TNA 'Bound for Glory' Preview: ODB vs. Gail Kim vs. Brooke Tessmacher

Knockouts Championship

Brooke Tessmacher vs. Gail Kim vs. ODB (c)

ODB just recently earned her fourth Knockouts title from the departing Mickie James. Can she fend off this challenge from former champ Gail Kim, AND Aces and Eights femme fatale Brooke Tessmacher? To say nothing of recently debuted brute Lai'D Tapa...

The Road to Bound for Glory

The current champ was re-introduced as an active participant in TNA's women's division this past summer as a referee (she had been focused on her relationship with Eric Young and their long reign as Knockouts tag team champions). Her first match wearing black and white stripes - torn up in her typical dive bar chic fashion - was between Kim and James, and when she refused to go along with the Korean-American's underhanded tactics, a rivalry between the two started.

That rivalry continued for more than a month and culminated in Old Dirty submitting Kim to end a two out of three falls war to determine the #1 contender to Hardcore Country's crown. ODB went on to defeat Mickie in September and has been champ since. She and Gail recently renewed their acquaintance in the ring when The Bro-Mans of Jessie Godderz and Robbie E selected her as the third in their six-person intergender tag match against Mr. and Mrs. Young and Joseph Park. That has lead to the champ focusing more on comedy matches with the Jersey boys than the Knockouts division.

Tessmacher is only recently re-introduced to the company herself, having been revealed as World champ Bully Ray's new "Brooke" - replacing his pawn and former authority figure of the Knockouts, Brooke Hogan. While most of the two-time Knockouts champ's screen time has been as arm candy for Ray, she did make time to defeat Velvet Sky to earn her spot in this pay-per-view (PPV) showdown. But not before an initial attempt at that #1 contender's match was disrupted by an attack from Lei'D Tapa.

Recently promoted from the trip to developmental that she earned via Gut Check, Tapa has left no doubt that she feels she's ready to take ODB's belt.

What's at stake?

The future of a once proud division. The Knockouts used to be one of the reasons to tune in to Impact, and were something that really differentiated them from the competition. Their roster is pretty depleted, but maybe it's an encouraging sign that they've infused it with some new blood.

An hot match on their biggest show of the year could convince the powers-that-be to invest in the women again.

Can overcome the odds and continue her reign over the division? Can the division ever reach its former heights?

Feel free to talk out your answers here at Cageside Seats - where you'll also find all the results and fallout from Bound for Glory!