Samoa Joe debuted for TNA in 2005 he would embark on a seventeen month unbeaten streak. In 2006 Kurt Angle debuted for TNA and became the man to finally beat Joe. Thus kicking off one of TNA's best feuds. Fast foreword to 2008 and TNA is ready to put the belt on Joe. They decided to it at the one of biggest events Lockdown. Now in 2014 with Joe once again challenging for the world title at Lockdown makes sense to look back at Lockdown 2008. An interesting thing about this match was several "news" sites reported with would be the start of TNA going for more an MMA based style of wrestling. Now I like MMA and while some things do cross over (mainly fans no matter how much some idiots claim they don't) Pro Wrestling is Pro Wrestling and MMA is MMA. Now Kurt Angle did come out in MMA trunks and shoeless so I think it was more of the sites hearing Kurt's plans for an MMA style match and running with. Also Joe did some stuff with MMA fighter Marcus Davis but Joe has trained MMA in the past. Of course if you have seen TNA post 2008 you know it's not MMA based.
We open with Mike Tenay in the empty arena inside the cage. Mike talks about how tonight there is more on the line than just a title if Samoa Joe can't win he must leave wrestling behind. Tenay is great here he's very serious and has a perfect delivery and I like chaining it up from the normal music video style open. This actually makes the big stipulation seem more important because it just Tenay laying out the facts for us. Than we go to the usual PPV opening. We have the "Steel Cage" flaming it's has no soul and it will hurt the men that step into it. Kind of a gimmick but it works here. We get various clips of the action leading up the PPV and past six sides of steel matches in TNA. Our final line is someone saying "May God have mercy on there souls." Another pretty effective open to get over how dangerous this PPV will be. We our out of Lowell Massachusetts for this PPV and I always love when TNA is out on the road. Don West in in the crowd he asks who will win Joe or Angle. West tosses to JB who is up in stands both men ask fans who will win. This feels more like something for a PPV pre show not a pay portion of the show. Mike Tenay takes over and talks about nothing is bigger than putting your career on the line.
Xscape Match For the X-Division Championship Black Machismo Jay Lethal © vs Curry Man vs Sonjay Dutt vs Johnny Devine vs Consequences Creed vs Shark Boy- The rules of this match were if you are pinned or submit you are out when it's down to the final two men first one to escape wins. Tenay points out the Lethal and Sonjay are best friends as TNA was doing a long term build for an eventual feud would also include So Cal Val who at time was in a romance with Lethal. Curry Man was Christopher Daniels in a mask this was TNA's way of keeping him on the roster even though they run out of things for The Fallen Angel to do he started the gimmick in Japan and brought it to the US. Devine had been the trader to the X-Division and joined up with Team 3D when they tried to destroy it and and Creed is the future Xavier Woods he had just debuted for TNA. Shark Boy was doing his Stone Cold Shark Boy gimmick. People can claim Black Machismo was stupid but it did wonder for Lethal in terms of brining out his personality and helping him connect with the fans. Not to mention his promos were ten times better in this gimmick than as just Jay Lethal. Dutt and Devine start us off. Step up rana and arm drag by Dutt. Devein tries to tag out but everyone just punches him instead. Finally Devine is able to tag in Curry Man. Lethal and Dutt take everyone out with a number of moves like a assisted standing moonsault. Attempt at the tower of doom but Devine holds on so Shark Boy and Curry Man just wind up power bombing Lethal and Dutt. Creed arm drags Devine off the tope rope. Chummer by Shark Boy on Lethal but Dutt makes the save. Devine rolls up Dutt to eliminate him. Missile dropkick by Shark Boy hit Devine. Twisting fishermen's buster by Creed on Sharky. Curry Man sits Creed in the corner and hits a flying hip attack. Spice Drop attempt by Curry man but Creed shoves Shark Boy into him saving