By Jason Powell

Dot Net Members will be listening to my exclusive audio review of TNA Lockdown later tonight. You can score ad-free access right now and correspond with other members in the Dot Net Members' Forum throughout the show by signing up for membership by visiting Prowrestling.net/amember/signup.php.

TNA Lockdown
Aired live on pay-per-view
Nashville, Tennessee at Municipal Auditorium

The pre-show consisted of a lot of hype, a Dixie Carter interview, and ODB and Eric Young challenging Sarita and Rosita to a Knockouts Tag Title match. The pre-show was hosted by Jeremy Borash and Christy Hemme...

The actual pay-per-view opened with footage from "earlier today" of James Storm loading up his truck with his gear. He said Bobby Roode made it personal by bringing his family into it. Storm added that this is the biggest match of their careers. "This is my town," Storm said. "Welcome to Nashville"... The Lockdown opening video played...

Mike Tenay and Taz introduced the show from ringside and hyped that one of the Bischoffs would be finished tonight...

Backstage, Garett Bischoff's team spoke about who should be the first man in the Lethal Lockdown match. Garett asked them to let him be the first man in. He said he knows he's a rookie and he's going to get his ass kicked, but he wants to earn their respect. They all agreed...

Powell's POV: Now you see why there are coaches in pro sports. They stop the athletes from making nonsensical decisions like this one. That said, they're obviously trying to build up Garett.

1. Eric Bischoff, Gunner, Bully Ray, Christopher Daniels, and Kazarian vs. Garett Bischoff, A.J. Styles, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Anderson, and Austin Aries in a Lethal Lockdown match> Garett and Gunner started the match for their respective teams. Gunner jumped out to the early advantage. Bully Ray was the second man out for his team. He joined Gunner in working over Garett.

Austin Aries was the second man in the match for Team Garett. He went right after Bully Ray and hit him with repeated punches in the corner. Kazarian was the third man in for Team Eric. He debuted a new crew cut hairstyle. A.J. Styles checked into the match for Team Garett shortly thereafter.

Powell's POV: It drives me nuts when guys essentially shave their heads for nothing. Why not do it as part of a hair vs. hair match? By the way, I suppose it's worth noting that Kazarian left WWE developmental because they wanted him to cut his long hair.

Daniels entered the match as the fourth man for the heel team around 11:00. The heels were in control at this point. Garett was whipped into the cage, and Kazarian used a strap to whip him. The heels dominated until Mr. Anderson made his entrance to a nice ovation from the live crowd. Anderson went on the offensive and worked over most of the heels.

The heel team regained control as the sound cut out (at least on my television, though I am getting sound on other networks). Eric Bischoff made his entrance. Eric held Garett while Bully Ray and Gunner fired away with hard slaps to the chest. Rob Van Dam made his entrance as the final man of Team Garett. As Van Dam worked over the heels, Eric Bischoff cowered behind the turnbuckles.

The roof of the cage lowered with weapons attached to it. The weapons included a guitar, a hockey stick, boards, trash cans, lids, and cookie sheets. Styles grabbed a hockey goalie's stick and used it as a weapon. The babyfaces dominated the early brawl with the weapons. The sound returned as Garett was shown bleeding in the corner.

There was a cool spot with Kazarian and Styles hanging from the roof of the cage. Styles kicked Kazarian down and then dropped an elbow. Van Dam followed up with a Five Star Frogsplash. Daniels hit the Angel's Wings Suplex on Van Dam. Eric Bischoff, who had been cowering in the corner all this time, finally entered the ring again and slammed a kendo stick over his son's back around 24:00. A small "Hogan" chant started up in the crowd.

Taz unbelievably called for Bischoff to stop hitting his son. The camera closed in on Garett's back to show the welts from the kendo stick blows. Eric continued to deliver the shots. Garett got to his feet as Eric gloated and slammed a guitar over Eric's head. Garett covered Eric and got the pin. Tenay said that means Eric Bischoff is "gone for good from TNA Wrestling."

