Lockdown (4/13/2008)

[Dandy 0]

Lockdown is in 11 days. Card will be updated as matches are changed/added.

 

 

 

TNA World Heavyweight Championship

KURT ANGLE © vs. SAMOA JOE

 

Lethal Lockdown

TEAM TOMKO (Tomko, AJ Styles, Team 3D, James Storm) vs. TEAM CAGE (Cage, Sting, Nash, Rhino, Matt Morgan

 

X CHAMPIONSHIP XSCAPE MATCH

Black Machismo © vs. Curry Man vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Johnny Devine vs. Shark Boy vs. ??

 

MIXED TAG TEAM MATCH

Booker T & Sharmell vs. Robert Roode & Payton Banks

 

FORMER PARTNERS COLLIDE

BG James vs. Kip James

 

WOMENS TAG TEAM MATCH

Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed vs. Gail Kim & ODB

 

QUEEN OF THE CAGE

Angelina Love vs. Velvet Sky vs. Salinas vs. Rhaka Khan vs. Traci Brooks vs. Christy Hemme vs. Jacqueline vs. Roxxi Laveaux

 

[Steviekick 0]

Seems like its going to be a decent PPV. Is the Kip vs. BG match going to be a loser leaves TNA stipulation?

[Silence 0]

WOMENS TAG TEAM MATCH

Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed vs. Gail Kim & ODB

 

Isn't it rather odd that there's no mention of those four being on the next two Impact tapings right before Lockdown?

 

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

They tape a lot of backstage interviews and video packages that the crowd doesn't see at the tapings...so that's probably where stuff that isn't in the spoilers will get moved along I'd imagine.

 

Hell...Kip/BG haven't been in the Impact Zone for a long time and they're getting a better build because of it. ...Just a shame they have to have the match...

[The Dames 0]

Man, I was pissed there was no Stone Cold Shark Austin at the last TNA taping. No, seriously. I was on the fuckin line for merch when Curry Man came out, so I missed the two things I wanted to see the most.

 

Hell, there was no Machismo and you wouldn't have known there was an Xscape the cage match at Lockdown at all based on the build.

 

Yes, out of all the things in TNA, I wanted to see Curry Man and Sharky.

 

Dames

[Dandy 0]

Updated the card.

[SamoaRowe 0]

Anyone else going to this thing live?

[cd213 0]

Anyone else going to this thing live?

 

If I didn't have to work that morning, I would have gone up to MA to see it. I'm looking forward to the PPV (as always since I have ordered every monthly PPV except for 2 or 3), but this one looks rather stacked. I'm excited for many of the matches on the card.

[Australian Pride 0]

I think BG and Kip may surprise in their match. A lot of shortcuts can be taken in the cage environment, and if they sell it like there's genuine hatred there it could be something.

[Jericholic82 0]

Anyone else going to this thing live?

I am, my friend and I will be making the drive into "enemy territory" lol. Actually I have never been to the Boston area (or any of New England for that matter) so it's a first for me. Only problem is driving the 4 hours plus home after the show ends. I sure wish I was closer so I could go to the fanfest on Sat. Anyhow, I decided to go in the hopes of seeing Joe finally take home the gold, considering I used to see Joe live in the socal indies when he was a rookie about 8 years ago or so, so it's cool to see him progress.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I wanted to take the drive from Buffalo like I did when Bound For Glory was in Detroit...but it wasn't to be. They really need to get around here at some point. Buffalo was good for ECW and we still draw people to the ballpark brawl shows and that's indy guys with a few old timers and a random TNA guy thrown in. Damn them for not getting here yet.

[King Cucaracha 0]

They're actually doing something with Cheerleader Melissa finally? Who'd have thought it!

 

The fact they've got 14 women competing on the card has to be some sort of record for a North American PPV too, surely?

[ChrisMWaters 0]

They're actually doing something with Cheerleader Melissa finally? Who'd have thought it!

 

The fact they've got 14 women competing on the card has to be some sort of record for a North American PPV too, surely?

Are you counting "WOW Unleashed" in that number?

 

I'm sure there were more than 14 women there.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Fair point.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Here's my obligatory preview:

 

This Sunday TNA presents their 4th annual Lockdown pay per view. When they announced the all cage nature of the show in 2005 pretty much everyone scoffed at the concept. 3 Lockdown’s later it seems that the concept has been generally accepted. Lockdown is portrayed as one of the company's "big 3" shows along with Slammiversary and Bound For Glory. This year's edition will take place in Lowell, Massachusetts and TNA is expecting it’s largest crowd for a pay per view event yet.