Devine. Hammer Lock DDT by Creed on Shark Boy eliminates the man from the sea. Tenay tells us Dutt is still at ringside cheering on Lethal. Curry Man climbs to the top of the cage. Devine shakes the cage and Curry slips. Curry hangs. Lethal and Devine fight Devine goes for a Shooting Star Press but Lethal moves. Double team back body drop by Devine and Creed on Lethal. Devine attacks Creed. Curry Man recovers and summer fault dive takes out Creed and Devine. Sadly West calls it a moonsault. Spice Rack on Creed and he is gone. Curry and Lethal with the Hart Attack but Devine kicks at two. Spice Rack on Lethal but Devine cuts Curry Man off so he can hit the Devine Intervention. Now normally I bitch about making a save in a eliminate standpoint. But here it makes since Curry is gone and Lethal is still down. Putting Devein in control in the escape portion. Devein tries to go through the door but Lethal hooks his leg. Lethal tossed into the cage wall. Devine takes the tape off his writs to tie Lethal to the ropes. Sonjay won't let the door be opened so Devine has to climb up the cage to get out. Dutt gets an electrons knife and hands it Lethal who cuts himself free and dives out the door before Devine can get down. Decent spot fest opening and we sold the ongoing story with Lethal and Dutt. Plus I can buy a elections knife being under the ring more easily than the other stuff we usually find.
Post match Lethal, Val, an Dutt celebrate. JB is with MMA fighter Frank Trigg. Trigg is a buddy of Kurt Angle's and was appearing as an analyst for TNA at this time for big matches. He was actually pretty decent at it and given the fact Trigg is pretty unlikeable he good a good heel. Trigg threatens JB for brining up Matt Hughes and GSP. JB asks what is going though the heads of Kurt and Joe. Trigg talks about how Kurt has been here before in tough matches while Joe hasn't and reminds us Joe has failed three times. Trigg says he sees Joe hanging for a little while but Kurt will win. JB asks Joe's recent training with another MMA fighter Marcus Davis. Trigg says it won't be enough. Pretty good segment setting up the main event and Trigg's role as a Kurt's buddy.
Queen of the Cage Christy Hemme vs Salinas vs Jackie Moore vs Traci Brooks vs Angelina Love vs Velvet Sky vs Rhaka Khan vs Roxxi Laveaux- Hemme was in the Rock and Rave infection at this time. Salins worked for WWE as Ariel and has molded as Shelly Martinez she was LAX's valet this time. Jackie Moore was the valet of James Storm, West and Tenay put over Jackie's success in the past. Brooks had spent most of the last year plus managing Robert Roode but turned face at this point. Love and Sky were in the early days of the Beautiful People gimmick and had just given a "makeover" to Roxxi. Khan was Lady Tapi with less talent she sucked but TNA kept her around way to long hoping here look would pay off some day and she would learn how to wrestle at this stage with with Scott Steiner and Petey Williams. Roxxi was still doing her voodoo gimmick she had just gotten free from the whole VKM mess. The rules were the first two girls to climb over the top into the cage would than wrestle the winner would become number 1 contender to the Knockouts title. This was your classic "Get everyone on the card match. I get what TNA wanted but the whole idea didn't work. The Beautiful People jump Roxxi at the start. Traci and Jackie fight it out. Angelina mangoes to climbs up and over first. Velvet and Traci both climb up. Roxxi stops Velvet. Jackie and Traci stop each other. Roxxi gets in second. they would have been better off just booking a Roxxi vs Angelina match for this PPV instead of the dumb gimmick match. Big elbow by Roxxi takes down Angelina. Running big boot gets two for Roxxi. Angelina gets a hold of Roxxi's scarf and uses it to choke her. Bicycle kick by Angelina gets two. Lights out by Angelina but Roxxi kicks out. The fans chant for Roxxi. Angelina taunts the fans. Rolls up by Angelina but Roxxi uses her legs to send her into the cage wall. Voodoo Drop by Roxxi for the win. Ok match once it was down to one on one but nothing to special still better than anything with a Bella Twin or Alicia Fox.
