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TNA is doing a live preview show from St. Charles, Missouri hosted by Jeremy Borash and Christy Hemme. Odds they wouldn't promote that ahead of time. So far, they have been running down the lineup and running video features. If and when they hold a live match or interview, we'll start updating.
Jeremy Borash was inside the steel cage and noted all of the matches tonight would be taking place inside a steel cage. He introduced TNA Knockouts champion Angelina Love, who made her way to the ring. She said that tonight, it's not just going to be defending her title, but Tara as well, because she can lose it without being pinned. Love said that she didn't like that, but that's the rules of the match. She said Tara and herself want to get their hands on the Knockouts Tag Team belts and predicted new champions. She said she could use the cage to throw Madison Rayne and Velvet Sky into the cage and when the Beautiful People left the ring, they could be "one angry mess." OK promo, although nowhere near the level of anger or intensity you'd expect out of a babyface going for revenge in a cage.
After an Angle vs. Anderson video package, Jeremy Borash interviewed Ken Anderson backstage. Anderson glared at Borash when he was introduced and told him to shut up. Anderson said he's rarely a man of few words but he has little to say because he has the key to the cage and showed it off. Anderson said he wanted to apologize in advance because fans are expecting a five star mat classic and some blood, but he doesn't have to beat Kurt Angle, just walk through a door. He said even Borash could walk through a door. Anderson said that he has his gameplan and he's going to walk out the door, and call for the mic and say, "MISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTERRRRRRR........" then got very low and said, "You know." He walked off and kept returning on camera as Borash tried to finish the segment, but never said his name. Finally, an intimidated Borash said, "Mister Anderson....Anderson" quietly. Funny end to a solid promo.
TNA announced that Doug Williams was stripped of the X-Division champion. I'm not a fan of that one. He's been AWESOME on television of late and it's not like he didn't have an excuse. I think TNA missed the boat on this one as it would have been hilarious to have him blame Kazarian and Moore for causing the volcano since they knew he would beat them.
TNA then announced Sean Waltman no showed. Well, they were honest about it, saying he didn't arrive by the call time.
Christy Hemme interviewed Team 3D. Brother Ray asked Devon how hot Christy Hemme was and handed her his hotel room key. Ray then cut into a promo saying they won the NWA and TNA Tag Team championships at Lockdown in the past. He said they were going to continue that tonight and get rid of Hall, Nash and Waltman from TNA. Ray said they have a surprise tonight that they are going to spring on the Band on the way to the ring tonight. He made a guarantee that someone is going through a table. Usual good 3D promo.
Jeremy Borash interviewed TNA President Dixie Carter, who introduced several members of the military in attendance. She thanked the military for their support. Carter put over St. Louis and yesterday's Fan Interaction event. Carter plugged Monday's Impact and the new timeslot. Borash asked her to predict who was winning the Lethal Lockdown tonight. She said she didn't know but one of the servicemen predicted Team Hogan.
TNA Lockdown PPV
The PPV opened with the usual video package, including the "voice" of the steel cage warning all to fear him.
Mike Tenay and Taz announced that Doug Williams was stripped of the X-Division championship and that Sean Waltman no showed. Mike Tenay then slid into storyline, noting that Eric Bischoff was at the Fan Interaction event yesterday, but didn't interact with Hulk Hogan. Today, there's been no sign of Bischoff in the building.
Rob Van Dam vs. James Storm for Lethal Lockdown advantage.
Storm was wary of going into the cage so RVD dropkicked the door into his face. On the floor, Van Dam whipped him into the cage facefirst. Rob nailed him with a thrust kick to the throat. The crowd was loving RVD. Van Dam dropped Storm across the apron and hit the corkscrew guillotine legdrop off the cage. The crowd chanted, "ECW." No, they really chanted TNA. Van Dam continued the beating on Storm.
Van Dam went to slam Storm into the ring steps but Storm blocked it and slammed RVD into it. Van Dam was busted open hardway from the shot. They entered the cage and the match officially began. Van Dam nailed a spinning kick in the corner. Van Dam choked him against the corner with his boot. RVD whipped Storm into the ropes and nailed an inverted atomic drop. He placed Storm on the ropes and nailed the Ryder Kick off the ropes. Van Dam covered Storm for a two count.
