SAMOA JOE VS. JUSHIN LIGER

  

Samoa Joe debuted back in June, beating Sonjay Dutt in his TNA debut. That began an undefeated streak in TNA. Jushin Thunder Liger is a Japanese icon and this match would easily draw 5,000 tickets alone in USA or Japan. It’s our opening match for Bound for Glory in front of around 900 fans in the Impact Zone.

The opening video shows an African Prince giving a speech littered with TNA’s Pay-Per-View names, along with corresponding video clips. Mike Tenay welcomes us, saying Hurricane Wilma can’t stop this event. Then goes through the World Series and Superbowl stuff. This is the first Bound for Glory, so he’s pushing the event and name importance hard tonight.

Polynesian drummers and dancers accompany Samoa Joe to the ring, but not before a Haka on the stage. Jushin “Thunder” Liger makes his way out. He gets into the ring and the streamers fly. Event staff and the referee clear the ring as we show NJPW President Simon Inoki.

Mike Tenay and Don West are on commentary for this match.

SAMOA JOE VS. JUSHIN LIGER

TNA Bound for Glory 2005 (23^rd October 2005)

  Jushin Liger gets the crowd going before locking up with Joe. Liger flies across the ring backward.

  Samoa Joe sends Liger back into the turnbuckle and that’s all it takes for dueling chants of “Liger” followed by “Joe”. Jushin Liger grabs a headlock but Joe powers out. A shoulder block from Liger does move Joe, so Jushin tries again but gets knocked down. He tells Joe to hit the ropes and Samoa Joe obliges. Liger goes prone and catches Joe with a drop toehold followed by a dropkick. Samoa Joe reverses an irish whip but ducks too early for the backdrop so Liger kicks him. Jushin Liger runs into a back elbow but sends Samoa Joe through the ropes. Jushin Thunder Liger runs the ropes, and Samoa Joe avoids a dive that never comes as Liger sets himself against the ropes and stops his own momentum. Jushin Liger connects with a kick through the ropes and dives from the top turnbuckle onto Joe right in front of Mr. Inoki!

  Jushin Liger brings it back into the ring, but is caught on the crossbody attempt. Samoa Joe plants him with the Samoan drop. Samoa Joe sends Liger into the corner and hits the running knee strike. Samoa Joe with the snapmare, chop to the back, kick, and knee drop combination. He gets a nearfall as I get annoyed I don’t have a decent memory to give sequences like that names. Jushin Liger is put in a chinlock, Joe has his knee in Liger’s back, but Jushin Liger makes it to his feet and elbows his way free. Jushin Liger runs into a snap powerslam but kicks out at 2. Samoa Joe goes back to the chinlock, Liger works his way to his feet again and elbows get him out of the hold. Samoa Joe counters an irish whip attempt and knees Liger in the midsection. Samoa Joe sends Liger into the corner, but Liger is able to move out of the way sending Joe’s knee into the turnbuckle. Liger hits a rolling kick in the corner but can’t suplex Samoa Joe. Mike Tenay calls it the Kappo kick and I’m not going to argue. Jushin Liger stomps on Samoa Joe’s foot and brings him over with the fisherman suplex, Samoa Joe kicks out at 2.

  Jushin Liger trips over Joe’s leg on the way to hit a Frog Splash and Samoa Joe powers out at 2. I feel those two factors must be connected, somehow. Jushin Thunder Liger hits the ropes, wanting some momentum for his open-palm thrust, but Joe ducks and hits an enziguri! He sets up Liger on the top rope, but makes the mistake of climbing the ropes too. Jushin Liger slips down to the mat and powerbombs Samoa Joe out of the corner for another nearfall. Jushin Liger hits a running chop, followed by an overhand chop. Tenay mistakes it for the Open-Palm thrust, but Jushin Liger hits that next, knocking Samoa Joe down for another 2 count. Jushin Liger climbs to the top rope but Samoa Joe trips him. That’s enough to set up the Muscle Buster! Samoa Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch and after a fight Jushin Thunder Liger passes out so the referee calls the match.

WINNER: SAMOA JOE

This match was an Indy main event in the country. The chinlocks were there to extend the match, which was certainly one of his first 50/50 matches in TNA. Jushin Liger got a lot in before the loss. It was a big moment every time Joe left his feet but Jushin Liger was able to get some close nearfalls. A great way to spend just under 8 minutes. [***½] 7/10