The show opens with Mike Tenay inside the steel cage, talking about Samoa Joe promising to quit wrestling if he can’t beat Kurt Angle tonight. That was followed by a great video montage of scenes from events leading up to the PPV, while an announcer talks about the dangers of the steel cage, as all matches tonight are in a steel cage.
Announcers Mike Tenay and Don West are at ringside to welcome fans.
X Division Championship Xscape Match
“Black Machismo” Jay Lethal (C)
vs.
Curry Man
vs.
Sonjay Dutt
vs.
Johnny Devine
vs.
Shark Boy
vs.
Consequences Creed
Pins/submissions until two participants remain, then one man must escape the cage. Winner claims the X Division Championship.
Johnny Devine brings out his old Paparazzi camera and sets it up at ringside. SoCal Val is also at ringside. Dutt and Devine start it off with a Dutt Hurricanarana on Devine. Dutt goes to hit Devine but misses and hits Curry Man instead, so he comes in. Jay Lethal comes in and helps Sonjay with some double team action, mainly on Devine, so Curry Man and Shark Boy team up. The wild action is too quick to call it all. As the only heel in the match, Johnny Devine is everyone’s target, but Devine gets the first pin by rolling up Sonjay Dutt. Dutt is gone, but stays at ringside.
Creed eliminates Shark Boy with the Creed DT. Curry Man goes up to the top of the cage, but Devine shakes it and knocks Curry Man off balance so he’s doubled over on the top of the cage. Lethal goes up after Devine, but Devine knocks him off, then goes for a shooting star press, but Lethal rolls out of the way. Curry Man recovers and moonsaults off the top of the cage onto Devine and Creed. After a hip attack on Devine, he takes out Creed with the Spice Rack, and Creed is eliminated.
Curry Man hots the Spice Rack on Lethal as well, but Devine breaks it up and eliminates Curry Man with the Devine Intervention, and now it’s Xscape time. Devine plants Lethal into the cage wall face first. He takes the tape off his wrists and tapes Lethal to the ropes, but Sonjay Dutt blocks the cage door so Devine can’t walk out. Devine goes to climb up the cage and escape. Then Dutt runs over and gives Lethal a knife so Jay can cut the tape and run out the door that SoCal Val is holding open for him to win the match to retain his title. Lethal, Dutt and SoCal Val celebrate on the ramp.
Jeremy Borash interviews UFC fighter Frank Trigg, who talks about match psychology for Angle and Joe. He predicts a win for Kurt Angle. As if.
Queen of the Cage Match
Roxxi LaVeaux
vs.
Salinas
vs.
Christy Hemme
vs.
Jacqueline
vs.
Traci Brooks
vs.
Rhaka Khan
vs.
Velvet Skye
vs.
Angelina Love
Eight TNA Knockouts will start the bout battling on the outside of the cage, trying to get inside the steel structure. The first two Knockouts that are successful will then have a one-on-one match.
The women brawl all around on the ring floor, except for Angelina Love, who immediately starts climbing the cage, and ends up the first one inside. Velvet Skye starts climbing too, but Roxxi LaVeaux follows and knocks her down, then gets into the cage herself, so it’s Roxxi LaVeaux (Nikki Roxx) vs. Angelina Love (Angel Williams).
They start off with forearms and elbows, then Roxxi back bumps Love in the corner and follows up with a running big boot, but only gets two. The crowd is solidly behind Roxxi, chanting for her loudly. Love comes back with a jaw breaker, a knee, and a clothesline, then bashes Roxxi’s head repeatedly on the canvas. Angelina chokes Roxxi on the ropes until the ref forces a break. LaVeaux lifts Love to her shoulder, but Love escapes and hits Roxxi with the Lights Out. Roxxi kicks out at two, and the crowd chants for her more.
Love tries a rollup, but Roxxi uses her leg strength to send Angelina flying into the cage wall. Roxxi LaVeaux wins with the Voodoo Drop to become the first ever TNA Queen of the Cage. She now gets a title shot against Awesome Kong. This match worked very well because they didn’t waste much time on the brawl getting into the ring. It was great seeing two deserving Knockouts get some long overdue attention.
New announce team member Lauren interviews Samoa Joe, who says he’s given his life to wrestling, and tonight he will win the title.
Former Partners Collide
BG James
vs.