Backstage Lauren Thompson is with Samoa Joe. Joe says there is no need to repeat what he said five weeks ago. Joe tells us he hasn't though about losing and Kurt knows Joe can beat him. Joe talks about giving his life to the sport of pro wrestling. Joe says he will giving anything for the world title even his career and life. Great fired up promo by Joe talking about the biggest match of life. We than go to a video recapping the BJ and Kip James feud. Both guys try but I don't guy anything said here.
BG James vs Kip James- Kip had turned on BG when BG (who in storyline wanted to live a dream) had picked Bullet Bob to partner with for a tag title shot. Kip had hit Bob with a crutch at some point. Kip jumps BG right at the start. Stomp by Kip on BG who is down and than another stomp. Jabs by BG cut off when Kip hits a stunner. Ok I will give credit that was a smart spot it was BG doing one of his normal spots and Kip knowing what was coming cut him off. BG trapped in the ropes and cage wall and Kip rams his head into the cage. BG goes for a lariat but Kip catches him with a knee to the stomach. Tenay and West say Kip was the muscle of the team while BG was usually the brains. BG tossed into the cage wall face fist. Famouser by Kip but he's way to slow to follow up so BG kicks out. Kip to the second rope famouseror misses low blow by BG both men are down. Punch exchange when they are up. BG with a back elbow and than the jabs before tossing Kip into the cage a few times. Knee drop by BG gets two. BG crouches himself by mistake when he goes to hits a knee on Kip. Kip misses a splash roll up by BG for the win. Boring match these two guys were so washed up at this point it's sad. BG became a road agent a few months later while Kip was reduced to a comedy roll as Cute Kip after this. And in 2014 the WWE put the tag belts on two guys so old they make the What ever you wan to call them of this time look like Daniel Bryan and Punk.
Post match BG pulls Kip and extending the hand. Kip holds up BG's hand before cold clocking him. BG stands up BG and tells him to suck it. Yeah yeah who cares. JB is with Kurt Angle. JB talks about how Kurt has distanced himself form every and asks why this match is so important? Kurt talks about how he beat everyone the WWE put him against and than he watched TNA and saw Samoa Joe. He says Joe has an intensity he has only seen in the mirror. He says all four times they have wrestled they were pushed to the limits. Kurt says its personal in order to prove he is the best he needs to end Joe's career. Great promo by Angle. Now that I can buy. I really do think Joe and Angle did push each other to be the best.
Cuffed in the Cage Rock and Rave Infection Jimmy Rave & Lance Hoyt vs Eric Young & Kaz vs Rellik and Black Reign vs The Motor City Machine Guns Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs LAX Homicide & Hernandez vs Scott Steiner & Petey Williams- Rave says its great to be back in New York City to get heat. Backstage we see Black Reign and Rellik beating up Eric Young. Kaz runs in and save his partner security pulls everyone apart. Eric Young is "badly hurt" and Kaz is forced to out alone. Rellik was the former Johnny the Bull and Black Reign was Dustin Rhodes in a crazy man gimmick. Rellik was kind of cool Black Reign like anything Dustin has done post 1997 has sucked at this point they were feuding with Kaz and Eric Young taking advantage of EY's fear. LAX had a feud with Rock and Rave going on. This was another get as many guys as we can on the card and the rules were you had to handcuff the other wrestlers using handcuffs that were on the cage. Kaz doesn't get in into the end and still no Eric Young. Everyone brawls belly to belly suplex series by Steiner. Hernandez catapults Steiner and than the drive by by Homicide. Hoyt, Rellik, and Black Reign gang up and handcuff Steiner first. Eric Young makes his way out but he sees Rellik and Black Reign who taunt him as EY tries to climb up. Eric leaves. Rellik and Black Reign