 

Let's take a quick peak at Lockdown history:

 

Lockdown 2005: Orlando, Florida.

Best Match: AJ Styles defeated Abyss in the main event.

Worst Match: Jeff Jarrett, Kip James & Monty Brown vs. DDP, Sean Waltman @ BG James

Things of note: * Unfortunately this show saw Chris Candido’s final wrestling match. He would be injured in the opening match (teaming with Lance Hoyt against Apollo and Sonny Siaki) and the resulting surgery would lead to his death.

* The first ever Xscape match took place with Shocker taking the victory. The Xscape match would become a staple of the Lockdown show.

* Overall this was a really decent show. AJ/Abyss delivered a hell of a main event. The undercard matches (Jeff Hardy vs. Raven, AMW vs. Team Canada, Christopher Daniels vs. Elix Skipper and the Xscape match) were fun and all had a different feel despite all being (obviously) in a steel cage.

 

 

Lockdown 2006: Orlando, Florida

Best Match: TIE: Lethal Lockdown and X-Cup preview

Worst Match: Konnan vs. Bullet Bob Armstrong (arm wrestling)

Things of Note: *The first ever Lethal Lockdown took place with Team Sting defeating Team Jarrett.

*Christian Cage successfully defended his NWA title against Abyss

*LowKi returned to the company with his new name: Senshi

*The first and only meeting of Samoa Joe and Sabu, as Sabu would put Joe over on his way to the WWE

*Overall…another good show from the Lockdown format. Most of the matches range from pretty good to good…and you get a ridiculous spot from AJ Styles on top of a ladder…on top of the cage ceiling.

 

 

Lockdown 2007: St. Louis, Missouri

Best Match: Lethal Lockdown

Worst Match: Chris Harris vs. James Storm (Blindfold match)

Things of Note: * TNA took Lockdown on the road for the first time.

* Gail Kim defeated Jackie Moore in a match that would serve (IMO anyway) as the launching pad for the Knockouts division 6 months later.

* Team 3D won the NWA Tag Team titles defeating LAX. They made history by becoming the only team to hold the WWE, NWA, ECW and (well…arguably) WCW Tag Team titles. But the match is remembered mostly for the ridiculous “electrified” cage gimmick that did not work.

* Not as good as the previous years…but there’s some decent matches here (The Xscape match, Gail Kim vs. Jackie Moore, Senshi vs. Austin Starr, Christopher Daniels vs. Jerry Lynn) and the Lethal Lockdown delivered big again.

 

 

Lockdown 2008: Lowell, Massachusetts

 

I’ve gone on record as saying it…and I will reiterate it here: This year’s Lockdown has more build than any pay per view in the history of TNA. The top matches on the show all have longer histories than your usual one month build…and the undercard matches have all been featured prominently on TV storylines for that month build instead. Let’s take a look from bottom to top:

 

Cuffed in the Cage: LAX vs. Motor City Machineguns vs. Scott Steiner and Petey Williams vs. The Rock N’ Rave Infection vs. Eric Young and Kaz vs. Black Reign and Rellik

 

Holy tag teams, Batman. The added gimmick here is that whenever someone is pinned or submits they are handcuffed to the cage until there is only 1 guy left. It’s a silly gimmick…but if they manage to play it up right I could see it working a little with teams no longer able to do their combo moves (especially MCMG and LAX) and a guy having to fend for himself. There’s an awful lot of talent in that ring. LAX and the Guns always go out to do something memorable…and I’m calling the annual Scott Steiner top rope frankensteiner spot (it rules). Even though there’s so many people in this match, they have some storyline stuff to play off with Eric Young and the monsters. I’d kind of like to see Kaz standing at the end…but with Steiner cashing in his briefcase for next month’s main event…I think we’ll see a Steiner victory. Mostly I think we’ll be seeing Hernandez and Steiner tossing around Jimmy Rave.

