A Monster's Ball match is a professional wrestling, hardcore match type that originated in and is primarily staged by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA - known as Impact Wrestling from 2017-2023).
The key premise of the match is that all contenders are sequestered alone in a locked room without light, food, or water for 24 hours before the match, to induce extreme feelings of aggression in the competitors. Once released, the wrestlers fight one another in a no disqualification match, with the usage of weapons encouraged. Victory can be achieved by pinfall or submission, with the match ending as soon as one wrestler is pinned or submits (there is no elimination format).
There have been 60 Monster's Ball matches conducted by TNA, with several unaffiliated independent promotions hosting the match type as well. It was the signature match stipulation of Abyss. Before his retirement in 2019, he had appeared in 48 of the 50 Monster's Ball matches held by TNA to that point and managed in another.
Match history (TNA) #MatchEvent DateLocationNotesRef1Monty Brown defeated Raven and AbyssVictory RoadNovember 7, 2004Orlando, Florida2Rhino defeated Abyss, Sabu, and Jeff HardyBound for GloryOctober 23, 2005Orlando, Florida3Samoa Joe defeated Abyss and RhinoHouse showJune 10, 2006Wayne, New Jersey 4Rhino defeated AbyssHouse showSeptember 29, 2006Richmond, Virginia 5Samoa Joe defeated Brother Runt, Raven, and AbyssBound for GloryOctober 22, 2006Plymouth Township, MichiganJake "The Snake" Roberts was the special guest referee6 Abyss defeated Raven, Black Reign and RhinoBound for GloryOctober 14, 2007Duluth, Georgia 7Beer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode & James Storm) (w/Jacqueline) (c) defeated Abyss & Matt Morgan, Team 3D (Brother Ray & Brother Devon), and The Latin American Xchange (Homicide & Hernandez) to retain the TNA World Tag Team ChampionshipBound for Glory IVOctober 12, 2008Hoffman Estates, IllinoisSteve "Mongo" McMichael was the special guest referee8Taylor Wilde defeated Daffney (w/Abyss & Dr. Stevie) SacrificeMay 24, 2009Orlando, Florida First ever Knockouts Monster's Ball match9Abyss & Taylor Wilde defeated Raven & Daffney (w/Dr. Stevie) SlammiversaryJune 21, 2009Auburn Hills, Michigan First ever mixed tag team Monster's Ball match10Abyss defeated Mick FoleyBound for GloryOctober 18, 2009Irvine, California Dr. Stevie was the special guest referee for the match11Abyss defeated RhinoHouse showNovember 9, 2009Nashville, Tennessee12A.J. Styles defeated Abyss TNA Impact!May 3, 2010Orlando, Florida13 Abyss defeated Desmond WolfeSlammiversary VIIIJune 13, 2010Orlando, Florida14Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssHouse showJuly 2, 2010Brooklyn, New York15Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssHouse showJuly 23, 2010Bloomington, Illinois16Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssHouse showJuly 24, 2010LaPorte, Indiana17Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssHouse showAugust 13, 2010Baton Rouge, Louisiana18Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssHouse showAugust 14, 2010Thibodaux, LouisianaMick Foley was the special guest referee19Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssHouse showSeptember 16, 2010York, Pennsylvania20Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssHouse showSeptember 17, 2010Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania21Tommy Dreamer defeated AbyssHouse showSeptember 23, 2010New York City, New YorkMick Foley was the special guest referee22Abyss defeated Tommy DreamerHouse showSeptember 25, 2010Rahway, New Jersey 23Rob Van Dam defeated AbyssBound for GloryOctober 10, 2010Daytona Beach, Florida 24Tommy Dreamer defeated AbyssHouse showOctober 15, 2010Racine, Wisconsin 25Tommy Dreamer defeated AbyssHouse showOctober 16, 2010Dubuque, Iowa 26Tommy Dreamer defeated AbyssHouse showOctober 17, 2010Hoffman Estates, IllinoisMick Foley was the special guest referee27Abyss defeated SabuHouse showOctober 21, 2010Grand Rapids, Michigan28Abyss defeated SabuHouse showOctober 22, 2010Cadillac, Michigan29Abyss defeated SabuHouse showOctober 23, 2010Saginaw, Michigan30Abyss defeated SabuHouse showOctober 24, 2010Port Huron, Michigan31Abyss defeated Tommy DreamerHouse showApril 9, 2011Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania32Abyss defeated Bully RayGenesisJanuary 8, 2012Orlando, Florida As per stipulation of the match, had Abyss lost, he would have had to rejoin Immortal33Joseph Park defeated Judas Mesias (w/James Mitchell)One Night Only: Hardcore Justice 2July 5, 2013Orlando, Florida34Joseph Park defeated Bad Influence (Christopher Daniels & Kazarian)Impact WrestlingDecember 26, 2013Orlando, Florida35Abyss defeated Eric YoungImpact WrestlingFebruary 6, 2014Glasgow, Scotland36Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssOne Night Only: #OldSchoolFebruary 7, 2014Poughkeepsie, New York37Eric Young (c) defeated AbyssImpact WrestlingApril 17, 2014Orlando, FloridaMatch for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship38Magnus & Bram defeated Abyss & WillowImpact WrestlingJune 26, 2014Bethlehem, Pennsylvania39Bram defeated