double team up on Kaz. Sliced bread attempts by Shelley but Williams shoves him off and into the cage Shelley gets cuffed. Wave of the future by Kaz on Sabin who gets cuffed. Rellik and Black Reign with double team spiked DDT on Williams and they cuff him. Dooms day Gringo cutter on Kaz by LAX. Rave gets cracker jacked into the cage. Big clothesline by Hoyt drops Hernandez. Low blowy by Black Reign on Hernandez and Super Mex is cuffed. Kaz with the Flux Capacitor on Rave. Homicide has been cuffed its downy o Kaz and four heels. Big booty by Hoyt. Leaping kick by Kaz stuns Hoyt. Flux Capacitor attempts by Kaz but Hoyt turns it into a choke slam from the top rope. Kaz gets cuffed. Down to Rock and Rave vs Reign and Rellik. The monster jump Rock and Rave. Suddenly music starts to play and Super Eric arrives. The idea was that when EY became Super Eric he no longer had the fears that held by Eric Young. I liked gimmick given it was funny and a nice way to start moving away from the Eric is a coward stuff. Cross body off the top by Super Eric. Rave is cuffed. Hoyt charges but Super Eric back body drops him into the cage and cuff him. Double team by the monsters. The monsters go to cuff Super Eric but some how Super Eric cuff Rellik. Death Valley Driver by Super Eric Reign is cuffed. Match is a mess.I get they wanted everyone on the PPV but they would have been better off just doing Young and Kaz vs the Monsters. Plus with some the guys hand cuffed to the cage it could hard for the wrestlers to move around.
Post match Super Eric breaks the handcuffs holding Kaz. Super Eric and Kaz celebrate the win. Backstage Lauren with Samoa Joe's family. At this time at a lot of TNA PPV's Joe would come out and do a War Dance with his family as part of his entrance so his family is dressed for that. Joe's father is asked about the possibility of Joe losing. Joe's dad says no way and this is all he has ever wanted since he was a little boy. Joe father win or lose he loves his son and than speaks in Samoan. I actually like this segment it was cool to see Joe's family there support him and Joe's dad did ok for a non wrestler.
Awesome Kong and Raisha Saeed vs Gail Kim and ODB- Kong worked as Kharma in the WWE for a few weeks Saeed you would know as Cheerleader Melissa she also used the name as Alissa Flash. The gimmick was Saeed was some woman from the middle east so she was alway in a veil who had met Kong years earlier and was her one friend. Kong has ended Gail's Knockouts title reign and ODB was the the girls that refused to back down to Kong. West and Tenay talk about how ODB had been rivals but came together out of the shared hate of Kong and Saeed. ODB with some big shots and ducks a Kong clothesline. Kong catches ODB on a slide and tosser her away tag to Gail and tag to Saeed. Saeed with an arm drag and than slam Gail's arm into the mat. Gail escapes and goes over the back into a arm drag. Takedown by Saeed into a submission hold. Power slam by Saeed followed by an elbow drop. Great looking fishermen's suplex by Saeed gets a two count. Up and over than a drop kick by Gail and flying head scissors by Gail. Gail spring to the middle rope but Kong slams Gail's face into the cage. Saeed sits Gail on the top rope.Said uses her boot to ram Gail's head into the cage over and over again. Tag to Kong. Gail tries to fire but a double chop puts her down. Running avalanche splash by Kong tag back to Saeed. Spear by Gail on Saeed. Tag to ODB. Running clotheslines by ODB who cheap shots Kong a few times. Fall away slam by ODB cover and Kong breaks it up. All four knockouts into fight. Gail climbs up the cage but Saeed blocks her and sets for a top rope power bomb. Huncanrana by Gail on Saeed as she stand on the top rope. Kong hits Saeed by mistake with a spinning backlist. Missile dropkick by Gail take out Kong. Top rope splash by ODB for the win. Very good match all four women worked just fine and never had a rough spot. Gail as usual shinned with some high risks moves in the cage.