 

 

Queen of the Cage: Velvet Sky vs. Angelina Love vs. Salinas vs. Traci vs. Christy Hemme vs. Jacqueline vs. Rhaka Khan vs. Roxxi Laveaux

 

It’s a reverse cage match! They start outside the ring and the first two women to get into the cage will then have a singles match to crown the first ever Queen of the Cage. I see Roxxi making the match because I think she’s the most ready to be moved into the bigger knockouts program…but the other person that makes it in could be anyone. Traci and Jacqueline probably deserve it more than the others. Either way…the Knockouts always bust their ass out there and it’s cool that they’re finding a way to get them all onto the show this month.

 

 

Kip James vs. BG James

 

If you would have told me 6 weeks ago that I wasn’t going to hate the idea of Kip vs. BG going into this show I would have laughed in your face. But…even though I know these guys haven’t had anything resembling a memorable match in years…here I am. TNA did a masterful job building this match on TV. Instead of putting these guys in the ring and having them do the usual builds of attacks and pull aparts…they tried something new. Their Rough Cut segments were short, to the point, interviews cut together with both guys telling their versions of the same story. When it was over…I knew everything about both guys motivations, feelings towards each other, and hopes for the match. It was pretty much the best thing anyone could have come up with for this feud. Now…the hard part. After those Rough Cut promos they actually have some hype to try and deliver on. This SHOULD be a bloody bloody mess of a match. Now…these guys are veterans and the nature of a cage match allows them all kinds of shortcuts…so if they fail to deliver a decent showing it’s all on them. I’ve said before that this is kind of the big chance for these guys to justify their existence in a company that is focused more on fast paced and hard hitting action.

 

 

Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed vs. Gail Kim and ODB

 

Saeed is Cheerleader Melissa…who I’ve never seen wrestle…but have been told is really good. Everything Kong touches turns to gold. She’s like Joe when he was in the X division, knowing exactly how to bump and sell for her smaller opponents to make it believable and build drama. Kong and Kim have transcended storylines at this point. There doesn’t need to be a buildup for people to get excited about then squaring off. That’s a credit to all the good work they’ve done in the last 6 months. I would expect this to be another good chapter in this long running feud between the top gals in the Knockouts division.

 

 

Booker T and Sharmell vs. Robert Roode and Payton Banks

 

Having the women involved in the match certainly makes sense storyline wise. Part of me wishes it was just one on one so they could blow off the Roode/Booker feud. Another part of me thinks that Robert Roode is at his best when he’s being a scumbag and attacking women. Booker and Roode’s matches have been decent but not great thus far…and it’s the promos and angles that have been keeping this feud going thus far. It’s billed as a mixed tag match so it might actually benefit them to have Sharmell on the apron to throw in some Roode being a prick story into the action.

 

 

Xscape Match for the X division title: Jay Lethal vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Curry Man vs. Shark Boy vs. Johnny Devine vs. Consequences Creed

 

Lethal hasn’t defended that title in a long time. The rules of the match are that it is an elimination match until they get to the final 2 men…and then you can only win by escaping the cage. The 3 previous Xscape matches have been fun showcases for the X division guys. I could really see anyone in the match winning accept for Devine. Will Sonjay finally turn on Lethal? Will Creed win gold in his first attempt? Will Daniels win another X title…with a different gimmick? Are they serious enough about Shark Boy’s gimmick and push to give it gold? (And if so…don’t you just want a smoking fish skull version of the title?) Will Dutt steal Lethal’s title like he’s trying to steal his woman? Will Lethal overcome the odds again to continue his reign? Fast action and no obvious result. Perfect midcard stuff.

 

 

Lethal Lockdown: Team Cage (Christian, Sting, Rhino, Kevin Nash and Matt Morgan) vs. Team Tomko (Tomko, AJ Styles, Team 3D and James Storm)

 

The rules of Lethal Lockdown are that 2 men start out and the teams alternate new entrants until the last man is in. Then the top of the cage lower with weapons tied to the top. Both previous Lethal Lockdowns have been good, fun matches…and Styles usually does something crazy. In fact…the last time James Storm was in a Lethal Lockdown he and Styles ended up on top of the cage…with Styles putting Storm through a table…from the ceiling. Literally. This is also Matt Morgan’s in ring debut for TNA. I think they’re going to play up Morgan as a player and we’ll see him use Styles like a rubber ball. The heels should win here. I don’t know how since the faces have more “name” value…but Team Cage doesn’t need to win this. If Morgan comes out of this looking impressive and Team Tomko can pull a victory out…they’ll have accomplished a good amount. Team Cage probably wins though…the good guys usually do win these types of matches.

