The Gauntlet match as defined by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, is a battle royal-style match. When it involves title implications, such as a title on the line or contendership for a title, it is called a Gauntlet for the Gold. This is different from the other type of Gauntlet match by WCW and WWF in the 1990s. 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.
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Match format
Different from the other Gauntlet match in which one competitor faces several others, the Gauntlet for the Gold match is very similar to WWE's Royal Rumble match. It consists of two competitors entering the ring and fighting for a set amount of time (usually 3 minutes, but varies), following which competitors enter the ring at 90-second (sometimes 60 second) 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 (it has never been expressly stated exactly how much of a wrestler's body must make contact with the floor for the elimination to count, unlike with the Royal Rumble, where both feet must touch the floor, meaning one foot does not count; however, it is unlikely that simply brushing one's fingers against the floor will eliminate them, so the line between "counting" and "not counting" is very blurry). This can occur both by a competitor being thrown by an opponent out of the ring or by a competitor voluntarily eliminating himself. 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. No official ruling has been declared on interference or disqualification, but due to the booking of such matches and the brevity of the actual final portion of the match, neither potential outcome has ever been an issue.
Modifications
The Gauntlet for the Gold can be held in many formats and for many purposes. The most basic format involves an undetermined number of competitors (usually between 10 and 25) competing for either a title or title shot.
There is also 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 (it is unknown what would happen should the last two remaining competitors be each other's partners; just like disqualification in the final round, this has never been an issue).
On October 23, 2005, at Bound for Glory 2005, 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 (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.
On January 3, 2008, TNA featured four Gauntlet for the Gold #1 contender matches on TNA IMPACT! for the World Heavyweight, X Division, Tag Team and Knockouts Championships.
On September 28, 2015, a Gauntlet for the Gold match, titled "Bound for Gold", was announced on ImpactWrestling.com, where the winner would receive a future match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.