Backstage JB with Karen Angle the wife of Kurt. In storyline the two had separated so Kurt could focus on this match (in real life they separated later that year.) JB says no one expected to see her. Karen she is there to support the father of her children and says Kurt has changed because of this match. She also says she is concurred if Kurt doesn't live his own expectations. Decent promo I just hope with Jarrett new company he doesn't make Karen featured act.
Booker T and Sharmell vs Robert Roode and Payton Banks- Booker had debuted at Genesis in November of 2007 and Roode wasn't happy to see another start taking time from him. During the events of a match at Final Resolution in January Roode had punched Sharmell and spent months mocking Booker and running from him. Banks is best known as Rain on the Indy Scene sadly she never got much of a chance win TNA. It seemed like TNA brought her into to do a few matches with Traci and than fill Traci's roll in this match. Also I don't' think she quite got the role as Payton Banks as it was different from her Rain gimmick and she never really got it figured out. Roode was just starting to come into his own at this point as a heel and showed why he was a future world champion. Mike and Don talk about how Booker has to feel like he needs to protect Sharmell and beat Roode. Roode an Booker start us off. The storyline was Jim Cornett had booked this match and Booker wasn't happy. As Booker checks on Sharmell at the start Roode drops him. Big chops by both men to start. Exchange of knees. Spin kick by Booker. Great looking by Roode. Roode moves towards Sharmell before going after Booker. Neckbreaker by Roode as he mocks Sharmell to tag in. You know I when I first put in this DVD to review it (since I hadn't watched the show in years) I was confused why put Sharmell and Banks in the cage but I get it. Because it put the element that Roode could get to her again in there and Roode plays this up great. Running back elbow than a knee drop by Roode. West puts over the fact that as much as we hate Roode you have to respect his talent. Kick by booker lands. Ax kick attempt but Roode hits a spine buster for two. Again Roode mocks Sharmell and even extends Booker's hand at her. West and Tenay say Booker had promised to never put Sharmell in harm's way again. Another kick by Booker and both men are down. Booker blocks punch and hits some chops and than flying forearm. Suplex by Booker gets two. Booker with a spine buster but not nearly as good looking as Roode's. Spin a Rooney time by Booker. Ax Kick misses again. Roode fights out of the book end. Booker blocks the pay off. Roode rams Booker into the cage. Sharmell tags in and windmills slaps on Roode. Roode grabs her hair. Banks tags herself in and tells Roode to hold Sharmell. Sharmell escapes and Banks slaps Roode. Roll up by Sharmell on Banks for the win. Ok match the Booker and Roode stuff was pretty good I do with there had been some blood given how intense the feud had been at times.
Post match Rode snaps at Banks and acts like he is about to hit her but walking off. Backstage Lauren is with UFC fighter Marcus Davis who was Joe's "trainer." Davis put over how good the camp had been with Joe and how they had gone over everything. Davis called Joe a complete fighter. Lauren asks what Joe needs to do to win? Davis says stick to the plan. Again decent promo. Davis was not the most popular UFC guy but they were playing to the Massachusetts audience.