The announcers continued to express their surprise over Eric Bischoff being out of TNA. Inside the ring, the babyface team raised Garett's arms in victory to put him over. The faces also exchanged handshakes and hugs amongst themselves. The camera cut to Eric being helped from the ring by Daniels. He was shaking the ref's hand, smiling, and looking fine, so the camera quickly cut away...

Garett Bischoff, A.J. Styles, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Anderson, and Austin Aries defeated Eric Bischoff, Gunner, Kazarian, Christopher Daniels, and Bully Ray in a Lethal Lockdown match in 26:00.

Powell's POV: A decent Lethal Lockdown match considering there weren't enough built in feuds amongst the wrestlers. It was all about the Bischoff drama, though guys like Bully Ray, Anderson, and Styles had moments to shine.

The announcers asked viewers to choose between Team Roode and Team Storm on Twitter...

Powell's POV: Are you f'n kidding me? As if the newfound Twitter obsession doesn't scream WWE wannabe, now they are using the same Team Twitter gimmick that was used for The Rock and John Cena? Come on, TNA, be an alternative, not WWE Lite.

2. Samoa Joe and Magnus vs. The Motor City Machine Guns in a cage match for the TNA Tag Titles in a cage match. Joe was sporting the mohawk look again. The crowd was pretty flat early on. Chris Sabin had a good exchange with Joe early on. Joe ended up getting the better of the exchange and both he and Magnus worked over Sabin.

The tag champs continued to dominate Sabin. Joe applied the rear naked choke on Sabin. Alex Shelley got the better of Magnus, so Joe had to release the hold to save his partner. The champs set up for a double superplex on Shelley, but Sabin snuck in and powerbombed Joe off the second rope. Shelley pushed Magnus down and performed a double stomp off the top rope.

A short time later, Joe and Magnus went for their finisher, but Shelley avoided it. Shelley went for SLiced Bread, but Magnus avoided it and slammed him. Joe performed a senton with Sabin on his back onto Shelley. Magnus and Joe hit their snap mare elbow drop combo on Shelley and scored the clean pin...

Samoa Joe and Magnus defeated The Motor City Machine Guns in 11:20.

Powell's POV: I love the clean finish. The live crowd never got as into this match as I thought they would (or they are mic'd poorly). My only criticism is that I wish they would have used Chris Sabin coming off the knee injury as the reason for the Guns losing. That would have given The Guns an out for losing and set up a rematch with the idea that the Guns might be the better team when Sabin is healthy. That said, they did a good job of the champions focussing on Sabin throughout the match, which the announcers conveyed on commentary.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviewed Robbie E while Robbie T stood by. Robbie said he's going to become a two time TV Champion. Robbie E said they will be fist pumping later tonight "and you're not on the list, bro"...

3. Devon vs. Robbie E (w/Robbie T) in a cage match for the TNA TV Title. The crowd couldn't care less when the Robbies entered. After some forgettable action, Devon put Robbie away with a spinebuster for the clean pin. After the match, Robbie T attacked Devon from behind. Robbie E and Robbie T stood over the fallen Devon and gloated...

Devon defeated Robbie E to retain the TNA TV Title in 3:25.

Powell's POV: Quick and painless, if not completely pointless.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash said he was monitoring Tweets backstage to determine whether fans expect Team Roode or Team Storm to win. Matt Morgan entered the interview set and said he was out strictly for revenge in his match against Crimson. He said Crimson will answer for his sins. He said the cage is a prison cell. Morgan closed the promo by referring to Crimson as a "redheaded bitch"...

Powell's POV: Good intensity from Morgan, who really deserves better than the forgettable tag title run and this feud with Crimson. I don't think TNA knows what to do with him at this point.

