A Gauntlet for the Gold match is a professional wrestling match held in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
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.
Match history Gauntlet for the Gold / Bound for Gold
#Winner TimeswonPrizeEvent Air date Location1 1NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Total Nonstop Action Huntsville, AL2 1NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Total Nonstop Action Nashville, TN3 1Future NWA World Heavyweight Championship matchNWA Total Nonstop Action 4 1Future NWA World Tag Team Championship matchNWA Total Nonstop Action 5 1NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Total Nonstop Action 6 1TNA X Division ChampionshipNWA Total Nonstop Action 7 1Future NWA World Heavyweight Championship matchHard Justice Orlando, FL8 1Bound for Glory 9 1Future TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipImpact! 10 1Future TNA World Tag Team Championship matchNo Surrender 11 1TNA Women's Knockout ChampionshipBound for Glory Duluth, GA12The Motor City Machine Guns 1Future TNA World Tag Team Championship matchImpact! Orlando, FL13 1Future TNA Women's Knockout Championship match14 2Future TNA X Division Championship match15 1Future TNA World Heavyweight Championship match16 1Future TNA Women's Knockout Championship match17 1Future TNA World Heavyweight Championship matchBound for Glory Concord, NC18 1Future TNA Knockouts Championship matchOne Night Only: Live Bethlehem, PA19 2Impact! Orlando, FL20 1Future TNA World Heavyweight Championship matchBound for Glory 21 2Future Impact Wrestling Knockouts Championship matchImpact Wrestling 22 2Vacant GFW Global Championship23 1Future Impact Knockouts Championship matchSlammiversary Nashville, TN24 1Future Impact World Championship matchImpact! Newport, KY
Championship opportunity
#Gauntlet Winner ChampionshipEvent Date LocationResults1 NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Total Nonstop Action Nashville, TNLost to AJ Styles.2 NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Total Nonstop Action Their match against Johnny Swinger and Simon Diamond ended in a draw after Killings and Swinger simultaneously pinned each other. Thus, the titles were vacated.3 NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipSlammiversary Orlando, FLLost to Raven in a King of the Mountain match, also involving defending champion AJ Styles, Monty Brown, and Sean Waltman.4Bound for Glory Defeated Jeff Jarrett immediately after winning the Gauntlet.5 TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipDestination X Lost to Christian Cage.6 TNA World Tag Team ChampionshipBound for Glory Duluth, GADefeated Ron Killings and Consequences Creed. Creed defended the title on behalf of Adam "Pacman" Jones.7 TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipFinal Resolution Orlando, FLLost to Kurt Angle.8 TNA World Tag Team ChampionshipImpact! Lost to AJ Styles and Tomko in a three-way tag team match, also involving Team 3D (Brother Devon and Brother Ray).9 TNA Women's Knockout ChampionshipAgainst All Odds Greenville, SCLost to Awesome Kong.10 TNA X Division ChampionshipDestination X Norfolk, VALost to Jay Lethal.11 TNA Women's Knockout ChampionshipDestination X Orlando, FLLost to Awesome Kong.12 TNA Knockouts ChampionshipImpact Wrestling Bethlehem, PALost to Gail Kim.13 TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipSacrifice Orlando, FLLost to Drew Galloway.14 TNA Knockouts ChampionshipBound for Glory Defeated Maria Kanellis-Bennett.15 TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipImpact Wrestling Lost to Eddie Edwards.16 Impact Wrestling Knockouts ChampionshipLost to Rosemary.17 Impact Knockouts Championship Rae was slated to challenge Deonna Purrazzo at Bound for Glory in 2020. However, Rae did not appear at the event. Two weeks later, she temporarily retired from professional wrestling due to mental health issues.18 Impact World ChampionshipSlammiversary Nashville, TNLost to Josh Alexander.
Call Your Shot Gauntlet #Winner TimeswonPrizeEvent Air date Location1 1Futurechampionshipmatch of thewinner's choosingBound for Glory Villa Park, IL2 1Bound for Glory Nashville, TN3 1Bound for Glory Sunrise Manor, NV4 1Bound for Glory Albany, NY5 1Bound for Glory Cicero, IL6 1Bound for Glory Detroit, MI7 2Bound for Glory Lowell, MA 18 —Bound for Glory Tampa, FL
Championship opportunity
#Gauntlet winner ChampionshipEvent Date LocationResult1 Vacant Impact World ChampionshipSlammiversary Nashville, TNDefeated Ace Austin, Eric Young, Rich Swann and Trey in a Five-way elimination match.2 Impact World Tag Team ChampionshipImpact! Violent by Design (Rhino and Joe Doering) defeated FinJuice (David Finlay and Juice Robinson) immediately after FinJuice retained the titles.3 Impact World ChampionshipBound for Glory Sunrise Manor, NVDefeated Josh Alexander immediately after Alexander won the title.4Hard To Kill Atlanta, GALost to Josh Alexander.5 TNA Knockouts World ChampionshipHard To Kill Paradise, NVDefeated Trinity.6 TNA World ChampionshipRebellion Los Angeles, CALost to Joe Hendry in a three-way match, also involving Ethan Page.7Impact! Orlando, FLDefeated Mike Santana immediately after Santana was attacked by WWE NXT wrestlers.8Slammiversary Boston, MADefeated Mike Santana.
References