Dixie Confirms Lockdown 2014 Will Be All Cage Matches

[Papa Pillman]

#Impact365: February, 12


I promise that during this clip, somewhere in the middle of that worse than typical acting, Dixie Carter does reveal that Lockdown will exclusively feature matches contested inside of a steel cage.

I know a lot of people on the boards seem to think that having every match in the cage is overkill, but I think TNA has always made it work. I wasn't a fan of the switch to limited cage matches last year and I'm guessing it was another failed Prichard decision. I'm glad to see that the PPV will return to its traditional format.

What's your opinion? Tell me why I'm wrong.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

You're not wrong.

I don't think it's overkill at all. I think it's tantamount to the integrity of the name of the PPV, and anything other than every match being featured in a cage is an indictment on the whole concept. Not to mention the cage needs to be locked down for Lethal Lockdown. I have no idea why they got away from this over the years, but I'm glad it's coming back.

Lockdown, I'd argue, is actually TNA's most entertaining PPV of the year more often than not. Even more so than Bound For Glory in most years. We often just get the best possible matches out of what tends to culminate at Lockdown. Angle/Anderson anyone?

 

[lil steroid meat]

Didn't even know that they stopped having all of the matches in a cage.

Fuck it, I should stop pretending, I've never even seen a live TNA PPV to even know that Lockdown had all of it's matches in a cage at one point.

But I do think it's silly though for TNA to want to be a low-budget WWE rather than embrace the things that make it unique, like the six sided ring, the Lockdown stuff, the X-Division, the Knockouts...

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I'm a casual viewer of Impact Wrestling - there are some stuff I like and others that I don't like and ence I don't watch those things. This whole idea is bad and there isn't any logical argument that can be made to excuse the silliness of this woman. The whole creation of Lockdown started out as a joke by Dusty Rhodes and other former TNA creatives, only to be made official by Dixie Carter.

Now I know that Lockdown has created some good moments, but thy have completely killed already the "Steel Cage" effect in a storyline. The Steel Cage is supposed to add drama into the equation and not to be used as a "special attraction" - it doesn't make sense and it's not a good thing when all of your matches is competed inside of it just because there's nothing more original to do. It makes TNA's television way too repetitive and just gives an excuse to lazy booking for the writers. I'm not invested into most of the storylines that are going to be competed inside of it and it just seems like TNA is trying to over expose those stories by adding a type of match that doesn't go with the flow of the whole angle.

I can get a TNA Lethal Lockdown match being added, it's a heel faction v. a babyface faction where most of the times something "big" is being contested. I can understand the World Championship Match being contested inside the cage, or even the hottest feud - what I don't understand is why do I have to watch a first ever one-on-one match up being in the steel cage. It gives the outcome way too soon and it's bound to be repetitive and less enjoyable.

 

[GameOver]

Cage matches should be few and far between, they look good on paper and from the point of view of people watching at home its a far better presentation but the crowd in attendance can't see jack shit specially a TNA cage and lighting thats dark and draws the attention away from whats going on inside the cage

Hell in a Cell PPV is a bad enough concept which btw Lockdown was around before HIAC as a PPV, so don't go thinking WWE marketed the themed PPV's unless you count Royal Rumble and the Survivor Series original concept..

two matches at most on card that are the same gimmick or it gets boring.

 

[ECPirate37]

I am all for Lockdown being all cage matches. I always enjoyed this Pay Per View. This and Destination X were the only ones I bought EVERY year. I didn't buy last year's because they weren't doing every match in a cage. To me, Lockdown IS cage matches. The name alone suggests that to me. If it was just one or two cage matches, then I think the ppv would have to change its name.

I might just buy this ppv now. I understand voting with dollars is the best way to show support.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I'm sure that all the matches will be pretty entertaining, but I liked the idea that only certain matches would be inside the cage, having all of them inside the steel is overkill. It's like WWE having every single match on the Elimination Chamber card being inside the chamber, it's not needed and takes away from the spectable of the gimmick match when it's overused.

I have said repeatedly on these forums, that I don't like WWE having set PPV's when you know you are going to see Elimination Chamber, Hell In A Cell or TLC matches. It takes away from the excitment when one of these gimmick matches is announced, as they should be used rarely, as big feud enders. I always remember the reaction used to be like when a HIAC match was announced, as fans knew they were in for something special that you don't get to see often. Now, you know the Cell match is coming at a set point every year, so the shock and excitement is gone.

I'd rather TNA drop the all-cage gimmick entirely, and use Lethal Lockdown as a way to end a big feud, announced as a rare surprise which would get the fans alot more excited.

 

[Slyfox696]

I think this is a good move. I don't really watch TNA anymore (I'm older, have a life and just Monday Night Raw is a little too much for me at this point), but I always loved the Lockdown PPVs. I've been to two of them and they were both fun. Even the Electrified Fence match was fun (in it's own sad, pathetic way).

