Lockdown Delivers Where Mania Fails

Let me start out by saying that TNA Lockdown was not can’t miss pay per view.  Ok, now that we have that out of the way… I recommend this show to TNA fans.  It wasn’t knock you off your seat, but it was full of good wrestling, good matches and a great crowd.  This show delivered all you can ask for, $30 worth of entertainment.  Lockdown was a HUGE difference from WrestleMania.  While Mania had its MUST SEE match, TNA had seven solid matches that were actually entertaining.  Lockdown also had some nice surprises and lots of energy.

The X-Division Xcape match was a great way to open the show.  Lots of action and good end with Suicide diving off the top of the cage on to the security below.  I hear rumors that Kaz was not under the mask last night and Daniels was pulling double duty.  If that is the case, major props to Daniels for risking his health in the opener on that dive.

Speaking of Daniels, am I the only one that thinks his handle bar mustache gives him that 1980s porn star look? Seriously, what is up with that?

Queen of the Cage is being called the weakest link on this show, and it probably was, but I personally enjoyed it.  I loved seeing Daffney in the ring and feel that Bolt and Madison Rayne did a good job helping to get ODB over in this match.  All around it was a fun match that you pretty much knew the outcome of going in.

The IWJP Jr Tag titles match was awesome.  MCMG, LAX and No Limit worked their asses off and made for a very fun match.  I was a bit surprised that MCMGs retained the belts here as I was thinking No Limit would get the nod, but They will probably meet again soon in Japan.  Great match.

Matt Morgan vs Abyss was better than I thought it would be.  The crowd was pretty dead for it and I can’t blame them.  This feud seems like it has been going on forever and I am personally sick of it.  I liked that Stevie Richards came out during the match, but come on Tenay and West… only a blithering idiot didn’t know he was Dr. Stevie.  With that distinct voice TNA should have masked it if they wanted it to be a surprise.  Anyway, I liked the blood and the intensity of the match and can only hope the feud is over and the Abyss/Stevie Richards feud kicks into high gear now.

Angelina Love looked to have been knocked out, pardon the pun, after that flying cross body from Taylor Wilde during the Knockouts Championship match.  Taylor had to kick herself off Love during the two pinfalls she made after the move and when they showed Love in the chin lock she looked a little bit like “where the f**k am I?” That said, I love the title change here and the match was booked perfectly.  The roll-up came off poorly, but when the winner is knocked silly you have to call and audible.  Good match on this one.

Here we are in Philly and Team 3D is putting not just the IWGP tag titles, but their TNA careers on the line.  If anyone thought Beer Money was walking out of this match victorious, they are morons.  This was the feel good match for the crowd and these two teams didn’t disappoint.  Awesome match between the two with a fun brawl to start things off.

Lethal Lockdown for me started off as it always does… slow.  As much as I like Daniels and Angle, five minutes before the next competitor is just too long to wait.  I prefer a 90 second deal and to have the teams ringside during the match just like Wargames used to be.  Once the weapons are lowered things get interesting.  Angle and AJ on the top of the cage was great.  Angle teased going off the top of the cage a few times and that was pretty awesome, but AJ jumping through the top of the cage onto about five people below was insane!  Add to it the fact that those five wrestlers completely missed catching AJ and you have to imagine Styles was in a little bit of pain after that one.  Top it off with the chair shot from Jarrett and AJ had one hell of a night.  I didn’t really care for the end where Jarrett had both Styles and Booker T wobbling and he told Styles to watch as he clocked Booker with the guitar.  I think it would have been more dramatic if Jarrett popped AJ and then hit the stroke on Booker T for the win.  It would be his way of saying you shouldn’t doubt my allegience AJ.

And then it was the reveal of the first former “world” champion from another company… drum roll please \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ BOBBY LASHLEY!?!?!?  I would be lying if I said I wasn’t on the floor laughing at that one.  First off, Lashley never was a “world” champion since the ECW title isn’t a world title belt.  Secondly, Lashley isn’t really a big name in this business.  I hope he does well in TNA, I really do, but him as a major signing just does nothing for me.

And now we arrive at the main event of the evening.  Mick Foley has been superb over the last several weeks in the build up to this match.  He appears to have lost some weight and taken this run very seriously.  While last night’s match against Sting wasn’t the classic showdown that Beach Blast 92 was, this match was still fun.  Foley played the classic heel to a tee and really made this a fun match to watch even if both men are a little broken down.  TNA gave us one hell of a shocker when Foley won the match too.  It was something a vast majority of people didn’t see coming at all.  I give them props for that one.  I am very interested to see where they go from here though as you have one past his prime champion handing the belt over to another.  I am not saying these guys suck, but they just aren’t who they were in ten years ago.

Overall, TNA Lockdown was a very fun, very entertaining card with no major booking issues or swerves.  As I said before, get this PPV on replay because it is worth three hours (and it went 2:56) of your time.