4. Gail Kim (w/Madison Rayne) vs. Velvet Sky in a cage match for the TNA Knockouts Title. Taz was let down again when Velvet didn't shake her ass during the entrance. Madison carried a crowd to the ring. Taz joked that a crown will never get over in this business. Early in the match, Velvet caught Gail standing on the top rope, but Gail kicked her away and followed up with a nice missile dropkick.

Velvet came back with a series of moves off the ropes and capped it off with a head scissors. Velvet bulldogged the champion, but Gail kicked her away. Gail tried to climb over the case for the escape. Velvet caught her and hit a nasty looking powerbomb off the second rope. Replays showed that Kim landed hard while taking the bump.

Madison started screaming at Velvet from outside the ring. Velvet played a long by bickering at her. Gail tried to escape through the door, but Velvet rolled her up. Gail rolled through and held the tights to get the pin...

Gail Kim defeated Velvet Sky to retain the TNA Knockouts Title in 7:30.

Powell's POV: Good effort and a scary bump from Gail on the powerbomb, but the finish was clunky. Velvet looked like a dope for stopping to bicker with Madison, but at least they didn't have Gail escape through the door at that point. There was a polite round of applause for Velvet after the match, and she played into it and the cheers grew louder.

Tenay and Taz spoke at their ringside desk. They were interrupted by Ric Flair's entrance music. Taz noted that Flair is a two-time Hall of Famer. Flair walked out with a serious look on his face and ignored the attempts of fans looking for a high five. He motioned for So Cal Val to join him in the ring.

Flair asked the fans if they have any idea who just entered the ring. The fans cheered. Flair said he was asking the fans "a damn serious question." He asked "fat boy" and "you with no teeth" if they know who he is. "I am the Nature Boy Ric Flair," Flair said. He said his life gets greater and bitter every day. "You know why?" Flair asked three times. "Because I'm that damn good, that's why."

Flair said he is "a special kind of cat." He said that he was pissed off. He said that's not good for who he's pissed off at. Flair said Hulk Hogan just won't leave him alone. He complained that Hogan ended Eric Bischoff's career. Flair looked to a fan in the crowd and said it isn't funny. He said the fan was fat and questioned how his wife "could possibly do that with you at night."

Hulk Hogan's music played. Flair told Hogan to bring it. Hogan called for his music to be cut. Flair said Hogan pissed him off. Hogan said that as the general manager of Impact Wrestling, he has to admit that Flair singlehandedly is the greatest wrestler of all time. "Now, do you mind if I enter your ring?" Hogan asked. Flair told him to get in the ring because he had to talk to him.

Hogan told Flair to express his grievances right then and there. Flair said he's had a problem with Hogan for 30 years. He said he didn't like the way he manipulated Eric Bischoff. Flair said he should have been in that match instead. Flair said that he works for Hogan, but the day he gets too pissed off he will kick Hogan's ass. Flair continued to heel it up for the fans.

Hogan asked Flair if he knows where he's at. Hogan said Flair is at Lethal Lockdown. Hogan said Eric Bischoff will never be part of Impact Wrestling again. He said Eric Bischoff isn't allowed to use the name Bischoff again. He also said everyone in the building knows that if they hook up right now, they would tear the roof off the building. Hogan said that if Flair has a problem with him, he better do something about it.

Flair said Hogan just "really pissed me off." Flair took off his jacket. Hogan punched Flair, who acted as if he was knocked out by the punch. Hogan left the cage. Flair recovered and called for Flair to get back inside the ring. Flair threw both of his shoes into the crowd and then took off his tie. Flair asked Hogan where he was going...

Powell's POV: It's easy to put someone over as the greatest wrestler of all time when you've beaten the guy a million times and get to knock him down with one punch. It was fun to see Flair heel it up, but the end result of the segment was the same old Hogan and Flair schtick. TNA has to find a better way to utilize Flair to justify the money they are paying him. Plus, he could be a real contributor if they put him in the right role and get him motivated.

