Lockdown preview
Predictions for Sunday night’s TNA pay-per-view, which I will be attending at The Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. All of the matches will be contested in a steel cage:
TNA world champion Sting vs. Mick Foley: The buildup to this match has been very well done; now we’ll have to see if the two veterans can pull it off in the ring. The fact that it is a cage match should work to their benefit. Foley, who will be playing his maniacal Cactus Jack character, has basically promised to do at least one crazy move. It would be fitting if Foley – in his Cactus garb – won the world title in a cage in Philly, but I think Sting will retain.
Lethal Lockdown: Team Jarrett (Jeff Jarrett, A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels) vs. Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Booker T., Scott Steiner and Kevin Nash): The intrigue surrounding this star-studded match is whether or not Jarrett will turn on his teammates and join The Main Event Mafia. I’m guessing that he doesn’t and the babyfaces come out on top. I expect the “new” Samoa Joe to be showcased in this match.
TNA tag team champions Beer Money vs. IWPG tag team champions Team 3-D in a Philadelphia Street Fight: If I understand the rules correctly, the match will start in the cage but the door will be open and the teams can brawl all over the building. I think that defeats the purpose of a cage match, but TNA is trying to make all of the matches a little different and this does figure to be an entertaining brawl. A win by Robert Roode and James Storm in a street fight in Team 3-D’s old stomping grounds would be huge for them, and Team 3-D is probably bulletproof at this point in their careers, so it makes sense for Beer Money to go over.
Abyss vs. Matt Morgan in a Doomsday Chamber of Blood Match: This one most likely won’t be for the faint of heart. TNA seems to have pulled back on Morgan’s big push, but if he is going to be given another opportunity, a win here would go a long way in getting him over. I think Morgan will win, perhaps with interference from Dr. Stevie or maybe even Lauren.
TNA women’s champion Awesome Kong vs. Angelina Love vs. Taylor Wilde: Awesome Kong is great, but it might be time for her to be the hunter rather than the hunted, especially with her apparently doing a babyface turn. Wilde isn’t over enough to justify putting the title back on her, so I’m picking Love. She plays her character well, is a decent worker and cuts the best promos of any of the women in TNA.
X Division champion Suicide vs. Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. Kiyoshi in an Xscape Match: This is scheduled to open the pay-per-view, and it figures to get things off to a flying start. I expect Suicide to retain the title, but the real question is: Who is Suicide? Will Kaz return to don the costume or will Daniels be pulling double duty?
ODB vs. Daffney vs. Madison Rayne vs. Sojo Bolt in a Queen of the Cage Match: I’ve always been a big fan of Daffney’s and it would be nice to see her get a pay-per-view win, but I think ODB goes over here. Then TNA can do “comedy” skits with her as The Queen of the Cage and Cody Deaner as her royal subject.
IWGP junior heavyweight tag team champions The Motor City Machine Guns vs. LAX vs. No Limit: This has the potential to be awesome. Hernandez (listed at 285 pounds) holding a junior heavyweight title would be ridiculous, so that rules out LAX. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin may be on the verge of becoming breakout stars, so I’ll go with them to retain.
PRE-SHOW MATCH
Eric Young vs. Danny Bonaduce: I’m actually looking forward to seeing this. Young is a talented enough worker that he can probably carry Bonaduce to an entertaining match. Plus, Bonaduce has presence and is in great shape for his age (49). I believe Young will win, but I wouldn’t totally rule out someone interfering and costing him the match to set up a program.
NOTE: Also on the pay-per-view, TNA will reveal the identity of the "former world champion from another organization" who has signed with the company. All signs point to it being Tazz.
Comments
Ignoring the girls matches which I don't know/care about what is happening I had the same picks as you except I think 3D will walk out the winners of this match. Beer Money needs to break up soon anway, they're starting to get stale and both have some main event singles potential.
About tonights trip, do you know if TNA has the same policy as WWE for cameras, nothing with a detachable lens allowed.
RESPONSE FROM KE: Don't know about the camera policy
Posted by: Anonymous | April 19, 2009 4:03 AM
Besides the X-Division match (which WILL be awesome), I kind of expect this to be a trainwreck like Destination X was (although I was in attendance and I don't think it can get that bad).