Kip James
Kip immediately attacks BG, putting the boots to him after knocking him down to the mat with a sucker punch. BG comes back with a series of quick jabs to the face, but then Kip hits him with a stunner. After smashing BG’s head into the cage and hitting him with a knee and an elbow, Kip cinches in a chin lock on BG, but the crowd urges BG on and he makes a comeback. Kip soon has the advantage back though, and he hits BG with the Famouser, but only gets two.
Kip tries coming off the second rope, but BG gets out of the way and hits Kip with a low blow to get the advantage. They trade punches, then BG hits Kip with several quick jabs and slams him into the cage walls several times. An knee drop gets a two count for BG. Kip goes for a corner splash and misses when BG dodges. BG rolls up Kip for the win. BG offers a handshake to Kip, who pretends to accept the offer of friendship, but then Pearl Harbors BG and walks away.
Jeremy Borash interviews Kurt Angle, who says he is going to eliminate Samoa Joe from TNA tonight, because it’s personal.
Cuffed in the Cage
Latin American Xchange, Homicide & Hernandez
vs.
Motor City Machineguns, Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley
vs.
Rock n’ Rave Infection, Lance Hoyt & Jimmy Rave
vs.
Scott Steiner & Petey Williams
vs.
Eric Young & Frankie Kazarian
vs.
Black Reign & Rellik
The last man not handcuffed wins the match.
They go to backstage, where Rellik and Black Reign are attacking Eric Young, who is injured. Security tells Kaz he has to go to the ring alone.
Scott Steiner starts out dominating this free for all, but then everyone else gangs up on him and they cuff him first. Eric Young comes out now and tries to enter by climbing up the cage, but Black Reign and Rellik intimidate him and he leaves. Shelley is cuffed by Petey Williams. Kaz hits the Wave of the Future on Sabin, face first into the cage, and cuffs him next. Black Reign cuffs Petey Williams next. Hernandez sends Rave into the cage wall with a crackerjack. Rellik handcuffs Homicide. Black Reign cuffs Hernandez next. Kaz hits the Flux Capacitor off the cage on Rave. Choke slam off the top turnbuckle by Hoyt on Kaz, and Kaz is cuffed by Rellik and Black Reign.
Super Eric enters by climbing up the outside of the cage and doing a flying cross body block off the top onto everyone. Eric cuffs Rave, then Hoyt. Rellik tries to cuff Super Eric, but he cuffs Rellik instead, then hits Black Reign with the Super Eric Driver and cuffs him. Super Eric and Kaz are the winners. Super Eric breaks Kaz’s cuffs, and they celebrate. This was a much better match than it seemed it would be when it was announced, and the crowd enjoyed the finish.
They cut to Crystal, who is interviewing Samoa Joe’s father and brothers, who say they will be proud of Joe, win or lose.
TNA Knockouts Tag Team Match
Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed
vs.
Gail Kim & ODB
Raisha Saeed removes the burkha, but she still has a mask and headdress underneath that she wears for the match. It would have been better if she just wore a full mask that covered her neck, or perhaps a shorter headdress, because the veil kept flipping forward, shifting, and otherwise getting in her way. Kong and ODB start off, but ODB doesn’t get very far with Kong, so she tags in Gail.
Gail indicates she wants Raisha (Cheerleader Melissa), so Kong tags her in. Saeed gets a half Nelson hot on Gail, and Gail reverses to a waist lock on Saeed. Saeed takes Gail down with an arm drag and goes right to work on Kim’s shoulder and wrist by viciously wrenching her arm and slamming it to the mat several times. Gail gets up, but Raisha keeps her hold on the arm and wrenches it again, then goes to an arm bar, but Gail reverses into an arm bar of her own. Gail takes her down with an arm drag, but Saeed returns the favor with a double leg takedown.
Raisha tries to lock in a submission hold, but Gail kicks her off and gets a forearm in reply. After another forearm, Saeed shows her strength by scooping up Gail and taking several steps with her before slamming her to the mat. She follows with an elbow drop and gets two. A beautiful bridging suplex by Saeed on Kim gets two. Gail comes back with a drop kick followed by a flying head scissors takedown on Saeed. Gail rolls her up for two. Saeed whips Gail across the ring, and Gail leaps up onto the second rope, but Kong catches her and slams her head into the cage wall.
