IMMORTAL VS. FORTUNE

 Immortal make their way out first, their team consists of Ric Flair, Matt Hardy, Abyss and Bully Ray. Fortune is represented by Beer Money Inc, Christopher Daniels, and Frankie Kazarian.

Mike Tenay and Taz are on commentary for this match, Jeremy Borash is our ring announcer.

 

IMMORTAL VS. FORTUNE

TNA Lockdown 2011 (17^th April 2011)

  Frankie Kazarian is the first man in the ring, so he starts for his team. After some deliberation, Flair sends in Abyss to start the match, although Matt was keen to start.

  Frankie Kazarian starts off with right hands but is shoved across the ring. Kazarian is back to his feet, he backs Abyss into the corner for more right hands. Abyss shoves Kazarian but the clothesline is ducked. Kazarian jumps from the middle rope into a goozle but counters a chokeslam. Abyss knocks Kazarian down with a big boot. Abyss lays in right hands in the corner and forces his boot in what Bully Ray considers Kazarian’s pretty face. Abyss knocks him down with another right hand as we have under 2 minutes left of the opening portion. Abyss chokes Kazarian on the middle rope as the Immortal team talk some shit to him. Abyss sends Kazarian into the turnbuckles, but Kazarian avoids the charge and climbs to the top rope to hit a flying hurricanrana. We’re in the final minute as Kazarian dropkicks Abyss who is stuck between the ropes and the cage. Kazarian kicks Abyss and chokes him with a boot as Matt Hardy enters the match. Kazarian fights out of a Side Effects and ducks the clothesline. Kazarian runs through Hardy with a forearm shot, a clothesline and a spinning heel kick. Matt Hardy is slammed and Kazarian springboards from the middle rope with a leg drop. Matt Hardy escapes the Fade to Black (reverse piledriver) but is kicked in the face. Kazarian ducks a clothesline but runs into a right hand from Abyss. Matt Hardy puts Kazarian in a butterfly guillotine called the Ice Pick whilst Abyss takes some cheap shots.

  Matt Hardy hits the Side Effect on Kaz, Matt holds Kazarian so Abyss can take some more shots while they run down the clock. Christopher Daniels is the next in the ring, fighting off both Immortal team members before sending Matt into Abyss in the corner. Christopher Daniels hits the Best Moonsault Ever on Abyss and drives his knee into Matt from the top rope. Daniels stomps Abyss in the corner as Kazarian gets to his feet and the not yet named Bad Influence hit a double-team on Hardy. They turn to Abyss and send him off the ropes. Abyss runs into a kick to the gut from Kazarian and they kick Abyss down to his knees. Christopher Daniels hits a Northern Lights lariat as Kaz pairs off with Matt Hardy. Matt Hardy is sent into the top turnbuckle across the ring as Daniels works over Abyss in the corner. Kazarian puts Hardy in a standing neck crank and sends his head into the turnbuckle but Matt Hardy kicks Kazarian in the midsection.

  Christopher Daniels is right there and he clocks Matt with right hands as the fans want Flair in the match. Daniels hits a reverse STO on Hardy and locks in a submission on the mat as Ric Flair enters the match, chopping Kazarian. I might as well copy and paste “chop” now as Flair lays some into Daniels in the corner. Matt Hardy is on his feet, he takes care of Daniels while Flair chops Kazarian in the opposite corner, waiting for Abyss to connect with a right hand before hitting another one. Matt Hardy hits a bulldog out of the corner as Flair sends Kazarian into the cage wall. We’re a minute from one of Beer Money Inc. evening the match. We cut to Matt Hardy and Christopher Daniels as Abyss sends Kazarian into the cage again, Christopher Daniels fights out of the corner until Matt pokes him in the eye. Ric Flair takes a break as Abyss punches Kazarian in one corner and Matt sends Christopher Daniels into the turnbuckles. Matt Hardy chokes Daniels in the corner, Kazarian fights back against Flair but Abyss cuts him off. We have 10 seconds left.

