-Division Champion Chris Sabin vs. KENTA

Good action early on.  KENTA had a bloodied lip within a few minutes.  Sabin was in control but was cut off on the floor and shoved hard backward into the apron.  Back in the ring, KENTA locked him in a side headlock and nailed a series of kicks.  Sabin was taken down and caught in another side headlock.  Sabin fought back with several forearms and nailed a leg lariat.  Sabin missed a charging elbow in the corner  but caught KENTA with a forearm and a top rope missile dropkick.  

Sabin nailed a running boot in the corner and followed up with a tornado DDT for a two count.   KENTA came back with a tornado DDT, snapping Sabin across the top.  He came off the top again but Sabin kicked out at two.  KENTA nailed a big running dropkick in the corner.  He went to the top for a stomp but Sabin rolled out of the way and nailed a step up enziguiri.  Sabin went for Cradleshock but KENTA used the referee to escape.  He took down Sabin and tried to use the ropes to score the pin but the referee caught it.  KENTA nailed a series of strikes and a DDT.  He nailed a big double stomp for a close two count.

KENTA goes for the GTS but Sabin escaped.  KENTA drilled him with hard strikes and slaps.  Sabin stunned him with a kick and went for Cradleshock.  They ended up in the corner with Sabin cleaning house with a big clothesline.  He nailed Cradleshock and scored the pin.

Your winner and still X-Division Champion Chris Sabin!

Good opener. 

Monster's Ball: Steve Maclin vs. PCO vs. Rhino  vs. Moose

They showed all of the competitors being released after 24 hours without food, water or light.

Maclin attacked Rhino as he came to the ring but Moose attacked them with his Feast or Fired Briefcase.  PCO was last out.  He nailed a Cactus clothesline on Maclin but was backdropped over the top onto a ladder on the floor.  Jesus!  Lots of plunder.  Macln wiped out everyone with a trash can.  He nailed a spinebuster into the can in the corner on Moose.  He suplexed PCO on the floor onto the broken ladder.  Maclin drilled him with a chair over and over.  He missed a shot, hit the ropes and drilled himself.  PCO chokeslammed him and hit a tope con hilo to the floor on Rhino.

PCO caught Maclin and nailed a lung blower.   He followed up with a legdrop off the ropes.  PCO drilled him with shots across the chest.  He nailed the Deanimator off the top, crashing down across Maclin.  Moose attacked PCO, who wouldn't stay down.  Entertaining mayhem thus far.  Moose grabbed thumbtacks and sprinkled them across a group of cinderblocks on the floor.  He powerbombed PCO atop of them.  Maclin nailed the SCUD missile on Moose and tossed him in the ring.  He hung Moose upside down and nailed the Crosshairs.  He went for the KIA but Rhino attacked him and broke it up.  The crowd called for a Gore  but Rhino instead called for tables.  He pulled out a barbed wire wrapped table and set it up in the aisle.  Maclin attacked Rhino and sent him into the ring post.   He began beating Rhino's leg with a chair.  Bully Ray cam out as Maclin climbed to the top and shoved him backwards off the ropes through the barbed wire table.  It looked like a bad crash.  Ray asked him who was soft now and walked off.

Moose and PCO, who had tacks in his head, battled back and forth in the ring.  Moose was hit with a DDT but cut off PCO with a chair as he went to the top.   Moose brandished the chair but was gored by Rhino.  Rhino KO'd himself hitting the chair.  PCO nailed a swanton on Moose and scored the pin.

Your winner, PCO!

Bit of a surprise here as PCO is expected to exit.  Really good, fun hardcore match.

Coverage continues on Page 2!

 

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