AbyssImpact WrestlingAugust 7, 2014New York, New York40Bram defeated AbyssOne Night Only: Turning PointJanuary 9, 2015Charlottesville, Virginia41Jeff Hardy defeated AbyssImpact WrestlingJanuary 30, 2015New York, New York42Eric Young defeated AbyssOne Night Only: RivalsFebruary 6, 2015Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina43Matt Hardy defeated AbyssOne Night Only: Hardcore Justice 2015February 13, 2015Orlando, Florida44Abyss defeated GradoOne Night Only: Live!January 8, 2016Bethlehem, Pennsylvania45The Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) (c) defeated Decay (Crazzy Steve & Abyss) (w/Rosemary)Impact WrestlingFebruary 16, 2016Manchester, EnglandMatch for the TNA World Tag Team Championship46Decay (Abyss & Crazzy Steve) (c) (w/Rosemary) defeated The BroMans (Robbie E & Jessie Godderz) (w/Raquel)Impact WrestlingJuly 28, 2016Orlando, FloridaMatch for the TNA World Tag Team Championship47Rosemary (c) defeated JadeImpact Wrestling: GenesisJanuary 26, 2017Orlando, FloridaMatch for the Impact Knockouts Championship48Abyss (w/James Mitchell) defeated GradoBound for GloryNovember 5, 2017Ottawa, CanadaAs part of the story line, since Grado lost, his work visa is terminated and must leave the U.S.49Kongo Kong defeated AbyssImpact!March 22, 2018Orlando, Florida50Eli Drake defeated AbyssHomecomingJanuary 6, 2019Nashville, Tennessee51Taya Valkyrie (c) defeated Jessicka Havok, Rosemary, and Su YungSlammiversary XVIIJuly 7, 2019Dallas, TexasMatch for the Impact Knockouts Championship52Savannah Evans defeated Alisha Edwards, Jordynne Grace, and Kimber LeeKnockouts KnockdownOctober 9, 2021Nashville, TennesseeShannon "Daffney" Spruill Memorial match53PCO defeated JonahImpact!May 5, 2022Poughkeepsie, New YorkStarting with this match, the original premise of Monster's Ball returns where the participants are locked away for 24 hours beforehand.54Sami Callihan defeated MooseSlammiversaryJune 19, 2022Nashville, TennesseeEvent also serves as Impact Wrestling's 20th Anniversary Show55Masha Slamovich defeated Allie KatchImpact!September 29, 2022Nashville, Tennessee56Trey Miguel (c) defeated Crazzy SteveImpact!February 4, 2023(aired February 23)Kissimmee, FloridaMatch for the Impact X Division Championship57PCO defeated Steve Maclin, Rhino and MooseBound for GloryOctober 21, 2023Cicero, Illinois58PCO defeated KonImpact! March 23, 2024(aired April 11)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania59PCO (c) defeated Matt CardonaBound for GloryOctober 26, 2024Detroit, MichiganMatch for the TNA Digital Media Championship and Canadian International Heavyweight Championship60Xia Brookside defeated RosemaryImpact!May 24, 2025(aired June 5)Brampton, Ontario
Participant list In TNA, 56 wrestlers have taken part in Monster's Ball matches. Abyss holds the record for most participations, having competed in 48 such matches, and the record for most victories with 19.
SuperstarVictoriesAppearancesAbyss/Joseph Park*1948Jeff Hardy/Willow*911PCO44Tommy Dreamer46Bram33Samoa Joe22Taylor Wilde22Eric Young23Rhino25A.J. Styles11Davey Richards11Eddie Edwards11Eli Drake11James Storm11Kongo Kong11Magnus11Masha Slamovich11Matt Hardy11Monty Brown11Robert Roode11Savannah Evans11Taya Valkyrie11Trey Miguel11Xia Brookside11Crazzy Steve13Rosemary13Allie Katch01Alisha Edwards01Black Reign01Brother Devon01Brother Runt01Christopher Daniels01Desmond Wolfe01Havok01Hernandez 0 1Homicide 0 1Jade01Jessie Godderz01Jonah0 1Jordynne Grace01Judas Mesias01Kazarian01Kimber Lee01Kon01Matt Cardona01Matt Morgan 0 1Mick Foley01Steve Maclin01Robbie E01Su Yung01Brother Ray/Bully Ray* 0 2Daffney02Grado02Moose02Raven0 4Sabu0 4 Abyss competed as Joseph Park in two Monster's Ball matches, the rest as Abyss. Jeff Hardy competed as Willow in one Monster's Ball match, the rest as Jeff Hardy. Bully Ray competed as Brother Ray in one Monster's Ball match, the other as Bully Ray.
Non TNA Monster's Ball matches A Monster's Ball match was announced by John Cena Sr. (father of John Cena), president of the Massachusetts-based Millennium Wrestling Federation on its MWF Xtra online show to take place at their Night of Champions show on June 21, 2008. Todd Hanson defeated Abyss, Rick Fuller and Brian Milonas to win the match and retain his MWF Heavyweight Championship. Through TNA's working relationship with Mexican promotion AAA, Verano de Escándalo on July 31, 2011, hosted a Monster's Ball match, where Chessman defeated Abyss, Extreme Tiger, and Joe Líder. On June 7, 2014, at House of Hardcore V, Abyss defeated Tommy Dreamer in a Monster's Ball match. On November 14, 2015, Abyss would face off against Sabu in a Monster's Ball match at House of Hardcore 11 in a losing effort. Abyss has brought the Monster's Ball match to several other independent promotions throughout the world. For example, in June 2018, Abyss was scheduled to face Jimmy Havoc in Melbourne, Australia in a Monster's Ball match at a World Series Wrestling event.
References
External links Victory Road review Bound For Glory review TNA press release: Monster's Ball 2: Coming To "Bound For Glory" TNA house show review MWF XtraApril 2008 (during which John Cena Sr. announces Monster's Ball VII)