By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
TNA issued the following press release on Thursday to announce the return of the Lockdown pay-per-view on Sunday, August 23, in Chicago, Illinois, at Credit Union 1 Arena.
One of professional wrestling’s most iconic and feared events is back. TNA Wrestling announced today that Lockdown — a showcase event in which every match is contested inside a steel cage — will return on Sunday, August 23, broadcasting live around the world on pay-per-view from Credit Union 1 Arena in downtown Chicago. It marks TNA’s first Lockdown event since 2016, and the company’s first-ever show at the history-filled arena.
The 2026 Lockdown is TNA’s first live event held at the venue formerly known as the UIC Pavilion, an on-campus arena steeped in pro wrestling history. Chi-Town Rumble from World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1989, for instance, was held at the UIC Pavilion, featuring Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat against Ric Flair for the NWA World Championship in the main event. Chi-Town Rumble also featured Lex Luger, Mike Rotunda, Sting, Butch Reed and The Midnight Express, among others.
LOCKDOWN ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Full match card details for Lockdown will be announced this summer. Confirmed to appear at Lockdown are Jeff & Matt Hardy (The Hardys), Nic Nemeth, Mustafa Ali, Moose, AJ Francis, Mike Santana, Steve Maclin, Brian Myers, Eric Young, and Leon Slater, among others. The TNA Knockouts Division also will be featured prominently, with Ash By Elegance, Tessa Blanchard, Elayna Black, Indi Hartwell, and others scheduled to compete inside the cage.
TNA Wrestling debuted Lockdown in 2005, making it the first pro wrestling pay-per-view in which every match was contested inside a steel cage. The event quickly became one of TNA’s three flagship annual events, alongside Slammiversary and Bound for Glory. The inaugural Lockdown featured A.J. Styles vs. Abyss and introduced the Lethal Lockdown match — TNA’s signature take on the classic WarGames match — in which two teams enter the cage one by one in alternating fashion, with the fully-enclosed, weapon-laden cage not unlocked until all competitors have entered. Memorable Lockdown main events over the years included Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle, Sting vs. Mick Foley, and a series of epic Lethal Lockdown battles.
TNA held Lockdown annually from 2005 through 2016, with the final event taking place at Wembley Arena in London — where Matt Hardy defeated EC3 in a steel cage to capture the TNA World Championship in front of a sold-out international crowd. The 2026 Chicago edition marks the event’s long-awaited return.
LOCKDOWN TICKET INFORMATION
Lockdown ticket pre-sale begins Wednesday, April 22, at 10 a.m. ET.
The general public on-sale begins Friday, April 24, at 10 a.m. ET.
Fans can sign up for priority alerts at TNAWrestling.com.
FAN EXPERIENCES
Lockdown will feature TNA’s signature fan experience programming, including a post-show Meet & Greet giving fans direct access to TNA stars for autographs, photos and personal moments. Recent Meet & Greet guests at TNA events have included The Hardys, Ryan & Nic Nemeth, Mike Santana, Mustafa Ali, Elijah, Tessa Blanchard, Elayna Black, Leon Slater, Ricky Sosa, Moose, Frankie Kazarian, and many others. Select premium pre-show packages will also be available. Full details and ticket purchase information will be posted at TNAWrestling.com.
Powell’s POV: I’ve never been a fan of the gimmick of holding every match inside a cage. Ideally, TNA would build up a couple of feuds to the point that they belong in a cage and build the show around a double cage match theme at most. Legend has it that the theme started as a joke made by Dusty Rhodes during a booking meeting. Dixie Carter thought he was serious and ran with. Inevitably, the all cage match theme results in the company having matches that haven’t reached the point where the cage feels necessary. We’ll see how they pull it off this time around.
(Jason Powell, founder and editor of ProWrestling.net, has covered pro wrestling full-time dating back to 1997. He hosts a weekly podcast, Pro Wrestling Boom, and also appears regularly on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast. Reach him via email at dotnetjason@gmail.com and on social media via @prowrestlingnet.bsky.social or x.com/prowrestlingnet. For his full bio and information on this website, click here.)
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