By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Deadlock Pro Wrestling “Believe The Hype”
August 6, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina at Holshouser Building
Available via DPWondemand.com
Anthony Douglas, James Darnell and John Blood were on commentary. This is a large room with perhaps 600 or so fans in attendance, and the biggest crowd they’ve had yet.
The show opened with a promo from Raychell Rose. She spoke outside and said she is ready to face Rosemary.
1. BoJack defeats Donnie Ray to retain the DPW Title at 13:45. The announcers said this is the first time BoJack has ever been in the first match. BoJack nailed a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 2:00 and a spinebuster and Ray was selling a back injury. Ray charged him but BoJack nailed a uranage. Ray nailed a springboard tornado DDT, then a suplex on the big man that got a huge pop and a nearfall at 6:30. However, BoJack nailed a neckbreaker over his knee and his sidewalk slam for a believable nearfall.
They fought in the corner, where Ray hit a powerbomb out of the corner, but BoJack wisely rolled to the floor. Ray nailed an Asai Moonsault to the floor. In the ring, Ray hit three rolling cannonballs into the corner. Ray nailed a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall. They traded forearm shots. BoJack nailed a pop-up forearm and a hard clothesline, and a sit-out powerbomb for the pin. The winner was never in doubt but this was entertaining. With a big main event, I like having the champion open. (If he’s not on last, he might as well be on first.)
* Video outside of Shawn Kemp and Chase Holiday talking about working together in a scramble, but there is some confusion if one will lay down for the other. We had another clip of Lucky Ali saying he deserves a title shot.
22. Jay Malachi defeated Joe Lando, Shawn Kemp, Chase Holiday, and Lucky Ali in a five-way scramble at 8:13. This was Lando’s first match in the U.S. (he has now been on a few GCW shows). I noted this in a prior show, that both Kemp and Holiday are beefy guys. Malachi and Ali, both Black men, have been feuding here, and they immediately brawled at the bell. Ali tricked partners Holiday and Kemp into hitting each other. Lando nailed a top-rope Shooting Star Press to the floor on everyone at 2:00, drawing a huge pop. In the ring, Lando hit a stunner on Kemp.
Teammates Holiday and Kemp wound up fighting each other at 5:30. Lando hit a top-rope Shooting Star elbow drop on Kemp. Malachi hit a top-rope flip dive to the floor on three guys. In the ring, he nailed a Cloud Cutter on Lucky Ali for the pin. That was a fun scramble.
* Another promo outside, with Emi Sakura, saying it was “long time, no see,” since she last saw Mizuki. Another quick promo with Mizuki mixing Japanese and English, saying she’s glad to be here.
3. Emi Sakura defeated Mizuki at 10:57. I don’t know Japanese female wrestlers, but Mizuki’s gear looks a lot like Riho’s outfit. The announcers said this is Mizuki’s first-ever match in the U.S. Sakura wore her royal cloak and crown, dressed like when in AEW. An intense lockup to start. Mizuki hit a head-scissors takedown. Emi bit Mizuki’s wrist at 3:00, drawing boos. Emi tied her in a surfboard move. Mizuki then bit the wrist, drawing a pop. Funny.
Mizuki hit a top-rope dive to the floor at 6:00, then a top-rope crossbody block into the ring for a nearfall. Emi hit a spinning faceplant and a crossbody block as Mizuki was trapped in the corner, and she was now in control. Mizuki applied a rear-naked choke, then she hit a T-Bone suplex, and they were both down at 9:30. Emi hit a pair of backbreakers over her knee for a nearfall. She then nailed a Will Ospreay-style Stormbreaker, rolling Mizuki off her shoulder into a faceplant, for the pin. Mizuki offered a handshake after the match, but Sakura kicked her a few times, drawing loud boos. That was fun.
* Baliyan Aaki cut a backstage promo, saying this place allowed him to wrestle during the pandemic. (We recently saw him accompany Emi Sakura to ringside on AEW Dark.)
4. Calvin Tankman defeated Baliyan Aaki to retain the DPW National Championship at 11:31. Tankman defeated Kevin Ku last month to win an eight-man tournament to crown the first-ever champion, so I don’t expect him to lose it quickly. They shook hands. The lights in the building are flickering and the commentators said it is maybe 100 degrees in the building and it is messing with the electronics. They traded hard chops at 3:00 and Tankman hit a bodyslam for a nearfall. They just stood toe-to-toe and traded kicks and chops and forearms, with Aaki landing a dropkick at 5:00 that sent Tankman to the floor. Aaki hit a top-rope splash to the floor on Tankman.
