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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of the 2012 TNA Lockdown PPV in Nashville, TN.
TNA is doing a live countdown show hosted by Jeremy Borash and Christy Hemme. If they do anything of note, we'll cover it here.
There are problems with the Screenvision simulcast of the PPV in Salt Lake City. John Shepard sent the following....I don't know if this is going to be common in any other movie theaters anywhere else, but I was just told at the theater in Salt Lake that was showing Lockdown that there is a problem with the feed they were getting. Because of this, they scrapped the showing and were giving refunds at the door. I hope for TNA's sake it was just here and not national.
If anyone attends any of the screenings elsewhere, let us know.
Christy Hemme interviewed TNA TV champion Devon backstage. He noted that at Victory Road, Robbie E claimed he wasn't competition but now Devon has the title. He promised to win tonight.
Inside the cage, Jeremy Borash. Socal Val and JJ The Direct Auto Guy talked about the dangers of the Steel Cage. JJ predicted James Storm was going to take down Bobby Roode for the TNA title.
Borash sent it to Mike Tenay and Taz. They discussed the TNA title bout.
TNA Knockouts Tag Team champions ODB and Eric Young came to the ring, celebrating their recent nuptials. Young tried to lock up with the Direct Auto Guy. Young said they were there on the way for their honeymoon and that ODB has told him they are going to do things he hasn't even heard of. ODB said that before they get to the honeymoon, they are going to have a match against the two broads who tried to ruin the most important night of her life.
So, add ODB & Eric Young vs. Rosita & Sarita to the show.
Jeremy Borash interviewed TNA President Dixie Carter, who psyched up the company's hometown crowd. Carter said that TNA was here because of everyone who helped them get to this point. She thanked everyone and said that it was going to be a great PPV. She said that she hoped James Storm would be the victor in the main event.
Jeremy Borash interviewed Kurt Angle backstage. Angle said that he beat Jeff Hardy fair and square last month. He said that he owns the cage and tonight he will own Hardy. Angle called his own son an idiot for idolizing Hardy and said he was going to end this once and for all.
Lockdown opened with a video where James Storm welcomed Bobby Roode to "Nashville, my town" and drove off in a truck.
Usual awesome opening video.
Backstage, Garett Bischoff asked his team to let him start the Lethal Lockdown match. He said that he knows he's a rookie and going to get his ass kicks but wants to prove himself to them and that he's got the same heart that they have. As a way to get him over, it's a good idea. The team all agreed to let him do it,
LETHAL LOCKDOWN: Garett Bischoff & AJ Styles & Rob Van Dam & Mr. Anderson & TNA X-Division champ Austin Aries vs. Eric Bischoff & Gunner & Bully Ray & Kazarian & Christopher Daniels.
Garett and Gunner are starting off. They are shooting the walk through the hallway backstage and through the entrance tunnel, which looks to be UFC inspired. They don't seem to have a major league production stage for the show, so it's a smart way to shoot around that.
Garett tried to come out strong but was shoved down by Gunner. Garett nailed a pair of dropkicks but was grabbed by the throat and tossed into the corner. Garett avoided a charge and hit a nice missle dropkick. Gunner overwhelmed him and worked over Garett with a series of punches on the mat, throwing him face-first into the buckles and drilling him with an elbow. Gunner beat down Bischoff as the clock had a minute left. They announced Eric Bischoff's team won the cointoss, as a way to build the drama. Gunner choked Garett, using a boot to strangle him against the ropes.
Out second for Team Eric was Bully Ray. Ray entered, measured and drilled Garett with a running kick. Gunner stepped on Garett's head, trying to wear him down. Garett tried to mount a comeback but was nailed from behind by Gunner. Garrett fired back with a series of rights but Bully laid him out. The fans chanted for Austin Aries as the countdown made it ways to the end.