Lethal Lockdown Team Cage Christian Cage, Sting, Rhino, Kevin Nash, and Matt Morgan vs Team Tomko Tomko, AJ Styles, Team 3D and James Storm- AJ and Tomko had turned on Cage to side with Angle. Rhino had an on going feud with Storm. Christian was out first for his team and Tomko made an entrance but AJ Styles comes out from the crowd and climbed over the cage to jump Christian. Nice twist opener. AJ with a spring board elbow at the start. Half camel clutch by AJ. Christian blocks the ram into the cage so AJ goes to the eyes. Phenomical dropkick by AJ. Christian blocks the inverted DDT but again AJ goes to the eyes and AJ hits it. AJ misses the corner splash big clothesline by Christian. Frog splash by Christian misses. Styles Clash blocked inverted DDT by Christian. Jaw breaker by AJ. AJ goes for a rana but Cage catches him and hits a sit out power bomb. AJ into the steel. Unprettier blocked than the Pelle. Brother Ray (in Yankees gear) out next for team Tomko. They slam the cage door on Christian's face. Back body drop by Ray. Boston crab by Ray AJ drops the knee on Christian's head. Rhino out for team Cage. Rhino with big shots and belly to belly on Ray. Rhino goes for the Gore on Ray but AJ catches him with a drop kick to the head. Christian takes out AJ and than he locks in a sleeper on Ray but Ray turn it into a modified cutter. James Storm is man number three for team Tomko. Eye of the storm on Christian. Rhino sends AJ into the cage but AJ lands like Spider Man. AJ and Rhino Fight on the tope rope. AJ climbs to the top and kicks Rhino down. Christian is up and he and AJ fight on top of the cage. Christian knocked off the top of the cage to the floor outside of it. Man three for Team Cage is Kevin Nash. Don and Mike point at Team cage is back a disadvantage with Christian on the outside. Nash caches AJ on a cross body and hits Snake Eyes. Cage climbs back in and hits a cross body taking out Storm and Ray. Everyone is down. Rhino is first back up. Ray targets Nash's legs. Brother Devon is the fourth man for Team Tomko. 3D whips Cage and than doubt team hot shots him into the cage wall. Double team shoulder block on Rhino. Nash goes after Devon but Ray clips the leg and than so does Storm. Running drop kick by Storm on Christian who is still wedge in the ropes Matt Morgan out of Team Cage. Big punches by Morgan. Big boot on AJ. Bicycle kick (carbon footprint) Nash throws AJ into the cage. Ray goes afar the legs of Morgan. Devon is bleeding. Double clothesline by Morgan takes out 3D. Morgan face plants AJ after AJ had escaped a choke slam.Tomko comes out holding a chair The referee won't let him take it. Big kick at Morgan by Tomko. Tomko and Christian exchange the mount and punches. AJ just pounding Nash like a mad man. Devon chokes Morgan on the ropes. Here comes Sting with his usual chops and kicks. Low blows for AJ and Storm.
Here comes the celling and the weapons let the lethal lockdown begin. Everyone has a weapon. AJ swing a bag an Nash but Nash uses a chair to block. Storm climbs up and onto the ceiling area Christian. Follow. Storm with a trash can lid to Christian. Sting dents a trashcan on Tomko's back and than AJ's head. Christian crotches Storm on a support bar and we see cage roof starting to give way. Rhino with Kendo stick shots until Devon starts to hit him with a trashcan. Repeated trashcan lid shots by Christian on Storm's head. Choke slam by Nash on Ray and Morgan chokeslasm Devon. Sting with a dropkick on a chair into Tomko's head. Scorpion death lock on Tomko but AJ breaks it up with a kendo stick. Christian starts to set up a table. AJ climbs up with Christian and Storm. Cage is on the table. AJ sets up a ladder and climbs. Christian gets up and nail Storm and aAJ as he's not looking. Storm knocks the ladder over AJ and Christian hit the table. Storm climbs back down into the cage. Storm has a beer and breaks the bottle on Morgan's head. GORE BY RHINO on Storm for the win. Anther very good lethal lockdown. Lets be honest these are meant to be spots fest and we got it. Plus AJ and Christian's spot was cool as hell.
We get a video recapping various moments in the Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe feud over the years. Its a very well down video and hits everything you would want it to. Its down time line style. We also get various people making there picks and footage of Joe training. We even get the editor of Real Fighter Magazine and this is a big name vs big name match. Its a really well done video and I always enjoy seeing guys training like guys getting ready for a real fight would. We see Karen Angle has taken a seat at ringside. Frank Trigg has joined Don and Mike. Mike points out that Angle has won three of the four previous matches with Joe. We see Joe backstage walking for the ring. Trigg says he looks nervous and says they will be drinking champaign at Joe's retirement party. Mike says Joe look focused. We than get another video highlighting Joe. TNA started doing this before the main event and I wish they would do it again because it just always helped make the main event seem like a bigger deal. Joe's brother comes out with the fire torches for the fire dance. Trigg says Joe has put to much pressures on himself. Joe embraces Marcus Davis. We see Angle backstage in green MMA shorts instead of the usual singlet and the TNA world title. Mike says Kurt would see it as a major notch on the belt if he retired Joe. Than we get the highlight video on Angle.
