Lockdown 2007: Lethal Lockdown Rescues an Uneven All-Cage Experiment

The Voodoo Kin Mafia (B.G. James and Kip James) (with Lance Hoyt) defeated Serotonin (Kaz and Havok) (with Christy Hemme and Martyr). The bout is presented as a six sides of steel match on the pre-show and runs 3:35. As a short pre-show cage match, this functions mainly as a warm-up and a reminder of the all-steel premise. Three and a half minutes is not enough time for the teams to establish much, but the match does not overstay its limited purpose. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as minor material whose main value is advancing the card. The 5.0 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.

Chris Sabin (c) defeated Jay Lethal (with Kevin Nash), Sonjay Dutt, Alex Shelley and Shark Boy. The bout is presented as a xscape match for the tna x division championship on the main card and runs 15:50. Xscape is one of the few Lockdown concepts that naturally benefits from the cage because elimination and escape are part of the competitive structure. Sabin defending against four challengers gives the division pace, variety and championship stakes without needing another unrelated gimmick layered on top. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as a very strong match that materially improves the card. The 8.2 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.

Robert Roode (with Ms. Brooks and Eric Young) defeated Petey Williams. The bout is presented as a six sides of steel match on the main card and runs 10:14. Roode and Williams receive enough time to build a conventional singles match inside the cage, and the result advances Roode without turning the structure into the entire story. It is solid midcard wrestling rather than a standout, but that restraint is welcome on this show. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as useful supporting material that works better in context than in isolation. The 6.5 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.

Gail Kim defeated Jackie Moore. The bout is presented as a six sides of steel match on the main card and runs 7:13. Kim and Moore have a straightforward rivalry, yet the cage adds more visual restriction than dramatic value. The seven-minute runtime keeps the match from becoming a drag, but it never feels important enough to justify the pay-per-view setting or the event’s signature structure. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as a slight match with limited replay value. The 5.6 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.

Senshi defeated Austin Starr. The bout is presented as a six sides of steel match with bob backlund as special guest referee on the main card and runs 9:57. Senshi and Starr are capable of sharper work than this concept allows, and the special-referee layer further divides attention. The match remains watchable because of the wrestlers involved, but it feels like an angle-driven continuation instead of the definitive cage match their rivalry could have produced. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as serviceable material that does its job without becoming a destination. The 6.4 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.

James Storm defeated Chris Harris. The bout is presented as a six sides of steel blindfold match on the main card and runs 9:05. The blindfold stipulation is a major creative mistake for a feud that should be built around anger and familiarity. Storm and Harris had the history to produce a heated fight, yet taking away their vision turns the contest into an awkward novelty and drains the rivalry of credibility. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as a poor match whose stipulation or execution overwhelms its intended purpose. The 3.0 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.

Christopher Daniels defeated Jerry Lynn. The bout is presented as a "wrath of x" six sides of steel match on the main card and runs 13:29. Daniels and Lynn use the cage as a boundary rather than as a distraction, which makes their 13-minute match one of the cleaner wrestling showcases on the card. The pairing has enough experience and pace to create a strong feature without requiring the audience to learn another complicated rule set. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as a good match that rewards a full-card watch. The 7.5 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.

Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) defeated Latin American Xchange (Homicide and Hernandez) (c). The bout is presented as a electrified six sides of steel match for the nwa world tag team championship on the main card and runs 15:36. The tag-title change gives the match real consequence, but the electrified-cage premise places too much attention on the apparatus. LAX and Team 3D already have a rivalry capable of carrying a violent title match, so the added concept feels more like branding than necessity. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as minor material whose main value is advancing the card. The 5.0 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.

Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Rhino, Sting and Jeff Jarrett) defeated Team Cage (Christian Cage, A.J. Styles, Scott Steiner, Abyss and Tomko) (with James Mitchell). The bout is presented as a lethal lockdown match with harley race as gatekeeper on the main card and runs 28:04. Lethal Lockdown is exactly where the all-cage theme pays off. Ten established names, 28 minutes and team warfare create the scale the rest of the event has been chasing, and Team Angle’s victory gives the match a decisive destination. The structure finally feels earned instead of imposed. Within Lockdown 2007, the match grades as an excellent match and one of the strongest reasons to revisit the show. The 8.7 score reflects the complete bell-to-bell proposition: the stipulation, placement, time allocation, competitive stakes and how much the outcome adds to the surrounding card are weighed together rather than treated as separate attractions.