   James Storm enters the match, putting his beer bottle on the apron before spitting beer in Abyss’ face. Storm hits Abyss with a Codebreaker, then a lungblower to Matt Hardy. Ric Flair is left on his own, he begs off but gets hit anyway with the beer bottle making him the first to bleed in the match. Ric Flair climbs the cage as Storm chases him with the broken remains of the bottle. Flair is brought down to the mat and sent into the cage as Fortune has turned the tide of the match. Bad Influence stack up Abyss and Matt Hardy in the corner before hitting running splashes, James Storm connects with right hands and chops in the corner as we near Bully Ray making his entrance. Christopher Daniels chops Flair and fans react for the Flair flop. Flair’s shirt is torn off and his trousers are holding on for dear life as he tries to escape the cage again. James Storm spanks Ric Flair to bring him back to the canvas and Bully Ray enters the match so we can watch him clear house instead. Matt Hardy slams Daniels and hits repeated leg drops as Abyss lays into James Storm. Flair gets to his feet and pulls up his trousers to poke Storm in the eye. Bully Ray holds James Storm in place for a chop from Flair. Robert Roode is waiting at the cage door for the final minute before he can enter. Abyss chokes Daniels in the corner, Bully Ray lit Kazarian’s chest up with overhand chops and I couldn’t find a place to mention it earier. A lot is going on.

  Matt Hardy catapults Kazarian into the middle rope. Bully Ray chokes James Storm so Flair can rest up before throwing right hands to Storm whilst having him in a headlock. Abyss sends Daniels into a clothesline from Bully Ray. Kazarian is sent across the ring by Matt Hardy, Bully Ray knocks him down too. Robert Roode enters the match, throwing right hands to everyone. Abyss is knocked into the corner but he reverses an irish whip. Robert Roode hits the turnbuckles but gets his boot up to meet Abyss before hitting the Blockbuster, calling out his team as they all take a nap. Matt Hardy sends Roode into the ropes but is knocked down with a running forearm. Ric Flair gets some chops and punches in but gets instant receipts from Roode. Bully Ray is on his feet, Roode ducks the clothesline. Beer Money hit a double suplex to Ray and the roof finally lowers with the weapons. Storm goes after Abyss with a trash can, Daniels has the lid, Kazarian has an ax handle and Roode has a kendo stick. We cut to an annoying split screen to see Roode going to town on Flair in the corner. Abyss is knocked through the door of the cage. So much for the “Lockdown.” Christopher Daniels follows Abyss with the trash can lid and gets a shot in.

  Matt Hardy is also out of the cage and he climbs to the top, Daniels follows and Hardy fights off the Angels Wings. Christopher Daniels is hanging over the edge of the roof as he’s backdropped and he fights to stay on the top as James Storm tries to assist him with the door. Flair is screaming from the corner as Fortune seem to have the advantage. Hardy hits the Twist of Hate on the roof before climbing part of the way down the cage. He falls the rest of the way as Bully Ray slams Kazarian for a nearfall. James Storm gets his boot up to Bully Ray and hits the inverted tornado DDT out of the corner for a nearfall. Ric Flair fights out of the corner with a kendo stick, hitting Storm but walks into a spinebuster from Robert Roode. Christopher Daniels hits a crossbody on Abyss and Matt Hardy from the top of the cage! The referee goes to check they’re alive while Roode puts Flair in the Figure Four. Bully Ray intercepts the hold with a trash can shot, then another one for Kazarian. Christopher Daniels is back in the ring but gets clocked with a trash can lid, then Bully Ray swings the kendo stick at any Fortune member that moves. Bully Ray has 2 kendo sticks, he’s reluctant to give one away to Ric Flair, but decides he likes the assist. Bully Ray stands over Christopher Daniels, who’s now bleeding from the cane shots, trash talking. AJ Styles’ music hits! Bully Ray put AJ on the injured list by putting him through a table, AJ Styles gets in the ring and sends Bully Ray into the cage as Flair tries to blend into the corner.

  Ric Flair tries to sneak up behind AJ but Robert Roode intercepts, Roode sends Flair into the cage wall. James Storm hits the Last Call Superkick and Robert Roode puts Ric Flair in an armbar for the win.

WINNER: FORTUNE

This was a perfectly average match. It made sense for the production crew to wait for Roode to finish his shine spots to lower the cage roof but it did seem more planned than it should. Except for Daniels’ high crossbody and AJ’s run-in near the end I won’t remember anything a week from now but the fans were into it. [***] 5.75/10