Saeed whips Gail into a corner, splashes her, then puts her foot across Gail’s neck and slams her head repeatedly into the cage. Saeed tags in Kong who karate chops Kim, whips her into a corner and hits her with an avalanche. Then she tags Raisha back in, but the pin attempt gets two. Gail escapes and spears ODB, who delivers a bunch of clotheslines to Saeed and Kong. Fall away slam gets a pin attempt, but Kong breaks it up. Gail runs in and goes after Kong, and then both ODB and Kim attack Kong with chops. Saeed comes back and goes after Gail. Kim and Saeed go to the top and struggle there, with Gail trying for a hurricanarana, and Saeed trying for a power bomb. Finally, Gail wins and sends Saeed flying to the mat, but Kong decks Gail with a clothesline.
Kong and Saeed both attack ODB, but then ODB ducks and Kong hits her own partner with the spinning back fist by mistake. Gail hits Kong with a Missile drop kick off the top rope. ODB splashes Saeed off the top rope for the win, then she and Kim quickly bail out of the ring and run up the ramp. This was a fantastic match, and in my opinion the best one on the card.
They cut to Jeremy Borash, who is talking to Karen Angle, who says she’s there to support the father of her children.
Mixed Tag Team Match
Booker T & Sharmell
vs.
Robert Roode & Payton Banks
Sharmell keeps trying to get into the ring even though Booker and Roode are starting out, so Booker is distracted and Roode gets the jump on him. Booker soon comes back and they unload chops and punches on each other. Booker lands a spin kick on Roode’s jaw. Roode hits Booker with a drop kick, then goes to choking him out on the ropes. Roode keeps telling Sharmell to tag in and taunting her. He makes a couple of quick pin attempts but Booker kicks out, so Roode goes for the chin lock.
A knee drop gets a two count for Roode. Then her goes for a chin lock, but Booker powers up to his feet and escapes. Roode hits Booker with a kick, and Booker returns the favor with a spin kick. An emphatic spine buster by Roode gets two. They brawl on, and Booker hits Roode with a suplex. Roode charges Booker in the corner, but Booker floats over and rolls Roode up for two. Spine buster on Roode, and then Spinneroonie! But Roode dodges the axe kick and blocks the bookends. He kicks Booker, misses a suplex attempt, and slams Booker head first into the cage, stunning him. With Booker dazed, Roode taunts Sharmell.
Sharmell tags in and attacks Roode with a flurry of slaps, but then Roode grabs her by the hair. Payton Banks screams for him to hold Sharmell so she can hit her, and Roode does. Banks turns away to scream insults at Booker, and Sharmell escapes. Banks turns around and slaps Roode. In the confusion, Sharmell rolls up Banks for the pin.
Roode berates Banks and threatens to punch her, but then walks away.
They cut to Lauren interviewing UFC fighter “The Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis, who talks about helping Joe train for his match tonight.
Lethal Lockdown Weapons Match
Team Cage
Christian Cage, Sting, Kevin Nash, “The War Machine” Rhino, & Matt Morgan
vs.
Team Tomko
Tomko, AJ Styles, “The Cowboy” James Storm, & Team 3D
The wrestlers enter one at a time, every 5 minutes, until all 10 are inside the cage. Then the cage roof, which has weapons hung all over it, is lowered onto the cage. Pinfalls and submissions don’t count until everyone is in.
Christian enters the cage, and Tomko walks down the ramp, but AJ Styles climbs into the cage behind Christian and attacks him. AJ makes the best of his surprise advantage, but Christian eventually comes back when AJ misses a flying forearm and hits the ring post. The fans chant “Instant Classic” and “Let’s go Christian,” to encourage Christian. Christian tries a frog splash, but AJ rolls away. Christian blocks the Styles Clash and hits AJ with a reverse DDT. AJ tries a flying head scissors but gets caught and sit out power bombed. Christian tries for the Unprettier, but AJ escapes and hits him with the Pelé.
Brother Ray enters next. As he enters, AJ throws Christian into the cage door and Ray slams it into him. Christian gamely fights back against the two until Rhino comes out to even up the odds. Rhino hits Ray with a belly to belly suplex immediately, but when he goes to gore Ray, AJ drop kicks him in the head. Rhino brawls with Ray. Christian recovers and chokes out AJ with a boot to his throat.
James Storm enters next and nails Christian with the Eye of the Storm. Rhino throws AJ into the cage, but AJ grabs hold and climbs up, so Rhino climbs up after him. AJ kicks Rhino off and goes up to the top, and Christian quickly follows, but Ray knocks him to the outside as Kevin Nash enters and cleans house. Snake Eyes on AJ into the cage wall. Christian climbs up the outside of the cage and takes out Storm and Ray with a cross body off the top.