Van Dam worked over Storm in the corner. He whipped him to the opposite corner and went for the somersault monkey flip but Storm avoided it, nailed a neckbreaker and worked him over with punches. Storm cinched in a side chinlock. RVD fought out of it but was clotheslined over the ropes and into the cage for a two count. Storm nailed a big boot. RVD made a comeback and they slugged it out in the middle of the ring.
Van Dam got the better of the exchange and nailed several clotheslines, then ran Storm into the cage. RVD nailed a split-legged moonsault for a two count. Storm nailed a jawbreaker as fans chanted for RVD. Storm took a swig of beer and teased hitting him with the bottle. Ref Brian Hebner took the bottle and missed Storm spitting the beer in RVD's face as he disposed of the bottle. Storm hit a DDT for two count.
Storm went for the Last Call superkick but RVD ducked and hit the rear windmill kick. Rob nailed the five star frog splash and scored the clean pin. Team Hogan has the advantage in the main event.
Your winner, Rob Vam Dam!
Real fun opener. It's weird to have the babyfaces going into the Lockdown with the advantage from a drama standpoint, but we'll see how it plays out. Enjoyed this a lot.
Christy Hemme interviewed Hulk Hogan. Hogan ran down all the things that have happened to his team in the last few weeks, but the fact they are all in the building tonight means they are going to tear down the house and leave their mark. Hogan said that RVD pinning James Storm brings them a ray of sunshine through the clouds. Hogan said that if Team Flair wins tonight, it's time for Hogan to "pack his bags" and leave TNA. Hemme said that he doesn't mean that. Hogan said that if Flair's team wins, there's nothing "left" for TNA and nothing "left for my guys." Hemme asked about Eric Bischoff. Hogan said that when he came to TNA, he thought Bischoff could help him, but now he's over it and "it's out of his hands." It is? I thought Hogan was in charge. I don't know if I've written this before, but it's weird that Hogan hardly does the classic "Hogan promo" these days...and if they were going to tease a Loser Leaves Town deal...wouldn't it make sense to do it...on TV...to build to the PPV?
Mike Tenay announced that Scott Hall needs to find a partner or face Team 3D in a handicap match.
Brian Kendrick vs. Homicide vs. Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin - Xscape Match
Weird this has same stipulations as Angle vs. Anderson. Homicide and Kendrick acted like they would team. Kendrick was busted open immediately hitting the cage. The Guns worked over Homicide and Kendrick. Homicide caught Sabin with an Ace Cutter and hit a belly to belly on Shelley. Kendrick used his foot to smother Sabin. The Guns came back with some double team maneuvers. So far, so good.
Kendrick missed a splash in the corner and Sabin nailed a tornado DDT off the ropes. Homicide nailed a spinning neckbreaker on Sabin but Shelley caught him with a clotheslines. Shelley went up the cage but Kendrick cut him off. Sabin tried to cut off Kendrick but Kendrick raked his face and tied Shelley to the tree of woe. Homicide drilled Sabin with the Gringo Killer.
Kendrick and Shelley battled in the corner. As they did, Homicide scaled the cage and escaped. Kendrick tried to stop him but didn't catch him in time.
Your winner, Homicide!
It was all fast paced stuff and for the timeframe they had to work with, I enjoyed it. Nice to see Homicide get the nod here as he's been terribly overlooked in recent months. It's Homicide vs. Kaz vs. Moore later, which is fine with me.
Kevin Nash vs. Eric Young
Young slid under Nash's legs and punched him in the face. Nash went down to one knee. Nash rose back to his feet and they locked up. Nash nailed Young over the back and whipped him into a corner. He charged Young, who kicked him off. Young nailed a missile dropkick off the top rope. Nash ended up outside the ropes on the apron and Young dropkicked him into the cage, then a high cross bodyblock into the cage.
Back in the ring, Nash grabbed at the referee and lowblowed Young as the ref was distracted. He began kneeing and kicking Young in the corner. He began beating Young with forearms. Young fought back and dared Nash to bring it. Nash kept beating down Young, who kept fighting to his feet. Nash smothered him with a boot to the face. Young began blocking Nash's punches and fired back but was caught with a chokeslam.
Young recovered and began kicking at one of Nash's knees. Young nailed several big rights and rebounded off the ropes, only to be caught with a big boot. Nash nailed a powerbomb and pinned him.
Your winner, Kevin Nash!
Not a bad match at all. They had a decent story with Young doing the never say die deal. Young was busted open towards the end.