TNA World Heavyweight Championship Kurt Angle © vs Samoa Joe if Joe loses he retires- Before the match starts Kurt has Karen kicked out of her seat. Trigg defends it saying he doesn't let his wife be cage side when he is fighting either. Feeling out process to start. Kurt drives Joe into the ropes. Ref breaks after Joe reverses. Kurt with a low kick early on and than another one. Trigg wonders if Kurt can kept his up given he's not a striker. Tenay points out the kicks will lead to the ankle lock. Kurt catches a kick by Joe but rolls through and gets and gets the ankle lock but Kurt gets the ropes. Takedown by Kurt and the pounds on Joe who gets to the ropes. Joe blocks a takedown and kicks Kurt's head off . Joe tries to maul Kurt but Kurt wraps him up and scouts to the ropes. Big hip toss by Joe. goes for it again but Kurt turns into a suplex. Kurt goes for the triangle choke but Joe gets the ropes. Front face lock by Kurt after some punches. Joe hits the ropes going for a move but Kurt gets him with an over head belly to belly. Kurt goes for an arm bar but Joe locks his hands. Joe gets to this feet and gets a two count on Kurt. Joe again hits the ropes and this time Kurt clips the leg. Figure four by Angle. Joe tries to get out but can't. Joe starts to lay flat and gets counted. Trigg says after this even if Joe gets out his legs will be shot. Joe finally reverses the figure four Kurt grabs the ropes. Kurt begins working over the legs. Kurt with a knee bar. Joe chops Kurt so Angle floats over to a headlock. Joe is free. Belly to belly attempts by Angle but Joe claps the ears and nails a massive clothesline. Big running knee by Joe hits Kurt in the chin. Kurt escapes the muscle buster and locks in the ankle lock. Joe kicks free as Trigg puts over what amazing athletes both men are. ST JOE gets two. Powerbomb into the boston crab than the lion's hammer. Trigg admits he's getting nervous for his friend. STF by Joe. Joe turns it into a cross face and covers Kurt's eyes so he can't see the ropes. Kurt grabs the ankle and revers into the ankle lock. Joe reverses back into the cross face. Kurt puts his hand up like he is about to top tap finally Kurt is able to get free. Kurt charges but Kurt side steps into another cross face. They roll and Kurt hits the Olympic Slam and gets a two count. Back to the ankle lock by Kurt Angle. Kurt tries to kick Kurt off but Kurt won't let go. Joe acts like he is about to tap. Joe flips to this stomach and acts like is about to kick off but instead trips Angle and locks in the rear naked choke. Kurt grabs onto the ref and pulls himself to the ropes. Joe is upset and yells at the referee. Angles slam blocked by Joe and he tosses Kurt into the cage and follow it up with a super kick. MUCLE BUSTER for the 1 2 3. Very good match actually better than I remember it being. The MMA stuff actually added as it came off like Kurt was trying something new vs a man he had faced so many times in the past. The mat work and striking was very well down. Trigg, West, and Tenay all did well in there rolls Trigg cheering for Kurt but being impressed by Joe. West as the color man cheering for the face and Tenay doing play by play. The story was well told and you felt the passion both men have for wrestling.
