The IMPACT Wrestling archives are full of unforgettable matches and moments. This week on the Pluto TV Rewind, we head back to No Surrender 2008 when Samoa Joe put his World Championship up for grabs in a Four Ways to Glory Match!
Samoa Joe had finally realized his dream of becoming the IMPACT Wrestling World Champion when he defeated Kurt Angle in April 2008 at Lockdown. It was the finale to a feud that spanned over two years, proving to be one of the greatest in the history of professional wrestling. The battle took place inside the Six Sides of Steel Cage and it was one for the ages. However, winning the championship was one thing – keeping the title around his waist would be another challenge altogether for Samoa Joe.
In June 2008, IMPACT Wrestling presented its signature Slammiversary pay-per-view event, featuring the unique reverse ladder match, otherwise known as King of the Mountain. In this match, instead of retrieving the championship from above the ring, you were looking to hang it up instead. In order to be eligible to hang the belt, you first had to score a pinfall or submission. The person that took the fall would then spend two minutes in the penalty box. On this special night, Samoa Joe’s opponents were Booker T, Christian Cage, Bobby Roode and Rhino. Continuing his trend of overcoming the odds, Samoa Joe became the first man to successfully defend his World Championship in the King of the Mountain Match.
Joe would then enter a singles feud against Booker T that took place over the course of summer 2008. Joe fought Booker to a controversial no contest at July’s Victory Road pay-per-view event, leading to a Six Sides of Steel Weapons Match between the two at August’s Hard Justice. Controversy struck again after the lights went out and a certain roster member left his guitar for Samoa Joe to bash over Booker T’s head! Joe did just that to retain the title on this hardcore night.
It was time for Samoa Joe’s toughest challenge yet. In September 2008 at No Surrender, Joe would defend the World Championship against three other competitors. They were Booker T, Christian Cage and his greatest nemesis, Kurt Angle. The winner would walk into IMPACT Wrestling’s biggest pay-per-view of the year, Bound for Glory with the strap around their waist. Naturally, this was the Four Ways to Glory Match and the first person to score a pinfall or submission would be declared the victor. On the night of the event, Booker T was unable to compete due to travel issues.
Things got a little bit easier for the “Samoan Submission Machine” but he still had two of the world’s best standing in front of him in Kurt Angle and Christian Cage. Not to mention that the event was taking place in Oshawa, Canada, a mere 45 minutes away from Christian Cage’s hometown of Toronto. The theme for Samoa Joe’s recent title matches was controversy and it continued here when Jeff Jarrett attacked Kurt Angle, allowing Joe to score the win and leave No Surrender with the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship intact.
For more unforgettable matches and moments like these, tune into the IMPACT Wrestling channel on Pluto TV.
The post In 2008, The Road To Bound For Glory Went Through No Surrender – The Pluto TV Rewind appeared first on IMPACT Wrestling.