Lockdown (2008) - Reception

Reception

The Tsongas Arena has a maximum capacity of 6,500 for sporting events. A total of 5,500 people attended the event. In late 2008, The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that the number of pay-per-view purchasers for the event was believed to be 55,000. Canadian Online Explorer writer Chris Sokol rated the entire event a 6.5 out of 10, which was higher than the 5.5 out of 10 given to the 2007 Lockdown event also by Sokol. Lockdown received the same rating as TNA's previous event Destination X. While it was lower than TNA's next event Sacrifice on May 11, which was ranked a 7 out of 10 by Sokol. Compared to rival World Wrestling Entertainment's Backlash PPV event held on April 28, Lockdown was rated higher, as Dave Hillhouse gave Backlash a 6 out of 10. Sokol felt that Lockdown was "an iffy PPV", but was "not a bad effort by TNA". However, he still thought it was "not one of their stronger PPV outings". The main event was given an 8 out of 10 by Sokol in his review. His highest rating went to the Lethal Lockdown match with 9 out of 10. The Queen of the Cage was given his lowest of 4 out of 10. The Xscape match was rated a 6.5 out of 10, while the Six Sides of Steel Intergender Tag Team Cage match received a 7 out of 10. Sokol stated he believed the main event was a "solid match". Regarding the Lethal Lockdown match, Sokol commented saying it was "excellent".

Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch reviewed Lockdown, giving the main event 4 and a half stars out of 5, while the Lethal Lockdown match 3 and a half stars out of 5. Keller went on to state in his review he felt Angle versus Joe was a "really good main event". Commenting that "it felt fresh with the MMA-style, and meshed just enough pro wrestling moves in a largely believable fashion with typical (and some not-so-typical) MMA submissions throughout in dramatic fashion. It's really a stellar example of how the two styles could mesh to create a more modern, believable approach for the current era". James Caldwell also of the Pro Wrestling Torch published a review of the event. In his review, he also gave the main event 4 and a half stars out of 5, however, gave the Lethal Lockdown only 3 stars out of 5. Regarding the TNA World Heavyweight Championship bout, Caldwell said it was "great match", but that he felt like "there could have been more". Although, he believed this "was TNA at its best with no b.s. to get in the way, and a display of two of the best in the world". Simon Rothstein, a journalist for the United Kingdom newspaper The Sun, stated in his review of Lockdown that the main event was the "best match of the night, this was perfectly booked and executed". He said that as a result it "should give TNA the impetus to quickly smash the records they set at Lockdown". On the January 1, 2009 episode of Impact!, TNA announced their Year End Awards for 2008, with Kurt Angle versus Samoa Joe in a Six Sides of Steel Cage match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship named Match of the Year. Lockdown was released on DVD on June 17, 2008 by TNA Home Video.