 

 

Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe V

 

It’s title vs. career time. There’s a separate thread on the board that previews this match…so I won’t waste the space here. But this match is the big one. Will Joe finally win his first TNA World title? I expect this match to blow away everything on a show that looks good. I read that Angle wants this match to be more like his match with Nagata from Global Impact (more hard hitting and submission based) which the MMA style workouts and buildup would explain. Yeah…that would be tremendous. Anyway they go I think this will deliver and Joe will get his happy ending. Frank Trigg will be providing commentary for the match with Tenay and West…which is great since he was tremendous on the live Impact.

 

...

 

Feel free to leave predictions in this thread leading up to Sunday Night...and if you're watching the show we can, obviously, discuss it here.

 

If you're on the fence about ordering...I'd say give this one a shot. They've put a lot of time into building it up...and I think Joe/Angle is going to be worth the money on its own. I feel like (for the first time in a while) TNA has "earned" a buy here.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

The one thing I still remember from Lockdown in 2005 is the inexplicable decision for Waltman to pin Monty Brown. Brown was still red hot; even though he turned heel, which was just as inexplicable, a month or two before, he was still massively over with the fans. And then he gets pinned clean by Waltman. Why? Why not beat Jarrett to set up an NWA Title match? Why not beat Kip James who doesn't need protecting?

 

As for Lockdown this year, I'm sufficiently interested in the main event that I'll avoid spoilers until I'm able to download it. The rest of the card, even the Lethal Lockdown match, does nothing for me.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

I'm interested to see whether Saeed can keep that getup on in the ring, or are they going to have Kong basically work handicap style, ala Demolition/Colossal Connection at WM6?

[TheBostonStrangler 0]

I'll be there live with some friends. I haven't seen much TNA lately, but a chance to see Joe finally win the title is enough to get me to attend.

[Silence 0]

I'll be there live with some friends. I haven't seen much TNA lately, but a chance to see Joe finally win the title is enough to get me to attend.

 

The fact that I read in Random Thoughts about Karen Angle attending Lockdown has killed my hopes of Joe winning.

 

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I'll make my predictions:

 

Scott Steiner wins the cuffed in the cage match because he should be kept strong for Sacrifice

 

Roxxi wins the Queen of the Cage

 

Kip James

 

I'll go with Awesome Kong and Saeed. It probably goes the other way...but if you pick Kong to win all the time you'll end up with a pretty good success rate.

 

I'll pick Booker and Sharmell...but I could see Roode winning too. Roode won the last ppv match...Booker won on TV... I don't know...always bet on black.

 

I'll pick Lethal in the Xscape match but could honsestly see almost anyone winning

 

I'm picking Team Tomko because they need the win more I think... unless they close the show with it (which Lethal Lockdown always has) then I'll take Team Cage

 

Joe.

[luke-o 0]

Cuffs in the Cage - I don't really care and I really like tag teams. So whatever. I'll pick Petey and Steiner.

 

Queen of the Cage - I'd like to see Roxxi win, but it would be nice to give Traci something.

 

BG vs Kip - The build has been great, the match will not. I see Kip winning and then going onto a new gimmick.

 

X-Scape - Now we're talking, I'm pushing for a Creed win, bringing a new injection of life into the division. A more serious injection.

 

Booker T and Sharmell vs Robert Roode and Payton Banks - I'm pushing for a Roode win. I don't know why, but I kinda like the guy.

 

Raisha Saeed and Kong vs Kim and ODB - I don't know how to call this one. I don't know much about Melissa, but by her name, I'm guessing shes not from the Middle East. Isn't that a bit racist?

 

Lethal Lockdown - Team Tomko need the win, I see Tomko pinning Cage. But I'd like to see Storm pushed hard in this match.

 

Joe vs Angle V - The build has been nice and the match will most likely be excellent, but because this is the fifth time these guys have faced off, I'm not all that into it.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

For the main event, I'll pick Joe to win after Karen Angle interferes. She won't necessarily be helping Joe as much as hurting Kurt. It won't make any sense, it won't add anything to match, and it will end up hurting the match, but things like that don't seem to matter to TNA.

 

As for the Lethal Lockdown match, with the babyfaces coming out on top so much on TV leading up to the PPV, that would suggest the heels are winning. So, while I will pick the heels to win, I'll add the TNA trademark of the pointless swerve, and say that we'll see a heel turn to set up Team Tomko's win. Who'll turn heel? Nash or Morgan. Or maybe both.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

If there going to pull a heel turn...they should go the full monty and turn everyone but Christian.

