TNA Bound for Glory predictions and preview and for tomorrow's (Oct. 16) event

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

- Lao-tzu

It certainly seems like Total Nonstop Action (TNA) is a thousand miles away from the promotion it was back in 2005 and 2006. It was during that time that the Orlando-based company was the hottest thing in North American professional wrestling.

They signed Kurt Angle and Christian when both men parted ways with the WWE and the matches involving Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, and Christopher Daniels nearly lit Dixie Carter's six-sided ring on fire.

But then -- mostly due to external forces -- they plateaued. An overall lack of interest in pro wrestling and a faltering economy helped impede any progress TNA had made since they opened their doors in 2002. But it seemed the higher ups needed something immediate, something to justify the half-decade's worth of hard work.

They started seeking out quick fixes in the shape of pseudo-celebrities and industry stars whose luster had long faded. But instead of  ascending towards WWE-like levels, they began spiraling down into creative chaos.

Now, on the brink of their biggest show of the year -- Bound for Glory -- they have a chance to turn around their proverbial ship. Aside from the main event involving Angle and homegrown talent Bobby Roode, the biggest match on the card is a rematch nearly 15 years in the making between Hulk Hogan and Sting.

We'll discuss these two matches and the seven others that are planned after the break.

Vamanos!

The thought of Hogan/Sting in 2011 might -- okay, SHOULD -- cause you to groan but I can't help but admit that the build-up leading to their match tomorrow has been... well, perfect. From Hogan's "retirement" promo to their marketing of the face off being more of a street fight than a wrestling match, there's hardly been a misstep in the entire process.

Who will win this match? I hope that Sting comes out on top in what will symbolically signal a new beginning for the company. But if the news that Hogan has signed a new contract are true, the Hulkster going over isn't out of the question. With that in mind, If I'm allowed to fantasy book -- and it's my column so who is going to stop me?! -- the match would go something like this: Hogan throws everything -- EVERYTHING -- at Sting. Wave upon wave of outside interference, a litany of foreign objects, and maybe even a literal kitchen sink.

And yet, the Icon refuses to lay down; he keeps fighting. Hogan grabs a microphone and implores his opponent to quit. Only after Sting has taken more damage than any man should ever have to endure does he finally get pinned for the three count. Next Thursday, Hogan comes out, bruised and bandaged, and says that Sting's resolve, his will has made him realize that TNA is a company worth fighting for, a company that shouldn't be treated like a personal playground but like a promotion that could easily be the best in the world.

The main event is equally important in terms of whether or not the company's overall creative direction will change. Current TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle takes on Bound for Glory Series winner Robert Roode. The Beer Money member is truly a homegrown talent for TNA, something the company lacks; or at least it's something the company fails to push. TNA has gained a reputation for picking up New York castoffs and a win for Angle -- especially coming off of Roode's impressive performance at No Surrender -- would only reinforce that belief.

Roode HAS to go over, no question. Anything else would be a severe misstep that TNA might not be able to recover from. I would prefer no outside interference but if someone has to run in during the match, I would hope it would be limited to something that is a non-factor and doesn't actually lead to the end of the match.

And now for the rest of the card:

Winter (c) vs. Velvet Sky vs. Mickie James vs. Madison Rayne for the TNA Knockout's championship - Logic would dictate that Mickie James gets the belt back and perhaps starts a program with Rayne who has become Karen Jarrett's lackey.

Mexican America (c) vs. Ink Inc. for the TNA tag team championships - Aside from their X-Division, one facet of wrestling that TNA always embraced while the WWE shunned was tag teams. I was leaning Ink Inc. but after the in-ring debut of Christina Von Eerie on this past Thursday's Impact Wrestling, I have the feeling the champs will retain. Really, though, it could go either way.

Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn in a Full Metal Mayhem match - Everyone has seen this match a million times. Hell, I've been watching it since at least 1999. RVD has been accused of phoning it in -- and to a degree, that's right -- and Lynn is looked at as broken down -- and to a degree, that's right -- but I think these two will pull out all the stops here. The added stipulation only makes it that much more intriguing. RVD wins, without question.

Mr. Anderson vs. Bully Ray in a Philadelphia Falls Count Anywhere Street Fight - I dislike Mr. Anderson. I don't like his character, I don't like his promo style, I don't like his terrible tattoos. That being said, he has been getting the short end of the stick lately and hasn't been booked very strongly at all. THAT being said, I still think Bully Ray goes over here. If Roode wins, he's going to need a heel to feud with and the former Dudley fits the bill perfectly.

Austin Aries vs. Brian Kendrick for the TNA X-Division championship - I hope Aries retains only because I absolutely love his character. Their match last month was great and I would expect no different from them tomorrow. 

A.J. Styles vs. Christopher Daniels in an I Quit Match - Like RVD/Lynn, everyone has this match a million times. But also like the aforementioned match, the stipulation adds an interesting wrinkle. The angle they are running is great, actually. Daniels, who has been with the company since pretty much the beginning, feels overlooked. Styles has been one of the faces of TNA for so long and given world title reigns while Daniels hasn't but has the mentality that he's just as good as his longtime friend. The stipulation will add to the drama surrounding the match and I am really looking forward to this match.

Samoa Joe vs. Crimson vs. Matt Morgan in a three-way match - I really have no idea what they're doing with Joe. He used to be the hottest thing TNA had going for them but over the past three years, he's been misused so badly that he's lost almost every ounce of heat he had. Meanwhile, TNA seems intent on pushing big men like Crimson and Morgan. I'm hoping Crimson turns on Morgan here and becomes a heel. Morgan gets a good enough reaction from the crowd but Crimson needs that extra something to get the audience to care about him. It's not about getting cheers or boos in the business, really. It's about making the fans care. Going forward, a Joe/Crimson union could be fantastic. It would give the division another solid tag team while also giving Crimson the time to develop as a wrestler.

So there you have it, folks. As always, we'll be here to provide play-by-play as soon as the event starts. What do you think is going down tomorrow night?