A video recapped the Crimson and Matt Morgan feud...

5. Crimson vs. Matt Morgan in a cage match. The crowd was flat as the bell rang to start the match. Crimson missed a running dive at Morgan, who threw him into the cage. Morgan called for the door to open. He teased leaving and could have, but he shook his head no and the referee closed the door again. Tenay said Morgan could have ended Crimson's winning streak. Taz said Morgan wasn't to put more of a hurting on Crimson. Ugh.

Crimson went on the offensive for a bit. Tenay said that when Crimson takes away Morgan's wind he has difficulty breathing. Yes, really. Morgan cut Crimson off with a big clothesline. Later, Crimson was standing with his back against the cage. Morgan ran at him and performed a cross body block that sandwiched Crimson between him and the cage. Morgan went for a big boot in the corner, but Crimson moved.

Crimson tried to escape the cage at 5:30, but Morgan stopped him. They stood on the top rope and exchanged shots. Crimson kicked Morgan's knee and Morgan crotched himself on the top rope and then hung up his leg while falling into the ring. Crimson looked down at Morgan and blew him a kiss goodbye. Crimson climbed over the top rope and escaped the cage to win the match. Crimson taunted Morgan threw the cage, and Morgan slammed his hand on the cage before going back to selling the knee injury...

Crimson defeated Matt Morgan in 6:30.

Powell's POV: The live crowd was completely dead for the match. TNA has to do more with Crimson to make him get under the skin of viewers to the point that they want to see him lose a match. The fans don't seem to give a damn about his winning streak right now. The heel Crimson has potential, but creative has to find ways to put heat on him. As for Morgan, he joins the long list of babyfaces who look like morons for not winning a match when he could have escaped a cage. Perhaps they will play up the fact that Morgan could have won to make Crimson's win look even flukier on Impact.

A video set up the Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy match. Hardy said Angle is jealous, Angle said he's not jealous. He said Hardy looks more like a woman than a man...

6. Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle in a cage match. Hardy wore a scarf around his neck as part of his entrance and wore wild face paint. Angle had his knee wrapped heavily. Tenay asked Taz whether it was a knee or a hamstring injury. Taz said he wasn't sure and then said he believes Angle went public with the news that he was injured in training.

Powell's POV: Shouldn't both announcers know this type of information? This isn't a case of it being a wrestling media story. To use Angle speak, it made the freakin' Associated Press. The announcing continues to be a major problem for TNA. These guys just seem to let the match quality set the tone for them when they should be working hard to enhance each match in some way.

After some solid action, Hardy hit the whisper in the wind off the top rope. Cool move. A short time later, Hardy went to the ropes. Angle went up and grabbed him. Angle performed the Angle Slam off the top rope, which brought the crowd to life and drew some "holy shit" chants. A lot of the fans stood at ringside.

A short time later, Hardy ended up on the middle of the top rope. Hardy leapt off feet first and splashed Angle. A lot of fans remained standing and a "This is awesome" chant broke out. Hardy headed for the cage door, but Angle grabbed his leg from behind and teased the Ankle Lock. However, Hardy countered and applied the Ankle Lock on Angle, who teased tapping, only to kick Hardy off.

Hardy came back with a Twist of Fate and then followed up with a Swanton Bomb off the top rope at 12:00. Hardy stood up and went back to the top rope and performed a second Swanton. He went for a cover this time, but Angle kicked out at two for a good near fall moment.

Hardy walked toward Angle, who pulled Hardy into the cage. Angle followed up with the Angle Slam for a near fall of his own. Hardy came back a short time later with an Angle Slam of his own. Hardy removed his shirt and went back to the top rope. This time he took it a step further by going to the top of the cage. Taz did a great job of begging Hardy not to do it on commentary. Hardy hit the Swanton and scored the clean pin.

Angle was helped from the ring by a pair of security guards. One of the guards pointed to his own stomach/ribs...

