Gauntlet for the Gold
A Gauntlet for the Gold match is a professional wrestling match used in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA - though from 2017-2024 it was known as Impact Wrestling).
Match format
Different from the other gauntlet matches, in which one competitor faces several others in turn, the Gauntlet for the Gold match is very similar to the fellow professional wrestling promotion WWE's Royal Rumble match. It consists of two competitors beginning the match in the ring, followed by competitors entering the ring at timed intervals. Elimination is in the standard battle royal format in which a competitor must go over the top rope and hit the floor in order to be eliminated. If a wrestler falls to the floor without going over the top rope or is thrown over the top but does not fall to the floor, the competitor may re-enter the ring and continue the match.
The final portion of the match consists of the last two competitors squaring off in a regular singles match in which victory must be attained by pinfall or submission.
The Gauntlet for the Gold usually involves a double digit number of wrestlers, and the prize is usually either a championship or a championship match opportunity.
Variations
There is a tag team variation of the Gauntlet for the Gold. A single wrestler enters one at a time at predetermined intervals. When all but two competitors are eliminated, the partners of the two survivors return and the match becomes a standard tag team match.
On October 23, 2005, at the Bound for Glory pay-per-view, the Gauntlet for the Gold Match was fought as completely elimination-only, since the winner had to immediately face the NWA World Heavyweight Champion for the title.
There was also an Ultimate X Gauntlet at Victory Road in 2007, with over-the-top-rope rules and after all 10 participants entered the match, it became a standard Ultimate X match, with the remaining entrants in the match competing in it.
Call Your Shot
In 2019, a modified version of the match - called the Call Your Shot Gauntlet - was introduced. While continuing to use the same rules and format as before, the Call Your Shot version is open to both men and women. The Call Your Shot winner receives a trophy, and earns a future championship match (for the title, and at the time, of their choosing) with the stipulation of having one year to invoke their championship match privilege (which is done by handing in the trophy to an official - similar to WWE's Money in the Bank briefcase).
Since then, the Call Your Shot Gauntlet has become an annual tradition at Bound for Glory, which is TNA's biggest show of the year.[1][2]
Match history
Gauntlet for the Gold / Bound for Gold
Call Your Shot Gauntlet
| # | Winner | Runner up | Stipulations | Event | Air date | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddie Edwards | Mahabali Shera | #1 Contender's match for any championship of the winner's choosing | Bound for Glory | October 20, 2019 | Villa Park, IL | [28] |
| 2 | Rhino | Sami Callihan | #1 Contender's match for any championship of the winner's choosing | Bound for Glory | October 24, 2020 | Nashville, TN | [29] |
| 3 | Moose | Matt Cardona | #1 Contender's match for any championship of the winner's choosing | Bound for Glory | October 23, 2021 | Sunrise Manor, NV | [30] |
| 4 | Bully Ray | Steve Maclin | #1 Contender's match for any championship of the winner's choosing | Bound for Glory | October 7, 2022 | Albany, NY | [31] |
| 5 | Jordynne Grace | Bully Ray | #1 Contender's match for any championship of the winner's choosing | Bound for Glory | October 21, 2023 | Cicero, Illinois | |
| 6 | Frankie Kazarian | Rhino | #1 Contender's match for any championship of the winner's choosing | Bound for Glory | October 26, 2024 | Detroit, Michigan | |
| 7 | Frankie Kazarian & Nic Nemeth | Matt Cardona | #1 Contender's match for any championship of the winner's choosing | Bound for Glory | October 12, 2025 | Lowell, Massachusetts |
Records
Most Gauntlet for the Gold victories
| Wrestler | Wins |
|---|---|
| Petey Williams | 2 |
| Gail Kim | |
| ODB | |
| Eli Drake | |
| Rhino | |
| Frankie Kazarian |
Most times being a Gauntlet for the Gold runner-up
| Wrestler | Times |
|---|---|
| Madison Rayne | 3 |
| Ron Killings | 2 |
| Roxxi Laveaux |
Championship/Cash-in matches
| Won title | Lost match | Draw | Did not receive title match |
Gauntlet for the Gold / Bound for Gold
| No. | Gauntlet Winner | Championship | Date | Location | Event | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raven | NWA World Heavyweight Championship | August 27, 2003 | Nashville, TN | NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #60 | Raven was defeated by defending champion AJ Styles. |
| 2 | 3 Live Kru (B.G. James and Ron Killings) |
NWA World Tag Team Championship | November 19, 2003 | Nashville, TN | NWA-TNA Weekly PPV #71 | The match ended in a draw due to Killings and one-half of the defending champions Johnny Swinger, who was champion with Simon Diamond, double pinned each other. The titles were vacated as a result of this decision. |
