Impact Bound for Glory preview: Christian Cage & Mickie James highlight Forbidden Door talent

Boo ya! It is PPV night for Impact Wrestling. They are ready to rock with Bound for Glory in Las Vegas with title fights, a Knockouts dream match, and potential surprises. Forbidden Door talent is up and down the card with Christian Cage on loan from AEW, Mickie James loosely associated with the NWA, El Phantasmo and Hikuleo from NJPW joining Chris Bey for the Bullet Club, and FinJuice also visiting from NJPW. Let’s break down the card with previews and predictions.

Bound for Glory has a later start time than usual due to Saturday night Dynamite from AEW. The Impact event will begin tonight (Oct. 23) at 10 pm ET through PPV and Fite TV. The pre-show kicks off at 9:30 pm ET.

Impact World Championship: Christian Cage (c) vs. Josh Alexander

Alexander strives to be the face of Impact. After a successful run as X-Division Championship, he decided to cash in Option C granting a world title shot in exchange for vacating the X-Division belt. Christian doesn’t believe Alexander is ready to take the mantle yet. Now, it is time for Alexander to step up or shut up.

Prediction: Christian retains. Alexander’s short fuse throughout the promo exchanges doesn’t sit right with me. He’s lashing out at insults that would barely register a reaction on the schoolyard. I think something is up, and Impact may be setting the tracks for Alexander to lose.

Knockouts Championship: Deonna Purrazzo (c) vs. Mickie James

When James returned to Impact, her focus was recruiting Purrazzo to wrestle at the NWA Empowerrr women’s PPV. Snooty insults were exchanged, but Purrazzo eventually accepted and defended the Knockouts Championship against Melina. On the following night at NWA 73, Purrazzo executed a masked sneak attack on James. That forced James into teaching Purrazzo a lesson in Hardcore Country, and the Impact title match was booked for Bound for Glory.

Prediction: James wins gold. This could just be another notch on Purrazzo’s career résumé, but I think there is more juice to squeeze from this feud if the belt changes hands. The rematch could be something new for Purrazzo, like a steel cage. Whoever wins at Bound for Glory, Mercedes Martinez is on deck as next.

X-Division Championship: Trey Miguel vs. Steve Maclin vs. El Phantasmo

Since Josh Alexander vacated the X-Division Championship, a triple threat tournament was booked to determine the new champ. This bout is the tournament final.

Prediction: El Phantasmo wins. I have a feeling the Bullet Club will have a special night collecting gold, which will prompt “Switchblade” Jay White to chase the world title.

Impact World Tag Team Championship: Good Brothers (c) vs. FinJuice vs. Bullet Club

The Good Brothers feel that they ran out of challengers for the tag titles, so they went on vacation. Since Impact failed to produce a #1 contender, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows suggested a match between FinJuice and Chris Bey & Hikuleo of the Bullet Club. That contest ended in a referee controversy resulting in both teams being added to the title bout.

Prediction: Bullet Club wins the belts. There is more mileage for the Good Brothers to interact with the Bullet Club than jump back into a feud with FinJuice.

Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Rosemary & Havok (c) vs. IInspiration

Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay are taking their IIconic tag team to be an IInspiration in Impact. They were granted a tag team title shot right out of the gate. Make sure you read the previous statements with an Australian accent.

Prediction: Decay retains. I would not be surprised if this was a squash after an elaborate entrance spectacle from the IInspiration.

Call Your Shot Gauntlet

The winner of the Call Your Shot Gauntlet will earn a title shot at any Impact championship whenever they want. Royal Rumble rules are in effect. Chris Sabin will enter at #1, and W. Morrissey will enter at #20. That was dictated due to stipulations in a battle royal won by Morrissey eliminating Sabin to win.

The only other official entrants are Rich Swann, Brian Myers, and Moose. Expect the match to fill up with men and women who aren’t on the card already. Resident Impact scoopster George Iceman teased surprises.

Prediction: Moose. Moose and Morrissey are acting as associates, but they have made it clear that they are not friends and will turn on each other to win the world title. I suspect Moose will make a convenient elimination of Morrissey down the stretch paving his way to glory.

Violent by Design vs. Heath & Rhino(?)

Heath came to Impact last year at Bound for Glory, except he wasn’t officially invited. Heath sort of barged his way in looking for a contract. After coming up short trying to earn that paper, Heath was down to his final opportunity. Either Heath or Rhino had to win the Call Your Shot Gauntlet to earn the contract. The kicker was that if they failed, then Rhino would be fired too. That was a stipulation inserted by Rhino himself without the knowledge of Heath, so the prize could be okayed by management. Rhino ended up winning, and Heath was going to get his contract. Not so fast. During the gauntlet, Heath was injured.

In his absence, Eric Young pecked in Rhino’s ear convincing him to join Violent by Design. Rhino was failing to live up to expectations, so Young issued isolation punishment. Rhino showed cracks of having enough and stepped up to Young. That resulted in a beatdown by VBD.

Young issued an ultimatum of an apology or an exit, and nobody leaves Violent by Design. Before Rhino could decide, Heath made a surprise return to talk sense into his best friend. Drama intensified when Heath requested a tag match against Violent by Design with Rhino as his partner. Rhino has yet to pick a side, and the mystery will be if he shows up.

Prediction: Happy times for two best friends. I believe Uncle Rhino will see the light to team with Heath. This has been a good story thus far, and there should be resolution one way or the other. Rhino has much more to give as Heath’s best friend than as a stooge in Violent by Design.

Impact Digital Media Championship: John Skyer vs. Crazzy Steve vs. Fallah Bahh vs. Jordynne Grace vs. Chelsea Green vs. Madison Rayne

Impact introduced a new championship which will be focused through social media platforms. The six participants won tournament matches to qualify for the final. The match will be contested on the pre-show starting at 9:30 pm ET.

Tenille Dashwood earned a spot, but late news was reported that she won’t be able to make the show. Madison Rayne will be her replacement.

Prediction: Jordynne Grace becomes inaugural champion. The tournament matches were not executed well if the intent was to build excitement. All were quick, and most had cheesy finishes. That dug a little bit of a hole in regard to taking this championship seriously. Grace is the biggest star of the group, so she can add legitimacy to the new belt.

Also on the pre-show, Gail Kim will induct Awesome Kong into the Impact Hall of Fame.

Share your predictions for Bound for Glory. Which match will steal the show?

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