Really not many attractive matches. Sting vs. Foley could get very ugly...hell, Sting vs. Angle was very ugly so what makes me think Foley will fare any better? Hopefully we'll see a nice bump to satisfy the Philly crowd! Some bloody brawling could make it a worthy match. Also the Team Jarrett vs. Team Angle match has potential if they give it some time and book it correctly. And maybe an undercard match takes fire and delivers big, which is certainly possible with the caliber of talent this roster has.
Have a nice time to whomever makes the bus trip tomorrow!
Posted by: Ryan | April 19, 2009 5:07 AM
What would Taz do in TNA? He already stated on his Facebook page he has no desire to wrestle ever again.
RESPONSE FROM KE: Perhaps be an announcer (either replacing West or making in a three-man). Also could be a non-wresting on-air figure (like TNA needs any more).
Posted by: Scott | April 19, 2009 9:26 AM
i agree with all of your picks except team 3D winning and i believe that nash won't be able to compete so they'll reveal jarrett to be the surprise 4th member of team angle. i wouldn't put it past russo to pull a huge swerve there, so expect the unexpected. also, tna just announced a day or 2 ago that they had signed another former world champion, which makes me even more believe that rvd will also be there, but it could also be stevie richards finally making his "debut" because he's a former ecw champ
Posted by: paul19 | April 19, 2009 1:28 PM
what does IWGP champions mean? I don't watch tna but read your reports for something to do.
RESPONSE FROM KE: It stands for International Wrestling Grand Prix and is a title in the New Japan promotion.
Posted by: ndugu | April 19, 2009 5:06 PM
Hey Kev, you think Daffney will be barefooted in this cage match?
WOOOOOO
Posted by: Ric Baltimore | April 19, 2009 5:12 PM
Given Tazz's lousy announcing work on Smackdown, I hope he doesn't come in to announce, though if he replaced West, that might be worth it. A three-man team with those two would be unbearable.
I wish TNA would make Nash an announcer. Not only would he make a great heel announcer but it would be a great way for him to pass the torch to younger guys by building them up.
Posted by: Snyder | April 19, 2009 6:35 PM
Ryan you're clueless. This looks like a great ppv which has numerous tremendous matchups. The X Division match will be very good. The three way tag team match between L A X vs MCMG Vs No Limit should be a show stealer. The Lethal Lockdown match is always a moty contender and this year will be no different. Beer Money Vs Team 3-D has been built up wonderfully. It will be an intense bloody brawl with a very hot crowd. Foley is the biggest Sting fan around. He will anything and everything to make the match memorable. This should be one of the best if not the best ppv of the year imo.
Posted by: graves9 | April 19, 2009 6:37 PM
WOW, you FINALLY did a TNA PPV preview??? Guess this is a one shot deal only because you're going to it...back to your WWE bias next month, huh?
RESPONSE FROM KE: Probably.
Posted by: Derrick | April 19, 2009 8:04 PM
I don't think it will be Taz, my money is on Bobby Lashley.
RESPONSE FROM KE: You think?
Posted by: Eric | April 20, 2009 2:37 AM
My money is on the fact that Christmas will be on Dec 25 this year.
Sorry, I had to take a shot at Cpt. Obvious.
Seriously though, bought the PPV and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Posted by: Michealdef | April 20, 2009 8:50 AM
Eric's a genius.
Posted by: Mr. Bronson | April 20, 2009 8:59 AM
team 3D is set to make a major announcement this week on impact. maybe taz will debut. the ppv was awesome last night. i wasn't too big of a fan of mick winning it last night, but i'm happy for him. the match was kind of confusing because they wouldn't let him escape through the cage door. bobby lashley in tna-wow. unless taz debuts soon, their other former champion "debuting" last night was stevie richards, making my prediction correct. look for a stevie-abyss match at sacrifice, in addition to an awesome x-division match (i can't think of the name of it off the top of my head, but it's the match they have every year at the may ppv). my predictions went 7-2 last night. i hope you guys had a good trip last night. i went to last year's lockdown, and i might go to this year's slammiversary if it is in detroit, but it seemed like this year's lockdown was better than last year's
Posted by: paul19 | April 20, 2009 9:56 AM
Can't wait for your post-live-PPV commentary here!
From what I've read on the web, it sounds like it was a bloody, disgusting yet perversely entertaining mess!
Wish I could have been there to observe the spectacle!
Posted by: AMC | April 20, 2009 5:17 PM