Bullet Club awarded Impact tag title match at Bound for Glory after referee controversy

Impact is not treating the Good Brothers well. Management neglected to plan ahead in determining contenders for the tag titles at Bound for Glory, so Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows offered a helping hand by playing matchmaker. They kindly suggested a #1 contender bout between FinJuice and Bullet Club. That magnanimous gesture by the Good Brothers was handled with incompetence from Impact.

Impact Wrestling (Oct. 21, 2021) did indeed go though with the #1 contender match between David Finlay & Juice Robinson and Chris Bey & Hikuleo. It was a back and forth affair mired by controversy. The pivotal point came when Finlay ducked a discus elbow strike from Bey. As Finlay lifted Bey up for a backbreaker, Bey’s legs swung into the referee. The official was knocked out. Hikuleo stepped in to chokeslam Finlay. As Bey was on top for the pinfall, a backup referee sprinted in. 1, 2, Finlay kicked out.

The match progressed with the main referee still out cold. Robinson and Hikuleo were tagged in. Finlay was able to turn the tide by shoving Hikuleo into Robinson’s big right hand punch. Robinson scored a schoolboy pin on Hikuleo. At the same time, Bey swooped in to roll-up Finlay. That’s when the main ref was revived. Both referees simultaneously counted the two pinfalls. The win was awarded to both teams.

In the aftermath, the referees argued about who should be the rightful winner. The discussion spilled backstage with Scott D’Amore promising a solution by the end of the night.

D’Amore ended up adding both teams to the title bout.

After all was said and done, Impact management weaseled out and actually screwed the Good Brothers in the process. Anderson & Gallows don’t even have to be pinned to lose the belts. What a crock! Let that be a lesson. No good deed goes unpunished.

In my opinion, Impact’s decision to stack the three-way title bout was bush league. It was pretty clear that FinJuice won the match. Robinson and Hikuleo were the legal men. The main referee made an understandable call considering he was unconscious, however, that man’s ego needs to be put in check. How could he be so righteous that his call was correct when he missed a chunk of the action?

The current Bound for Glory lineup for October 23 includes:

• Impact World Championship: Christian Cage (c) vs. Josh Alexander
• Knockouts Championship: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Mickie James
• X-Division Championship: Trey Miguel vs. Steve Maclin vs. El Phantasmo
• Impact World Tag Team Championship: Good Brothers (c) vs. FinJuice vs. Bullet Club
• Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Rosemary & Havok (c) vs. IInspiration
• Call Your Shot Gauntlet: Chris Sabin at #1, W. Morrissey at #20, Rich Swann, Brian Myers, Moose, and more to be announced
• Violent by Design vs. Heath & Rhino(?)
• Impact Digital Media Championship: John Skyer vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Fallah Bahh vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Chelsea Green vs. Tenille Dashwood
• Awesome Kong inducted into Impact Hall of Fame by Gail Kim

Bound for Glory hits the PPV airwaves at 10 pm ET on Saturday, October 23. The inaugural digital title match and the Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on the pre-show starting at 9:30 pm ET.

What’s your take on the #1 contender tag team finish? Who should have been rewarded with the title opportunity?