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IMPACT Wrestling has had to leap unequalled obstacles to have a triumphant year. The celebration of these accomplishments should have been here at their biggest event of the year at Bound For Glory. However, it would become a pay-per-view that continued the narrative of IMPACT Wrestling overcoming the odds against them once again.
Bound For Glory 2020 featured four title matches highlighted by the heated rivalry of Rich Swann and Eric Young for the IMPACT World Championship. We would also see a Fatal Four Way Match for the IMPACT Tag Team Titles, a Six Way Scramble for the X-Division Championship and a good heel vs. babyface battle between Deonna Purrazzo and Kylie Rae for the Knockouts Championship. We would also see if Moose could control his narrative against EC3 in an Undisclosed Location, the Call Your Shot Gauntlet and the newest IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock facing Eddie Edwards.
With some audio issues early and a quite notable bait and switch, there were some negatives on the night. However, the highly entertaining show surrounding those few moments allowed IMPACT to deliver a show they can be proud of. Here, we will discuss the five biggest takeaways from IMPACT Wrestling Bound For Glory.
#5 Rohit Raju proves to be a magnificent heel X-Division Champion in the Bound For Glory 2020 opener
When Rohit Raju won the X-Division Championship back at IMPACT Wrestling Emergence, many fans thought it was the company allowing one of their longest and most hard working performers to finally get an opportunity. And Raju has taken complete advantage of it. Heading into Bound For Glory, he had started the "Defeat Rohit Challenge" and got himself in enough hot water with the other X-Division competitors, leading to a Six Way Scramble Match.
In this Bound For Glory opening contest, Raju stood out the most with his often funny heel work. His trash talk and claims of "Equality!" whenever he attacked Jordynne Grace gave this traditional spotfest a little more than we would have expected.
This was a fun opener where Rohit got the victory by being a majestic chicken heel and taking advantage of his opponents. He has proven himself as a competent performer and given us a different kind of X-Division Champion.
#4 Friendship overcomes all in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet at Bound For Glory 2020
The Call Your Shot Gauntlet at IMPACT Bound For Glory 2020 gave the winner of this contest a title shot of their choosing at anytime. In last year's edition, Eddie Edwards was victorious and went on to win the IMPACT World Championship at Slammiversary this year. This match featured some stories continuing and surprise returns sprinkled in.
We saw former IMPACT X-Division standout Shawn Daivari, former WWE Superstar Hornswoggle and IMPACT Wrestling legend Cowboy James Storm all come out in this match. Heading into Bound For Glory 2020, the leading story for this gauntlet was the ongoing drama of Heath trying to get a job in IMPACT Wrestling. Rhino risked it all by putting up his contract with the company for a chance for his friend to get the deal of his desire with a win for either man in this contest.
Even after Heath was eliminated following an injury and the Man Beast coming in at No. 1, Rhino was able to conquer Sami Callihan in the final two with a Gore to win the Call Your Shot Gauntlet. This victory allows Rhino to challenge for any title of his choosing, but more importantly earned Heath the contract that he wanted originally from Scott D'Amore.
This narrative at Bound For Glory 2020 showed that sometimes friendship can overcome insurmountable odds. This also was a nice nod to Rhino after his iconic win of the NWA World's Heavyweight Championship 15 years earlier at the first Bound For Glory PPV.
#3 Moose and The North control their own narratives in unique ways at Bound For Glory
Speaking of narratives, Moose vs. EC3 was all about that word coming into Bound For Glory 2020. EC3 has targeted Moose and his TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Although it originally seemed that EC3 just wanted to rid IMPACT Wrestling of this false relic of the past in the title, the story has further developed showing that EC3's goal has been deeper than that. He has wanted to bring something darker out of his adversary.
In this cinematic match at Bound For Glory 2020, EC3 got just that with Moose showing off a new side to himself. Even when Ethan Carter III looked like he could get the victory over his opponent, he hesitated, allowing Moose to take advantage of the opening and take him down with ferocity. Both men were bloody by the end of this, but it was Moose who looked like the victor after blasting EC3 with the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. He had finally controlled his narrative and put EC3 in his rearview.
On the other hand, The North took control of their narrative in another way. After a promo earlier in the night where Ethan Page showed that his time without the IMPACT Tag Team Titles had touched a nerve, the North said that they would hurt someone tonight, and that's what they did. Before their Fatal Four Way Tag Team Match at Bound For Glory 2020, the North ambushed the Motor City Machine Guns with Josh Alexander laying out Alex Shelley with a double underhook piledriver on the ramp.
That created a match-long narrative of Chris Sabin trying to defend the Tag Team titles on his own. He put in a tremendous babyface effort here at Bound For Glory, working double-time to defend those straps. But it was Page and Alexander using the titles and blasting Karl Anderson of the Good Brothers with them to get the win. The North are now two-time IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champions, walking out of Bound For Glory 2020 victorious.
#2 Kylie Rae's mysterious Bound For Glory no-show leads to the surprise return and winning of the Knockouts Title by Su Yung
One of the main talking points coming out of IMPACT Wrestling Bound For Glory 2020 was definitely the no showing of Kylie Rae. There has been conflicting reports following the show as to whether she was injured or something else transpired. IMPACT Wrestling was put in an unenviable position here with the company not knowing if she would pop up or not at Bound For Glory, but they delivered a pleasing surprise as a result.
Being the ever-so-confident champion, Deonna Purrazzo challenged anyone to face her for the Knockouts title. It was the alter ego of Susie in the "Undead Bride" herself, Su Yung, who made her return to answer the challenge. Following Purrazzo breaking Susie's arm ahead of Bound For Glory 2020, this was a fun surprise that took the champion off guard.
Even with help from Kimber Lee, Su Yung was able to overcome both ladies before hitting Deonna with the Panic Switch to get the victory and win the IMPACT Wrestling Knockouts Championship for the second time. This match was solid, but the story is the bigger news here. The question coming out of Bound For Glory 2020 will be how IMPACT Wrestling addresses the absence of Kylie Rae and progresses the story with the returning Su Yung moving forward.
#1 Rich Swann gives us a happy ending to Bound For Glory 2020
The biggest rivalry heading into Bound For Glory 2020 was by far the main event with Eric Young defending the IMPACT World Championship against Rich Swann. With both men returning in the Slammiversary main event Five Way Match for the gold, it was Swann who pinned Young to eliminate him from that match. After, EY attacked and re-injured the leg of Swann to put his career in jeopardy again.
Swann threatened to retire until Young attacked him once again. Eric followed this with defeating Eddie Edwards for the IMPACT World title and terrorizing the promotion. Swann begged and was granted by Scott D'Amore this opportunity at the biggest show of the year, Bound For Glory 2020.
This Bound For Glory main event was deeply rooted in hatred and showcased that with a fight between the two men. Swann came out with babyface fire before EY focused on an opening by attacking his opponent's neck. Although the champion dominated the challenger for most of this encounter, Rich reversed the tree of woe and hit a turnaround stunner. He followed that with a springboard cutter and a beautiful Phoenix Splash to win the match and become the new IMPACT Wrestling World Champion.
This was a thrilling closing match that provided us with a jovial conclusion to Bound For Glory 2020. Rich Swann overcame a real-life, career-threatening injury and the vile attacks by Eric Young to show resilience through it all. He overcame the odds much like we spoke about the company doing the same, so this gives IMPACT Wrestling a champion that fully represents the image of the company. Bound For Glory 2020 proved to be a promotion-defining event, and Swann's victory was the perfect ending.
