TNA Lockdown 2014 Preview and Predictions

People fight in a cage.

Giving their thoughts and predictions on what to expect from the PPV are members of the site @typicalROHfan, @TimWelcomed and @TomBlackett.

Magnus vs. Samoa Joe for the TNA World Championship

typicalROHfan:

Samoa Joe has been looking really great lately in the spurts I’ve been skimming through IMPACT. I’m also a slight Magnus fan so I’m optimistic they can pull off something decent here. Hopefully management lets them. I can see it going either way but I’ll assume they play it safe with Magnus retaining as the champ having to go through new showrunner MVP’s challenges of bi-monthly title defenses.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Magnus wins.

Tim:

I like the history of Samoa Joe and Magnus. I think Joe has been really intriguing to watch lately and one of the few bright spots on Impact. I’m not as high on Magnus as I was at one time but I think these too can have a good match. I would like to see Samoa Joe win it here but I’m not sure they want to take it off of Magnus just yet.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Magnus wins.

Tom:

Regardless of their regularity, TNA PPVs are always a mixed bag. However, I always have a good time watching them, and Lockdown looks surprisingly great on paper, given that Impact’s a show I’ve found difficult to make the effort to watch for a couple of months now.

I like Magnus fine, but I don’t find him particularly engaging as champion. Joe’s had a mild renaissance lately and there’s a little history with them being a former tag team that might make for a fun dynamic, so I think this could be decent.

Interest Level: 6/10
Prediction: Magnus wins.

MVP, Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards and Jeff Hardy vs. Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, Robbie E and Jesse Godderz in Lethal Lockdown

typicalROHfan:

I enjoy the Lethal Lockdown matches most of the time. It will be weird to see The American Wolves in one. Weird in a good way. Maybe they bring back the “top of the cage” spot. My dream world would see Davey and Eddie “Eddie Edwards” Edwards hit an alarm clock at the top. Jeff Hardy (or WiLOLlow?) will hit the big spot for the victory. The faces are definitely winning here.

Interest Level: 8/10
Prediction: Team MVP wins.

Tim:

Really interesting teams in a fun gimmick match. The faces should win here but I’m going to make a crazy prediction. Jeff Hardy comes out and wrestles but at some point starts acting crazier than usual. Lights go out or something and he’s transformed into Willow. Willow turns on Team MVP and the heels get the win.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Team Dixie wins.

Tom:

What a collection of characters. If you’d told me that this would be the Wolves’ first TNA PPV match, I wouldn’t have believed you (though I would have really, really wanted to). The biggest thrill of indy guys making the transition to work for a bigger company is when they’re put in matches and situations that are the complete opposite to anything they’ve previously done, and I think Davey and Eddie teaming with Jeff Hardy as Willow in a wacky weapons War Games match against the Bro Mans definitely qualifies!

I haven’t been following Impact so I’m confused by what’s at stake here – I’m assuming it’s something to do with percentages and control of the company? Right? Anyway, I figure MVP will get the win in the hopes that Dixie might be a little less present on TV.

Interest Level: 8/10
Prediction: Team MVP wins.

Kurt Angle vs. Ethan Carter III

typicalROHfan:

I have to admit I haven’t watched enough of him lately to form a sure opinion but EC3 has been very underwhelming to me. The personality is there but this should be a massive match for his future. Despite whatever shape he is rumored to be in, this is basically Kurt Angle’s PPV and if Carter can’t show he can deliver in a high profile match vs. a high profile performer, it may be back to comedy skits for him.

Interest Level: 2/10
Prediction: EC3 wins. (Kurt Angle does NOT moonsault off the cage and gets hives due to it.)

Tim:

Not to sure about this match-up for a number of reasons. It’ll be the match that shows me if EC3 can hang in the ring. I know he can talk and I enjoy it for the most part. Kurt Angle isn’t in the best of shape and isn’t the wrestler he once was. That being said, Ethan Carter has to win here.

Interest Level: 4/10
Prediction: EC3 Wins.

Tom:

EC3 reminds me of Damien Sandow from when he first debuted, in that he’s a well-defined character that’s played well and I like to see show up on TV… but I don’t particularly enjoy seeing him wrestle (or at least I haven’t since his bitter feud with Norv Fernum ended). Sandow definitely turned the corner for me in the past year – even if he has mostly been absent since his excellent match with Cena a few months ago, I enjoy his matches as much as I do the rest of his character now. Hopefully, EC3 will follow suit, though I’m not sure if this’ll be the match where that happens – Angle seems to have mostly signed out from his TNA career at this point. However, Kurt does seem addicted to doing terrible things in meaningless cage matches, so who knows?

