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Lethal Lockdown: Aces & Eights vs. Team TNA
Mr. Anderson is in first for Aces & Eights. Of course, they send an Anderson in first. Magnus was in first for TNA. After three minutes, they start the Wargames style entrances. Once everyone is in, they can win. Anderson was controlled early by Magnus. Magnus nailed a flying knee and clotheslined Anderson. Anderson cut him off and worked over Magnus in the corner.
Knox was out second. They worked over Magnus. Samoa Joe came out to even things up. The crowd loved that and loved all his offense as he nailed strikes and leg lariats. Joe and Magnus teamed up with a series of double team moves, playing off their old team. Joe and Magnus worked over Knox and Anderson. Team TNA cleaned house on Aces and Eights.
Garett Bischoff was number three, so the tide turned again for the Aces & Eights. Out came Eric Young. He hit the ring with a big dropkick and cleaned house on everyone. He had a hell of a promo on Impact but it's so weird to see the guy who does silly suddenly kicking the badasses asses.
Devon was fourth out for Aces & Eights. He missed a charge in the corner and was nailed by a Young forearm but Barrett immediately attacked him. Joe and Anderson battled in the corner. Everyone battled back and forth with no real story. It was just guys battling. James Storm was fourth out for TNA. He nailed a ton of offense on the Aces. You could hear a small "Cowboy" chant. He drilled Knox with the Last Call superkick.
TNA gained control of the ring as the crowd chanted for TNA. The last man out was D.O.C. Aces & Eights regained control of the ring and worked over TNA. Last man out was Sting, who brought two trash cans full of weapons down with him. The crowd was really into Sting when he came out. Sting began using his baseball bat. Apparently, TNA forgot the roof of the cage in Nashville or something, so no chance of crazy spots off and on the roof.
The TNA team used the weapons to beat the hell out of Aces & Eights. Storm used a cane to the trash can on Devon's groin. The crowd chanted for Sting. Joe drilled Garett with a trash can. The crowd live was into the carnage. Sting nailed a Stinger splash in the corner into a trash can on Bischoff. TNA continued to assault Aces & Eights. Sting nailed another Stinger Splash on Anderson, who had a trash can over his head.
Young went to use the bat on Anderson who moved and Sting was almost hit by accident. This allowed Aces & Eights to gain control of the weapons and beat down Team TNA. Doc chokeslammed Young. Storm made a comeback with a series of shots. Bischoff tried to escape and went to the top and that led to a triple decker Tower of Doom that saw Bischoff take a superplex off the top of the cage, sort of. That was a cool visual. Joe went for a choke on Anderson but it was broken up. Sting nailed the Scorpion Death Drop on Knox.
Young went to the top rope but Sting told him to go to the top of the cage. He's not going to catch any fish there. Young nailed an elbow off the top of the cage for the pin.
Your winners, Team TNA!
The crowd was big-time into this once Sting came out but the story of the match was pretty much you beat me up, I beat you up. There were a few cool spots towards the end and they did their job with those and the weapons popping the crowd but it felt like something was missing here especially during the segment with the entrances, which should have been designed for building drama and it didn't feel like there was any heightened sense of danger or twists and turns. Watching this, you'd get the idea TNA had won a major battle here and the announcers treated it like that tonight, so obviously a big angle and likely a title change is coming next. Those involved took a lot of physical punishment, especially Bischoff and I respect the hell out of that. It was good (how can I not enjoy the plunder) but this wasn't one of those wars of attrition that when they are over you are thinking, "Wow, I gotta see that again."
TNA champion Jeff Hardy vs. Bully Ray
Jeremy Borash was the ring announcer. Taz was ripping on Ray hard when he came out. They were treating this like it was a bigtime match, which is how it should be presented.
They locked up and Ray shoulderblocked him down. They locked up again and Ray grabbed a side headlock. Ray controlled early and slammed Hardy for a two count. Hardy made a comeback and nailed a sprinboard splash for a two count. Hardy climbed up the cage but Ray followed him and smashed his knee into the cage several times. Hardy was crotched on the top rope after a boot to the face, then fell into the ring.
Ray returned to the ring and worked over Hardy. Ray slammed Hardy for a two count. Hardy tried to escape the cage but was pulled back in and drilled with shot after shot across the back. Ray tossed Hardy into the ropes and nailed a clothesline. Ray began working over Hardy's back, picking his shots and measuring his shots. Hardy was locked in a bear hug. Ray missed a splash off the corner. Hardy avoided an attempted Bubba Bomb and nailed a Twist of Fate.
Aces & Eight's Wes Briscoe and Garett Bischoff showed up and climbed the cage. Hardy began battling them. Ray clotheslined them both and teamed with Hardy to lay them out. They opened the door and tossed Bischoff, who took a hell of a flip bump onto the rail. They then tossed Brisco who nearly killed himself being tossed out. They closed the door and Ray said "right now" meaning they were going to go. The crowd got into that.
They battled back and forth with punches in the center of the ring. Hardy nailed a series of rights but Ray sent him into the ropes. Hardy nailed a forearm off the ropes and the cruncher legdrop on Ray. Hardy covered him for a two count. Hardy tried to climb out but again, Ray pulled him down, just like the first time. They battled in the corner with chops. Ray grabbed a leg so Hardy kicked him with another, crashing into the ring. Ray, dazed, then fell atop of Hardy for a two count. It appeared they were going to do the sitdown Bubba Bomb off the top but went with something else. Hardy drilled Ray and climbed up but again Ray pursued him. Ray slipped under and now they hit the sitdown Bully Bomb, which looked awesome. The crowd chanted, "Holy sh**" Ray covered him for a two count.
As both men recovered, Hulk and Brooke Hogan came to the ringside area. Hogan was cheering Ray on, telling him to get up. Aces & Eights hit the scene and surrounded the ring. Ray handed Hardy a chain and they stood back to back to defend themselves. Devon climbed over the top and pulled out a hammer. He tossed it to Ray. Ray slowly turned and nailed Hardy in the back of the head with it. He and Devon hugged. Ray covered Hardy for the title. Hogan and Brooke were shocked. Ray told Brooke she meant nothing to him. Hogan told Ray he was a dead man and Ray told him to do something "you old bastard."
Ray got a mic and said, "Let that stupid bitch cry." Ray told Hogan that he used him and screwed Brooke. You could see some real heat as fans were throwing lots of bottles and garbage into the cage. Ray said that he fooled every single one of the fans. He declared he was the President of Aces & Eights and was the TNA champion. Lots of stuff being thrown at the cage. Looks like Atlas Security has their work cut out for them.
Well, there's the big angle TNA was building to all this time. I liked the turn. The match was OK but the turn was fun. If they go full blown ECW Bubba Ray Dudley with this (minus all the XXX mic work) they can really turn him into a big-time heel. Looking at their roster, there isn't anyone else who has the ability to cut promos and try and get people so pissed they want to pay to see him get his ass kicked, so it was the best choice in that regard.
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