Jeff Hardy defeated Kurt Angle in 15:00.

Powell's POV: An entertaining match that the live crowd was hot for. Both men worked very hard and performed a slew of high spots and incorporated a lot of near falls and counters. They were motivated to steal the show and perhaps to back up Angle's claim that they were capable of match Undertaker vs. Triple H. They didn't accomplish that last one, but they worked hard and delivered the best match of the night thus far.

Tenay and Taz spoke at ringside about the match. Tenay actually thanked Hulk Hogan for making the Hardy vs. Angle match happen. Good lord. They both put over the Angle vs. Hardy match. They made the Twitter plug for the Team Rood and Team Storm silliness...

7. Eric Young and ODB vs. Rosita and Sarita in a cage match for the TNA Knockouts Tag Titles. Young and ODB came out wearing Nashville Predators jerseys to get some cheap fan love. ODB went after the challengers early on as the announcers recapped the story of how they interrupted the Young and ODB wedding on Impact.

They did a comedy spot early with Young throwing Rosita onto Sarita and then he counted a pin and celebrated. Later, the heels tried to flirt with Young. ODB went Popeye on the bit by taking a swig from her flash and then beat up both women. In the end, ODB hit her finisher on Rosita and got the clean pin...

Eric Young and ODB beat Rosita and Sarita to retain the TNA Knockouts Title in 4:25.

Powell's POV: Just to clarify the cheap heat comment at the beginning of the match, it was a wise move. They had a tough act to follow, and they're the fun loving comedy duo, so wearing the hometown team's jerseys was a logical way to get the fans up again. I like the placement of this match as a buffer a lot more than the decision to have the TNA Tag Title match follow the Lethal Lockdown match earlier in the show.

At ringside, the announcers continued to stress that Eric Bischoff is out of Impact Wrestling. They also discussed the main event match and the fact that Storm is working in front of his home state fans. Tenay said the fans are unanimously in favor of James Storm winning the TNA Title...

Powell's POV: Unanimously?!? So not one person on Twitter picked Team Roode? Um, sure. By the way, the live crowd is flat again. They look completely bored whenever the announcers babble at ringside. Hell, they look bored during a lot of the matches.

Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviewed Bobby Roode, who said tonight is the night that the entire wrestling world has been waiting for. The fans booed. He said Storm has been waiting to get this shot at the TNA Title in front of his friends and family. Roode said he will walk out to the cage and prove to the world that he always has been and always will be better than Storm. Roode said tonight isn't just a wrestling match, it's a fight. He said he's out for blood because he hates Storm, just as Storm hates him...

A video set up the main event...

Powell's POV: Really good fire from Roode. That's the gear that's been missing from his promos. He hasn't perfected that gear yet, but it's nice to see him raise his voice at the right time. It was also nice to hear him show confidence heading into the match rather than act like a pest champion or a chickenshit champion.

James Storm made his entrance and received a good reaction for the hometown entrance. Bobby Roode had decent heat during his entrance. Roode took a slow walk around the ring and glared at fans at ringside. Storm left the cage and attacked Roode from behind. Storm roughed up Roode at ringside before the opening bell.

Roode came back briefly, but Storm whipped Roode into the guardrail. Referee Earl Hebner followed both men around the ringside area. They brawled into the entrance area. Hebner pleaded with Storm to take the match inside the cage where referee Brian Hebner was waiting.

Storm tried to use a chair, but Roode avoided it and slammed Storm into the cage. Roode grabbed one of Storm's beer bottles and took a swig. Storm bled at ringside after being run into the cage. Roode continued to attack Storm on the floor and then slammed him into the side of the cage. The cameras showed Montgomery Gentry and Storm's wife at ringside. Roode threw a bloody Storm inside the cage. Roode entered the cage and the bell rang to start the match...