Post match Marcus Davis presents the TNA world title to Joe. Trigg admits he was wrong and Joe deserves it. Joe clutches the title and beings to cry. Joe than hugs Davis as Kurt stays down. We get the usual post match highlights of the big moments. We close with the new TNA world champion holding the belt high as Tenay tells April 13th will always be the night Samoa Joe became TNA world champion
Bonus match TNA World Heavyweight Championship Samoa Joe © vs Kurt Angle- This took place on the April 24th Impact. This was more of a straight up pro wrestling match and Kurt was back to his normal look. Kurt had again kicked Karen out of the arena. In a nice touch David Penzer announces Joe as the NEW TNA world heavyweight champion. Tenay talks about what a set back it would be for Joe to lose it right back to Joe. West tells us that Kurt demanded this rematch to try and ruin Joe's moment. Joe drives Kurt into the ropes and has to break. Headlock by Angle. Joe shoves him off and than takes Kurt down with a shoulder tackle. Kurt bails to the outside. Headlock by Joe Kurt shoves him off and again Joe lands the shoulder tackle Kurt bails out clearly frustrated. Headlock by Joe Kurt shoves him off this time Kurt drops down and than goes for a hip toss but Joe blocks it and hits a clothesline. Joe sides steps a charging Kurt and gets a side headlock takedown. Kurt goes to the eyes. and hits a couple of big upper cuts. Joe again sides steep and Kurt hits the ring post. Suicide Dive by Joe after Kurt bailed out again. Atomic drop big boot and senton by Joe gets two. Face wash by Joe. Snap suplex by Joe than the cross arm breaker. West say Joe has been non chalaunt on the pins to send a message to Kurt. Release German suplex by Kurt after a kick to the gut. Chin lock by Kurt who than goes to eyes and the noise before going back to the clean hold. Joe fights free but over head belly to belly by Angle. ST Joe on a charging Angle. Joe charges but Kurt drops down and Kurt goes to floor and "hurts" his leg. Kurt kicks at Joe's bad leg. Figure four by Angle back on the inside. During the break Joe's on screen mentor Kevin Nash came out to cheer Joe on. Joe gets the ropes but Kurt won't break until Earl Hebner pulls the leg free. Knee bar by Angle. Kurt chops himself free. Both men stand and exchange. Joe drives Angle back than a huge spine buster gets two. Joe slaps at his bad leg. Snap power slam gets two for Joe. Ankle lock but Joe revers free. Joe misses a charge and Kurt hits the Olympic slam for two. Don says the bad leg isn't' letting Joe build speed. Moonsault by Kurt Angle misses. Joe goes for the choke but Kurt drops down and gets the Ankle. Kurt tries to kick free but Kurt won't let go. Joe flips over and does the trip into the choke. Kurt gets the ropes and now Hebner has to pull Joe off. Joe goes for the enqizurie but Kurt ducks and Earl Hebner gets hit. Low blow by Angle and the Olympic Slam. Straps are down ankle lock. Joe kicks free. Scott Steiner (who was set to get the next title shot and had an issue with Kurt earlier) comes down and nails Kurt with a pipe. ISLAND DRIVER by Joe for the win. West rants about Steiner interfering in the match. Scott stands over Angle and yells "Don't ever disrespect me!" Joe and Steiner get face to face. Joe slaps Steiner. Jim Cornett (TNA on screen boss) runs out and tells Steiner that he is adding Kurt to the title match at Sacrifice since nothing had been settled. Good match but it lakes the big match feeling of the PPV match like most TV rematches do. One thing I like was the match started out with Joe laid back and calm and Kurt desperate but as Kurt found success he relaxed and Joe appeared to be getting upset.
Lockdown 2008 has some very silly stipulation matches in an effort to get everyone on the card. But I can forgive the silly stipulations since they were done by wrestlers and no spot monkeys or guys that can't wrestles so they "go hardcore." There are also several very good matches in the Xscape, Knockouts tag, Mixed Tag, Lethal Lockdown and World title match. The only bad I would say is Kip vs BG and I feel any time given to that would have been better served well any where. Adding it the historical value especially for Samoa Joe fans pick this one up if you can find it.
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