Lockdown, I'd argue, is actually TNA's most entertaining PPV of the year more often than not. Even more so than Bound For Glory in most years. We often just get the best possible matches out of what tends to culminate at Lockdown. Angle/Anderson anyone?

I was there for Angle vs. Anderson. Just saying.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I've always been against gimmick PPV's like this. Seeing the same gimmick multiple times a night often ends badly from a fan standpoint but Lockdown has often made it work. TNA has always had a diverse roster which can make having multiple cage matches possible without boring the fans to death and for the most part Lockdown has been pretty good from year to year.

TNA pulls it off almost every year so there's no reason to think they won't this year.

 

[ABMorales787]

I just don't want the other silly gimmicks they used to have. "Xscape". "Queen Of The Cage", "Street Fight.... and the Cage". Come on. Just gimme the steel cage and Lethal Lockdown and stick with that. Lockdown 2010 is one of TNA's biggest, most succesful and most memorable PPV's and it's because they kept it simple. That's all they had to do. Not outright get rid of most cage matches.

 

[Cereal Killer]

Now I know that Lockdown has created some good moments, but thy have completely killed already the "Steel Cage" effect in a storyline. The Steel Cage is supposed to add drama into the equation and not to be used as a "special attraction" - it doesn't make sense and it's not a good thing when all of your matches is competed inside of it just because there's nothing more original to do.

Why does it not make sense? The special attraction is what makes them the money and doing it once a year takes nothing from the drama. You can still have a good match inside of a steel cage. TNA's largest attendance was at last year's Lockdown PPV where there were 10,000 in the arena, both TNA and the WWE are businesses. Their aims are to make money; this is one way of doing so.

It makes TNA's television way too repetitive and just gives an excuse to lazy booking for the writers. I'm not invested into most of the storylines that are going to be competed inside of it and it just seems like TNA is trying to over expose those stories by adding a type of match that doesn't go with the flow of the whole angle.

I'm assuming by "lazy booking" you mean that the bookers will make most of the matches similar to each other. You're wrong. TNA has a good sized roster with several talented individuals which can make a good match as previous years have shown. With your logic, all non-cage matches will also be exactly the same. I understand last year's event only had three cage matches and the show ended up making a lot of money, however it only became clear that there will only be a few cage matches as we got closer towards the show. By this point, several would have already paid for it.


I don't think this decision is an overkill. This is a themed PPV which we get once a year and has shown to be a big draw. It makes the PPV stand out as it's unique and gives us the opportunity to watch a match type which you'll hardly ever see.

 

[Papa Pillman]

Cage matches should be few and far between, they look good on paper and from the point of view of people watching at home its a far better presentation but the crowd in attendance can't see jack shit specially a TNA cage and lighting thats dark and draws the attention away from whats going on inside the cage

I'm actually going to disagree with this completely. I attended Lockdown 2011 and had no problems at all seeing or following the action. In fact the presentation was very impressive live. However when I have watched the event back on DVD it doesn't look as good because it suffers the same problem that WWE and TNA always have during steel cage matches; the director and/or production team is way too reluctant to stick to the hard camera shot because of what they must perceive as an obstructed view, and as a result they present matches that jump between multiple(some quite bad) camera angles that make it more difficult to follow the flow of the action.

 

[Lowdown]

Lockdown as far as I knew consisted of every match taking place in the cage. Hell, Lockdown '07 was my first exposure to TNA. And based on previous responses, it has been a favorite PPV among TNA viewers. That said, I like the basis of the event. Feuds could end or begin, stories get escalated (like A&8's at last year's), and you could get some great singles and tag matches out of it.

 

[New Hot Fed]

This has always been the appeal of the concept "every matchs are in a cage". They should not have changed it.

It's like when the WWF started having non-King of the Ring matchs at KOTR. I mean people are there for the King of the Ring tournament, right.

You want Lockdown to be Lockdown, basically.

The only thing I would change is that ever since TNA lost the six sides, the cage for the 4 on 4 has not looked very good. It seems too tight also for the guys to perform. That's why Dusty when created War Games he used two rings. TNA should think about doing that for the Lethal Lockdown.

 

[Reflection]

I'm happy to hear that. Cage matches are generally entertaining to watch, and it shall be even better when we will get to see Singles matches, Knockouts, and Tag Team matches inside it- all in one night. Also, TNA is still in a state where they need to do anything they can to desperately attract viewers, so I'd say thats a great move both from a business point of view, and giving the fans what they would like.

 

[Kool Aid Man]

This seems like grasping at air on the end of TNA. I don't see how making an entire card in a cage will be that inspiring to fans. Sure the first couple may bring that good initial reaction, but by the time of the main event rolls around the cage will just be there and have lost it's allure.

 

[TDFG]

As long as they don't have a blindfold match or an electric shock match, this concept might actually pay off.

 

[Kool Aid Man]

Don't forget the leather strap matches those are awful as well.