MADISON RAYNE (C) VS. GAIL KIM

 MVP is backstage with The Wolves, he tells Richards and Edwards to be ruthless in Lethal Lockdown, but to keep it under control, they’re playing chess tonight. There was also apparently a video package for this match but my video starts at the entrances. Wikipedia tells me that Madison Rayne returned on 13th December 2013 which kickstarted this feud, she also won the TNA Knockouts Championship from Gail Kim on the Genesis Special episode of Impact. walks to ringside, she has Lei’D Tapa at ringside which means there’s at least 65% chance someone takes a cage door to the head by the end of this match. Madison Rayne makes her way to the ring as Mike Tenay questions if the steel cage will neutralise Lei’d Tapa in this match. Taz asks how it can’t because he only started watching wrestling last week. 

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

 

MADISON RAYNE (C) VS. GAIL KIM 

TNA Knockouts Championship 

TNA Lockdown 2014 (9th March 2014) 

  Brian Stiffler calls for the bell and Gail Kim tries for a quick escape, but Madison Rayne brings her back to the ring. Gail Kim connects first with a roundhouse kick and a forearm.

Madison Rayne gets her arms up so she doesn’t hit the cage and connects with a back elbow. Gail Kim follows the champion to the ropes and connects with a knee to the midsection. Kim clubs Madison down and kicks her in the ribs, Gail Kim starts choking Rayne with her boot then runs into a back elbow from the Knockouts Champion. Madison Rayne gets a 2-count rolling Kim up through a wheelbarrow. Gail Kim avoids a Head Banger Leg Scissors which isn’t as fun as it sounds and she desperately tries the locked door. Madison Rayne is back on her feet, telegraphing her forearms for 15 seconds but still connecting. Gail Kim is sent into the corner, she jumps to the middle rope and fakes out the crossbody before climbing the cage. Madison Rayne grabs Kim by the ankle to slow her down then starts climbing, Madison Rayne is in an electric chair against the cage wall. Mike Tenay reminds us the match ends with pinfall, submission or escaping the cage as Madison Rayne sends Gail Kim’s head into the cage wall with the Head Banger Leg Scissors.

Madison Rayne eats shit on the splash, but it was still probably preferable to facing Lei’D who was waiting on the floor. Gail Kim covers but only gets 2. Gail Kim hits Madison Rayne with either a forearm or an uppercut before sending her into the cage. Gail Kim goes back to the boot choke against the mesh, Madison Rayne is brought to her feet between the ring and the cage, Gail Kim slams the champion’s face into the mat and covers again, but Madison Rayne kicks out at 2. Madison Rayne fights back with forearms but runs out of steam after a kick to the midsection from Kim. Gail Kim slams Rayne into the mat again and covers but only gets 2. Madison Rayne stops Gail Kim scaling the cage again and she tries to fight back from her knees. Gail Kim knocks Madison Rayne down and Rayne is sent into the turnbuckles, Gail Kim hits a jumping clothesline in the corner and spends some time blowing kisses to the crowd. Gail Kim stretches Madison’s back over her knee after a backbreaker. The champion is almost too flexible for the hold, Gail Kim tries again and it seems to have more pressure. Madison Rayne knees Gail Kim’s head to break the hold, and a kick staggers the challenger back into the ropes. Gail Kim connects with a running boot and sends Madison Rayne into the corner.

Gail Kim sends her shoulder into the ring post as we get one of the stupid breaks. We don’t miss anything but it ruins the flow. Madison Rayne connects with forearms, Gail Kim gets knocked down with clotheslines as the champion finally wakes up. Gail Kim catches a kick but eats an enziguri! Madison Rayne drops Kim with a dropkick but runs into the cage on the big boot attempt. Gail Kim climbs to the top rope, Madison Rayne slowly follows on a newly injured knee. Gail Kim tries to stay a few steps ahead of Madison Rayne, but the champion keeps catching to Gail Kim before she can make any progress. Gail Kim sends Madison Rayne’s head into the cage and hits a neckbreaker from the top rope. Gail Kim covers 1, 2, NO! Gail Kim dives for  Lei’D Tapa has opened the door, Kim is halfway out of the cage, but Madison Rayne drags her back for the door to close. Gail Kim counters a waistlock sending Rayne into the cage again, Gail Kim covers but gets agonisingly close before Rayne kicks out! Gail Kim slowly climbs the cage, Madison Rayne follows and they fight for the advantage.

Madison Rayne blocks the Eat Defeat and drops Gail Kim across the top rope like a Stun Gun, Lei’D Tapa is knocked to the floor too. Madison Rayne spears Gail Kim from the top rope and covers for the win. 

WINNER: MADISON RAYNE (STILL TNA Knockouts Champion) 

  This was a really clunky match, Madison Rayne didn’t look like a threat until the final third but considering the competition at the time, it was possibly still a top 10 women’s match on TV in America that year. [*¼] 2/10. 

 After the match we see some highlights and then we move on to Samoa Joe cutting a promo on Magnus for their match, which immediately followed this one.