Nash took the mic and announced he would be Scott Hall's partner tonight against Team 3D.
TNA Knockouts champion Angelina Love & Tara vs. The Beautiful People (with Lacey Von Erich)
If the People lose, they lost the Tag straps. If Love or Tara lose, whoever pins them is the new Knockouts champion. If someone killed Col. Mustard with a wrench in the library, I quit.
Hey why aren't the Beautiful People scared of ruining their good looks in this cage?
Angelina cleaned house on Velvet early. She tried to call time out in a cage match. I laughed at that. Rayne tagged in but Love slammed her down for a two count. Tara tagged in and nailed several rights. She grabbed Rayne for a Fireman's Carry but Rayne raked her face. Velvet tagged in but was caught in a drop toehold and an Oriental Torture Device.
Tara chopped Sky but Rayne grabbed her, allowing Sky to take control and choke Tara. She stomped her for a two count. The BP nailed a double dropkick on Tara's back for a two count. Rayne scissored Tara and nailed the scissor stomp. Sky tagged in and scored a two count. Tara came back with several punches and a slam. Tara went to the top rope and told Love to watch but missed a moonsault.
Hot tag time. Love hit a flying clothesline on Rayne, then one on Sky. She whipped the People into each other in the corner but Tara blind tagged herself in. Tara nailed the Widow's Peak on Rayne but Sky broke up the pin. As everyone battled, Lacey Von Erich opened the cage and cracked Tara in the back of the head with the Knockouts title belt. Madison scored the pin.
Your winners, The Beautiful People! New Knockouts champ, Madison Rayne!
Love was pissed that Tara lost her title. Love still offered her a handshake, at which point Tara attacked her and ran Love into the cage.
The match was fine given the circumstances but isn't the whole point of a cage match to KEEP EVERYONE ELSE OUT?
Jeremy Borash interviewed Team Flair. Flair told Borash he really annoys him. Flair said they were in Team Flair country. Flair said they appreciate the enthusiasm and youth of RVD and Jeff Hardy, but the future of TNA is Beer Money. He mocked the idea of Jeff Jarrett being a legend, when he has Sting on their side. He mocked Abyss being taken out the last few weeks. Flair promised we'd never see Hogan on TNA television again after tonight.
Borash then turned his attention to the TNA championship match. AJ Styles pointed out he was the longest reigning TNA champion ever and there is no one he hasn't beaten, dating back all the way to day one. He told Pope Dinero to go to the mirror and tell himself he's no AJ Styles. He said Pope has nothing that Styles possesses. Styles said his Sunday night service ends tonight and there's nothing he can do about it....but like it.
Team 3D vs. Scott Hall & Kevin Nash
Huge pop for 3D when their music hit. They came out with a table. Bubba took the mic and asked St. Louis if they were ready to get wild and crazy. Bubba told the referee to leave the cage door open, because everyone came to see Team 3D fight, not to see them wrestle. He told the Band tonight was a St. Louis Street Fight where Falls Count Anywhere in the bulding. Nice way to make things up for the Waltman no show. Hall has lost more weight.
They all started brawling on the rampway. Hall teased a Razor's Edge on Ray but was backdropped over. Nash was tossed into a railing by Devon. Ray and Hall went into the crowd. Nash and Devon followed. They all brawled in the crowd. Ray nailed Hall with a beer. The crowd was into it big-time.
They returned to ringside where The Band took over control. They tossed Devon into the cage. Ray was out on the floor. The arena started chanting for tables. Nash and Hall beat down Devon in the crowd. Hall tried to hold the cage door to prevent Ray from entering. Nash continued to measure and beat down Devon.
Hall and Nash switched places. Ray grabbed a chair and hit the door, "hurting" Nash's hand, then slammed the cage door into Nash's face. Bubba hit the ring and was clubbering and chopping away. 3D sandwiched the Band in the corner. Devon splashed them, followed by Bubba.
Ray slammed Hall and called for the Wazzup headbutt. They took Nash out. Devon hit the headbutt. Devon went to get the tables. This is fun as heck and the crowd is LOVING THIS. They set up for a Dudley Death Drop on Hall through the table and nailed it.
Devon covered Hall and scored the pin.
Your winners, Team 3D!
From a fun standpoint, this was the best thing on the show so far. Say what you will about the players here, but they all worked hard, used everything they could to put on a show and got the biggest reaction of everything thus far on the show. Thumbs up.
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