Powell's POV: I was worried for a minute that they were going to brawl at ringside and never enter the cage to get out of having an actual match. Storm is in much better shape than he was a couple months ago. He's shed some girth in his mid-section.

8. Bobby Roode vs. James Storm in a cage match for the TNA Title. Roode controlled the first couple of minutes. A small "Let's go Cowboy" chant started, and Storm delivered his first offense of the match, but Roode quickly cut him off. Taz did a good job of putting over Storm's cut and how it looked bleak for him as a result of the cut.

Roode continued to dominate the match. At 5:00, he told Storm that he hated him, never needed him, and added that Storm is nothing without him. Storm fired back with a series of punches at 6:00. Taz said the "wild and crazy redneck" was all over the champion. At 7:55, Storm ran Roode's head into the cage and then Roode bled.

At 9:45, Storm hit a Codebreaker on Roode and went for a cover. He nodded his head along with the ref's count, but Roode kicked out at the last moment. Roode backdropped Storm into the cage at 10:30. Roode tried to leave the cage, but Storm stopped him, only to be locked in a crossface moments later. Storm rolled toward the ropes. The ref counted for Roode to break the hold, which doesn't make sense given that they stated earlier that the only way to win is by pinfall, submission, or escaping the cage.

Both men ended up fighting while standing on the top rope. Roode got the better of the exchange and tried to exit, but Storm reached up to stop him. Roode kicked Storm off. Taz said that was it, but Storm recovered and grabbed Roode by the hair to stop him from leaving the cage. They went back to fighting on the top rope at 15:00.

Storm and Roode to turns slamming heads into the cage. The crowd did the "Yay and boo" cheers for Storm and Roode respectively. Storm got the better of the exchange and knocked Roode down. Storm looked like he was about to leave the cage, but he stopped. There were some groans from the crowd.

Tenay said Roode flipped off Storm from the mat, which is what caused Storm to remain in the ring. Storm jumped off the top and hit a Codebreaker on Roode on the way down. Storm set up for the Last Call, but Roode pulled the referee in front of him to take the kick instead.

A short time later, Roode could have escaped the cage, but he stopped and asked Earl Hebner to hand him one of the beer bottles. Roode smashed the bottle over Storm's head. Roode went for the cover and Earl Hebner counted the pin, but Storm kicked out at the last second for a nice pop. Moments later, Storm hit the Last Call superkick out of nowhere.

Storm struggled to get back to his feet. Roode stood up next to the cage door. Storm hit the Last Call superkick on Roode, which ended up knocking him into the door and out of the cage for the cheap win. The live crowd booed and groaned.

After the match, Storm looked dejected and a shot of his wife showed her displaying the same expression. Storm went over and took the title from Roode. Storm spat on Roode and tossed the title aside. Storm went into the crowd and hugged an older woman (presumably his mother) who was standing next to his wife...

Bobby Roode defeated James Storm to retain the TNA Title in 19:00.

Powell's POV: They did a really nice job of making viewers at home think Storm was going to win the title tonight by having his wife and apparently additional family members in the crowd (we stopped caring about Montgomery Gentry about two seconds after they appeared on TNA television the first time). This is exactly what I was hoping for in my TNA predictions piece. It wasn't red hot and it seemed to irritate a lot of the live crowd, but if they can get over on Impact that Storm was close to winning the title and Roode retained on a fluke, they could make viewers start to invest in his chase for the title.

Overall, this was a lifeless show in so many ways. The crowd seemed really flat for most of the matches and it was hard to blame them. The main event was good and Hardy and Roode was very good, but the rest of the show felt like a throwaway pay-per-view card. The Lethal Lockdown match was passable, yet not memorable in any way by the end of the night. It was nice to see TNA get out of Orlando again, but either the building was poorly mic'd or the crowd wasn't much more into the product than the Impact Zone crowd is these days. I'll have more to say tonight in members' audio (see above for signup information) and in Monday's TNA Lockdown Hitlist.

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