TNA revives Lockdown PPV
April 16, 2026
TNA Wrestling has announced that Lockdown — a showcase event in which every match is contested inside a steel cage — will return on August 23rd, broadcasting live around the world on pay-per-view from Credit Union 1 Arena in downtown Chicago. It marks TNA’s first Lockdown event since 2016, and the company’s first-ever show at the history-filled arena.
The 2026 Lockdown is TNA’s first live event held at the venue formerly known as the UIC Pavilion, an on-campus arena steeped in pro wrestling history. Chi-Town Rumble from World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1989, for instance, was held at the UIC Pavilion, featuring Ricky ‘The Dragon; Steamboat against Ric Flair for the NWA World Championship in the main event. Chi-Town Rumble also featured Lex Luger, Mike Rotunda (aka IRS), Sting, Butch Reed and The Midnight Express, among others.
Full match card details for Lockdown will be announced this summer. Confirmed to appear at the event are Jeff & Matt Hardy (The Hardys), Nic Nemeth, Mustafa Ali, Moose, AJ Francis, Mike Santana, Steve Maclin, Brian Myers, Eric Young, and Leon Slater, among others. The TNA Knockouts Division also will be featured prominently, with Ash By Elegance, Tessa Blanchard, Elayna Black, Indi Hartwell, and others scheduled to compete inside the cage.
TNA Wrestling debuted Lockdown in 2005, making it the first pro wrestling pay-per-view in which every match was contested inside a steel cage. The event quickly became one of TNA’s three flagship annual events, alongside Slammiversary and Bound for Glory. The inaugural Lockdown featured A.J. Styles vs. Abyss and introduced the Lethal Lockdown match — TNA’s signature take on the classic WarGames match — in which two teams enter the cage one by one in alternating fashion, with the fully-enclosed, weapon-laden cage not unlocked until all competitors have entered.
Memorable Lockdown main events over the years included Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle, Sting vs. Mick Foley, and a series of epic Lethal Lockdown battles.
TNA held Lockdown annually from 2005 through 2016, with the final event taking place at Wembley Arena in London — where Matt Hardy defeated EC3 in a steel cage to capture the TNA World Championship in front of a sold-out crowd. The 2026 Chicago edition marks the event’s long-awaited return.
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