Interest Level: 5/10
Prediction: EC3 wins, Kurt Angle barely survives.

NOTE:

This match was canceled due to Kurt Angle’s injury after this was written.

The Great Muta, Seiya Sanada and Nakanoue vs. Chris Sabin, Daniels and Kazarian

typicalROHfan:

I’m a huge Muta mark. (One day, Muta vs. Hulk Hogan will be our match of the week, I promise.) The other guys have good reputations based off words of people whose opinions I trust so I’m excited to see them. Sanada is the X Division champ (not making that up!) so there’s hype there already. On the other hand, Daniels, Kaz and Sabin are the definition of professionals. It will be a shame if this match doesn’t deliver.

Interest Level: 9/10
Prediction: Team Muta wins.

Tim:

Of course TNA brings in Muta (to actually wrestle) once Sting is gone but you know what? This match looks great on paper. The team of Bad Influence and Sabin vs the former Extreme Tiger and Muta gets me hyped. I haven’t seen enough of Sanada to form an opinion but the guy is our X Division Champion so that’s something.

Interest Level: 8/10
Prediction: Team Muta wins.

Tom:

This should be very fun! I’m woefully ignorant when it comes to Japanese wrestling, so the only name I recognise is The Great Muta BUT it’s cool to have something a little different on the show. Bad Influence and Sabin are consistently excellent and I look forward to seeing mist spat all over the place.

Interest Level: 8/10
Prediction: Team Muta wins.

Gunner vs. James Storm

typicalROHfan:

Interest Level: -10/10
Prediction: I hate myself and I want to die.

Tim:

NOPE.

Interest Level: NOPE./10
Prediction: I go to the kitchen and fix something to eat.

Tom:

So excited for this one! THE COWBOY VS. THE MODERN DAY VIKING! MDV! MDV! MDV! MDV!

Interest Level: 0/10
Prediction: Some beer gets spat all over the place and it’s pretty gross. Beer Money reunites (again) and the camera cuts backstage to Davey Richards FREAKING OUT.

Madison Rayne vs. Gail Kim for the Knockouts Championship

typicalROHfan:

I like Gail Kim. I hope she does something innovative and/or cool again here.

Interest Level: 3/10
Prediction: Gail Kim wins.

Tim:

Not a Madison Rayne fan at all. I am a Gail Kim fan. I want her to win. She will win.

Interest Level: 2/10
Prediction: Gail Kim wins.

Tom:

Madison Rayne has looked weirdly bad since returning. Like, I don’t think she was ever amazing, but she’s seemed much clunkier than I remember her being. Gail Kim is really very good, but I can’t imagine this being particularly worthwhile.

Interest Level: 1/10
Prediction: Gail Kim wins.

Mr. Anderson vs. Samuel Shaw

typicalROHfan:

Garfield must be happy with all the lasagna we have here.

Interest Level: 0/10
Prediction: Shaw puts a red wig on Anderson and humps the cage.

NOTE: I originally wrote my wig prediction on Wednesday evening. This happened on Thursday.

Tim:

This Samuel Shaw stuff is bad for business. Ken Anderson is still one of the most annoying people on the Earth. He’s a little lower than The Miz but that’s not saying much.

Interest Level: 0/10
Prediction: Cringing

Tom:

IT’S A LASAGNA OVERDOSE.

Interest Level: 0/10
Prediction: REAL, MATURE STORYTELLING.

Manik vs. Tigre Uno

typicalROHfan:

I adored TJ Perkins in-ring work as Manik and was very disappointed when TNA removed him off TV for months like they seem to do when someone loses a belt. They’re insta-pushing Tigre Uno so I’m excited to see what he can do and generally excited to see this match.

Interest Level: 8/10
Prediction: Tigre Uno wins.

Tom:

I don’t know who Tigre Uno is! Googling teaches me that he has a pretty adorable mask though:

So that’s fun. Manik’s whole dynamic with him openly being acknowledged as TJP is still confusing and makes me feel like somebody on TNA creative has been reading too many Spider-man comics.

Interest Level: 7/10
Prediction: Tigre Uno

Note:

Tim was unable to get his prediction in as this match was added last minute in true TNA fashion. We’re sure he thinks the match will be fine and/or dandy and that Tigre Uno will win.