Out second for Team Garett was indeed Aries. Aries went to work on Bully with a series of rights in the corner on Ray. Ray kicked him in the face when Aries went for a running charge. He measured and drilled Aries with a right. The Nashville crowd was really behind Aries, chanting for him. Aries reversed a whip and shoulderblocked Ray in the corner. Aries nailed a missile dropkick as the countdown ended.
Out third for Team Eric was Kazarian, now sporting a short crew cut. I didn't even recognize him when he was running to the ring, it's such a drastic change. Team Eric worked over Garett and Aries.
Our third for Team Garett was AJ Styles. Kazarian tried to meet him but was hit with the steel cage door. Styles worked over Kazarian as the crowd chanted for Styles, but Bully Ray wiped him out. Styles came back with a dropkick on Ray. That led to Team Garett starting to mount a comeback as everyone battled back and forth.
Out fourth for Team Eric was Christopher Daniels, They allowed the numbers game to come back into play. Aries and Garett were thrown hard into the cage. Ray nailed Garett with a top rope axehandle.
Our fourth for Team Garett was Mr. Anderson. Anderson worked over Daniels with a series of elbowdrops. Kazarian and Daniels came back to backdrop Styles. Team Eric had the clear advantage as the countdown ended, revealing Eric Bischoff as the fifth and final member.
Eric held his own son to allow Ray to chop Garett right over his Bischoff tattoo. He contiued holding his son for the other team members to take their shots on Garett. The crowd started chanting for RVD as the countdown for the final member of Team Garett came to the end.
RVD hit the ring, completing Team Garett, killing everyone with kicks and clotheslines. He nailed a leaping monkey flip on Kazarian. Eric Bischoff hid behind Bully Ray. RVD laid him out with Rolling Thunder. Eric hid in the corner by a ringpost. The weapons and the roof on the cage began to lower.
AJ Styles used a hockey stick on Ray. Anderson nailed Ray with a trash can. RVD nailed Danmiels with one. It turned into a frenzied scene of weapons shots on Team Eric. Daniels was caned by Styles. Aries nailed Ray with a trash can lid, then stomped and kicked away at him. Garett was down selling the beating he took while Eric hid behind Gunner. They showed close-ups of welts on Garett's back.
Aries and Styles dragged Eric into the ring and laid him out. RVD went for the Five Star Frog Splash but Gunner took him out. Aries nailed Gunner then hit a discus elbow on Ray. Ray ran him into the cage like a lawn dart. Ray tried to come off the ropes but was caught with Anderson's rolling Samoa Drop. Styles went to the top but was drilled by Kazarian. They battled on the top rope. Kazarian used the cage to climb across. Styles followed and kicked Kazarian off the cage into the ring, then let go and dropped an elbow.
RVD nailed a Five Star Frog Splash on Kazarian but was nailed by Ray. Ray grabbed a chair but was nailed with the Van Daminator. Daniels attacked and hit Angel's Wings on RVD. Garett nailed Daniels with an STO and covered him but Eric began caning the hell out of him. Everyone else was out while Bischoff beat the piss out of his son. Eric mocked his son and the fans, only to turn into a Garett guitar shot.
Garett pinned Bischoff, which means that Eric has to leave TNA and can no longer use the Bischoff name.
Your winners, Team Garett!
Match was pretty middle of the road. It lacked any real drama or back and forth feeling that Garett's team was in dire straits. Garett took a pretty harsh beating in an attempt to get him over and that aspect was scripted perfectly. The problem is that, at least on the PPV broadcast, it was like watching the story unfold behind a window as there was no feeling that the audience was hanging on to what might happen. There was no insane killer spot this year for the match either, which also took away from the finish. It was left to Eric Bischoff, a non-wrestler and Garett Bischoff, who has a long way to go to handle the climax and what that climax ended up being was the old Jeff Jarrett El Kabong spot after the Tommy Dreamer Caning spots. The crowd got into the weapons shots but before then it was pretty much guys going back and forth with no real feeling of the drama rising anfd falling. Aries and RVD got great reactions, which is good news as TNA really needs some fresh faces in the mix.
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