| 3 | Abyss | NWA World Heavyweight Championship | June 19, 2005 | Orlando, FL | Slammiversary | Abyss was defeated by Raven in a King of the Mountain match that also involved defending champion AJ Styles, Monty Brown, and Sean Waltman. |
| 4 | Rhino | NWA World Heavyweight Championship | October 23, 2005 | Orlando, FL | Bound for Glory | Rhino defeated defending champion Jeff Jarrett immediately after winning the Gauntlet. |
| 5 | Samoa Joe | TNA World Heavyweight Championship | March 11, 2007 | Orlando, FL | Destination X | Joe was defeated by defending champion Christian Cage. |
| 6 | AJ Styles and Tomko | TNA World Tag Team Championship | October 14, 2007 | Duluth, GA | Bound for Glory | Styles and Tomko defeated defending champion Ron Killings and Consequences Creed, who was filling in for the other half of the defending champions Adam "Pacman" Jones. |
| 7 | Christian Cage | TNA World Heavyweight Championship | January 6, 2008 | Orlando, FL | Final Resolution | Cage was defeated by defending champion Kurt Angle. |
| 8 | The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) |
TNA World Tag Team Championship | Taped: January 21, 2008 Aired: January 24, 2008 |
Orlando, FL | TNA Impact! | Shelley and Sabin were defeated by defending champions AJ Styles and Tomko in a Three-way tag team match also involving Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray). |
| 9 | ODB | TNA Women's Knockout Championship | February 10, 2008 | Greenville, SC | Against All Odds | ODB was defeated by defending champion Awesome Kong. |
| 10 | Petey Williams | TNA X Division Championship | March 9, 2008 | Norfolk, VA | Destination X | Williams was defeated by defending champion Jay Lethal. |
| 11 | Sojournor Bolt | TNA Women's Knockout Championship | March 15, 2009 | Orlando, FL | Destination X | Bolt was defeated by defending champion Awesome Kong. |
| 12 | Awesome Kong | TNA Knockouts Championship | Taped: January 7, 2016 Aired: January 12, 2016 |
Bethlehem, PA | Impact Wrestling | Kong was defeated by defending champion Gail Kim. |
| 13 | Tyrus | TNA World Heavyweight Championship | Taped: March 19, 2016 Aired: April 26, 2016 |
Orlando, FL | Sacrifice | Tyrus was defeated by defending champion Drew Galloway. |
| 14 | Gail Kim | TNA Knockouts Championship | October 2, 2016 | Orlando, FL | Bound for Glory | Kim defeated defending champion Maria Kanellis-Bennett. |
| 15 | Eli Drake | TNA World Heavyweight Championship | Taped: October 8, 2016 Aired: November 10, 2016 |
Orlando, FL | Impact Wrestling | Drake was defeated by defending champion Eddie Edwards. |
| 16 | ODB | Impact Wrestling Knockouts Championship | April 20, 2017 | Orlando, FL | Impact Wrestling | ODB was defeated by defending champion Rosemary. |
| 17 | Kylie Rae | Impact Knockouts Championship | N/A | N/A | N/A | Rae was supposed to faced defending champion Deonna Purrazzo for the title at 2020's Bound for Glory however, Rae did not appear at the event. Two weeks later, she retired, although temporarily, from professional wrestling citing mental health issues. |
| 17 | Eric Young | Impact World Championship | June 19, 2022 | Nashville, TN | Slammiversary | Young was defeated by defending champion Josh Alexander. |
Call Your Shot
| No. | Gauntlet Winner | Championship | Date | Location | Event | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddie Edwards | Impact World Championship | July 18, 2020 | Nashville, TN | Slammiversary | Edwards defeated Ace Austin, Eric Young, Rich Swann and Trey in a Five-way elimination match for the vacant title. |
| 2 | Rhino | Impact World Tag Team Championship | Taped: Unknown Aired: May 20, 2021 |
Nashville, TN | Impact! | Rhino and Joe Doering representing Violent by Design defeated defending champions FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) immediately after FinJuice retained the titles against Ace Austin and Madman Fulton. |
| 3 | Moose | Impact World Championship | October 23, 2021 | Sunrise Manor, NV | Bound for Glory | Moose defeated defending champion Josh Alexander immediately after Alexander won the title. |
| 4 | Bully Ray | Impact World Championship | January 13, 2023 | Atlanta, GA | Hard To Kill | Ray was defeated by defending champion Josh Alexander. |
| 5 | Jordynne Grace | TNA Knockouts World Championship | January 13, 2024 | Paradise, NV | Hard To Kill | Grace defeated defending champion Trinity. |
| 6 | Frankie Kazarian | TNA World Championship | April 27, 2025 | Los Angeles, CA | Rebellion | Kazarian was defeated by defending champion Joe Hendry in a Three-way match also involving Ethan Page. |
| 7 | Frankie Kazarian | TNA World Championship | November 13, 2025 | Orlando, FL | Impact! | Kazarian defeated defending champion Mike Santana immediately after Santana was attacked by members of the WWE NXT roster. |
| 8 | Nic Nemeth |
References
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