Everyone brawls until Devon enters, and he and Ray launch CHristian into the cage wall. The brawl continues as Ray and James Storm attack Nash’s knees. Matt Morgan enters next and cleans house, dominating Team Tomko. AJ escapes a choke slam from Morgan and tries for a flying head scissors, but gets swatted off and slammed by Morgan.
Tomko enters next and goes straight for Christian, and the two roll around the matt slugging it out. By now, Devon’s forehead has been busted open on the cage, and he wears the proverbial crimson mask. Sting is the final man to enter, and he takes out Styles and Storm with low blows. The cage top is lowered into place, with steel chairs, trash cans, kendo sticks, bats, tables, ladders, and more attached. Everyone grabs weapons and the brawl really goes wild. James Storm goes to the roof of the cage, and Christian follows him. Storm tries to suplex Christian, but Christian fights back and Storm nearly goes through the roof of the cage. One of Storm’s legs gets caught, so Christian slams him in the head repeatedly with a trash can lid.
Sting gets a Scorpion Deathlock on Tomko, but AJ breaks it up with a kendo stick. Christian sets up a table on top of the cage, so AJ runs up to the top. He and Storm put Christian on the table and then set up a ladder on top of the cage. Christian gets up and follows AJ up the ladder, which wobbles and looks like it’s going to fall off the top of the cage to the floor. James Storm stops it and pushes it over so that AJ and Christian go through the table on top of the cage. As the crowd chants, “That was awesome!” Storm climbs back down into the cage. Jackie hands Storm a beer bottle, which he breaks over Matt Morgan’s head. Rhino gores James Storm out of his boots and pins him to get the win.
Before the final match, they show video clips of different wrestlers and UFC fights making their predictions for the match.
TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Kurt Angle (C)
vs.
Samoa Joe
Joe says if he can’t beat Kurt Angle tonight, he will quit wrestling forever. UFC fighter Frank Trigg joins Tenay and West for commentary.
Guards from Atlas Security escort both men to the ring. Joe’s family comes out and does the Samoan fire dance as he enters, and Marcus Davis is in the ring with Joe as well. Angle is barefoot and wearing UFC style trunks instead of his usual wrestling singlet, but Joe is dressed as usual. Borash announces Marcus Davis is there to present the belt to the winner. Angle insists that Security removes Karen Angle from ringside, and they have to force her to go.
Angle starts off with punches and kicks, going for the UFC style, but Joe sticks mostly to wrestling. Joe goes for the ankle lock early on, but Kurt gets right to the ropes. Feeling each other out, they go through several takedowns that end quickly, going nowhere.
Joe stomps on Kurt’s bare feet, gets him off balance, and hip tosses him to the mat. Kurt suplexes Joe onto his back and pursues the advantage by locking in a choke hold, but Joe gets his foot into the ropes for a break. Frank Trigg says that Angle is used to this kind of fast pace, but he doesn’t know if Joe is in good enough shape to maintain this. Angle gets a belly to belly suplex on Joe, but Joe gets the rope break.
Kurt locks in a arm bar on Joe, but Joe reverses it into a pinning position. Angle escapes in the ropes. Angle gets the figure four leglock on Joe. Joe tries and tries to roll over, but Angle keeps stopping him. Trigg talks about how much damage this is doing to Joe’s legs. Finally, Joe rolls it over, and Kurt gets to the ropes for the break. Angle goes right back to work on Joe’s legs, then gets him in a head lock. Joe escapes and knocks Angle down with a clothesline. Joe hits Angle with a knee lift and then kick. Angle keeps working Joe’s leg.
Joe slams Angle and gets a two count. A power bomb gets another two. Joe locks in a Boston crab, but Angle escapes. Joe goes for the cross face, but Angle grabs Joe’s ankle for a reversal and the ankle lock. Joe counters back into the cross face, but Angle escapes. Joe goes for another cross face, but Angle reverses into the Olympic Slam and gets two. Angle goes back to the ankle lock. Joe finally reverses into the rear naked choke, but Angle gets to the ropes. Muscle buster, and No-selling Joe gets the pin.
Marcus Davis presents Joe with the belt.
This was another very good PPV from TNA, and it ran just a few minutes short of three hours. It’s well worth buying the replay.
TNA’s next PPV is Sacrifice on May 11 — location to be announced soon.
— Karen Belcher
Courtesy of ProWrestlingDigest.com