 

He's fucked over everyone in the company at some point or another. Maybe not turn everyone...but they should at least abandon him to get his ass kicked.

[iggymcfly 0]

Well, Nash did act all hurt the first Impact after Final Destination when Christian tried to make Rhino his partner instead of him. And then he gave the promo tonight where he was saying he was all about the money. If anyone was going to turn it would be him. At this point, that definitely seems pointless though. The match is for nothing but bragging rights, Nash can't join Team Angle since he just broke with Angle a month or two ago, and Nash joining with Team 3-D or with Storm would just be ridiculous. Also, it would be like the 10th time someone's turned on Christian this year. I think the faces just come out with a clean victory.

 

On Lockdown, the one thing that really turns me off is how they've telegraphed the result of the championship match. This should be the epic "clash of the titans" that can go either way, but with the retirement stip in effect, it's super obvious that Joe's going over. They could have even done the contract signing angle, had Joe say "he wasn't sure if he'd re-sign if he lost to Angle" and then gone from there or maybe added a stip that said "Joe would never get another title shot while Angle was champion". But this "never wrestle again in any company unless he pins Angle or makes him submit" thing is just way too obvious. It boggles my mind that people still think there's a decent chance Angle goes over.

 

I have to say, I'm actually kinda looking forward to Sacrifice already. Steiner/Joe and Angle/AJ should both be great matches.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Because TNA is so faithful to their stipulations, right? On the off chance Joe loses, he's going to appear on Impact anyways and act like nothing happened. That's the TNA/WCW way.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Christophe Daniels has not come back!

 

Anyway...I like that they added that contract signing since it's a great heel move by Angle to put Joe in that position based off of something that Joe said. Does it telegraph a win? Absolutely. Which I think is the point. I think more people will order if their sure Joe's finally winning than if they think he's going to get screwed again.

 

...of course...he could always get screwed again. Getting fired opens up a whole bunch of new ways for the creative team to mess with his character.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Larry Zbysko never came back either!!!

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

On the off chance Joe loses, he's going to appear on Impact anyways and act like nothing happened. That's the TNA/WCW way.

They already ruined that part of the deal anyway; he showed up a couple of weeks ago, despite vowing never to do so until he won the world title. If Joe simply said he was taking a break from wrestling to train for the match at Lockdown, and then Kurt challenged him to show up, that would have been fine because then you wouldn't have had your top babyface making a vow and then breaking it two weeks later. Who books their top babyface to make a vow and then has him break it two weeks later?

 

It's not just TNA's disregard for stipulations that has people thinking Kurt might win. It's also the fact that TNA PPV main events, with few exceptions, are all based around run-ins and screwjobs. It's never about if one guy is better than his opponent; it's always about whether a third party is going to go screw someone over. Yes, with the build up to Joe vs. Angle at Lockdown, they've seemed to make it clear that it's just about Joe and Angle. But TNA have been doing pointless swerves and screwjobs in their main events for almost two years straight. It's going to take a lot more than a few weeks of hype for people to stop worrying that a PPV main event is going to end up with some kind of run-in, pointless swerve or screwjob.

 

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I'm feeling good about tonight.

 

Could someone interfere in the match? Of course. It would be like them to do it.

 

But I think we're getting out of this one clean.

 

I'm looking forward to the fact that they aren't in Orlando tonight too. The road ppvs always "feel" better and I'm looking forward to the crowd. I wish I'd have taken the drive.

[Scroby 0]

Raisha Saeed and Kong vs Kim and ODB - I don't know how to call this one. I don't know much about Melissa, but by her name, I'm guessing shes not from the Middle East. Isn't that a bit racist?

Melissa is pretty good in the ring. Infact I wouldn't be surprised if her working with Gail Kim and Traci Brooks at the WrestleFanFest in Oct. helped land her, her current gig. Though it is kinda funny that Cheerleader Melissa is a white girl, under a vail, speaking with a accent, and isn't allowed to be herself, with that being said...she's kind of a stand offish..I'm gonna stop right there.

 

 

I'm thinking about ordering Lockdown, it looks like a pretty solid card and I really do like cage matches as I feel it gives wrestlers a lot of freedom to just really have a good match using the cage or not. Is anyone else going to order it?