In the ring, Aaki hit a so-so missile dropkick. He then hit a Van Terminator Coast-to-Coast dropkick for a nearfall at 8:00. Aakio hit a series of forearm shots. Tankman fired back with a standing powerbomb and a Hidden Blade forearm to the back of the neck for a nearfall. Aaki hit a superkick for a nearfall at 10:30. He went for a frogsplash, but Tankman got his knees up to block it. Aaki went for another top-rope move, but Tankman caught him with a spinning back fist. Tankman then nailed his sit-out piledriver for the pin. That topped all expectations. Aaki really showed me something here, and Tankman is really good at his style of big-man matches.
5. Mason Myles and “The Workhorsemen” JD Drake and Anthony Henry defeated “The NDA” Chance Ryzer, Patrick Scott, and Alec Price at 18:18. Ryzer and Scott’s manager, Chris Danger, was kidnapped at the last show. Myles came out first for his team, holding a taped-up Chris Danger. All six brawled at the bell. JD hit a chop that caved in Scott’s chest. Ouch, just ouch. Drake then dropped Price with a loud chop at 3:00. Price hit a doublestomp on Drake’s arm. The heels began working over Mason Myles in the ring. The announcers said JD Drake was taken to the back with an injury after that double stomp, so this is now 3-on-2.
Anthony Henry made the hot tag at 8:00 and hit an Exploder Suplex and a faceplant slam for a nearfall. However, the heels began working over Henry. Chris Danger, still taped at his feet and wrists, barked orders at his men. Henry hit a top-rope crossbody block on all three opponents at 13:30. JD Drake returned to ringside to a nice pop, and he made the hot tag. He nailed a series of clotheslines on all the heels. Drake nailed a standing neckbreaker, then a senton splash on Ryzer. Drake nailed a rolling cannonball in the corner.
The heels hit a team superplex on Myles, followed by a double stomp to Myles’ chest for a nearfall. Myles fought back with a tornado DDT, then a dive through the ropes to the floor. Myles hit a diving DDT in the ring, and everyone was down at 17:30. We were about to have all six fight in the ring, when Ryzer and Scott suddenly bailed, grabbing Chris Danger and heading to the back, leaving Price in a 3-on-1 situation. The faces kicked Price, hit a bodyslam, and pinned him.
7. Gringo Loco defeated ASF and La Estrella in a three-way at 10:19. The announcers immediately point out that Loco and ASF usually team up. My first time seeing La Estrella, who wears a mask similar to Dragon Lee or Laredo Kid. ASF is again wearing a mask; last time he took it off early in the match. Sure enough, Loco ripped it off. Quick lucha reversals to open. Estrella is every bit as short as ASF. Loco superkicked ASF at 2:00. ASF and Estrella traded head-scissors takedowns. ASF hit a tilt-a-whirl takedown, rotating around Loco’s body several times. (I’ve seen them do that before and it’s so impressive.)
Estrella dove through the ropes onto both men at 5:30, and he ran so far, he wound up in the fifth row after bouncing off them. Loco nailed a double-jump moonsault on Estrella for a nearfall at 8:00, but ASF made the save. ASF hit a Canadian Destroyer then the mid-ring Frankensteiner on Loco for a nearfall, popping the crowd. The crowd chanted, “This is lucha!” Loco hit his twisting sit-out powerbomb out of the corner on ASF, then a sit-out powerbomb on Estrella for the pin. That was an absolute blast.
8. Raychell Rose defeated Rosemary to win the DPW Women’s Title at 15:14. Rose picked out a fan, who stood up and “bent the knee” to her. Rosemary charged her at the bell, tackled her and nailed several punches. She hit a side slam. Rosemary clotheslined both of them over the top rope to the floor at 2:00. They brawled on the floor. Rosemary missed a dive and wound up deep in the row of chairs. Raychell dove in the ring and demanded the ref count out Rosemary.
Raychell rolled to the floor and she choked Rosemary with an extension cord at 4:00. In the ring, Raychell grounded her with a submission hold around the head. Rosemary applied a Tajiri-style Tarantula in the ropes at 7:00. Raychell hit a Lungblower to the chest for a nearfall. They traded forearm shots from their knees, then from the standing position. Rosemary bit her forehead at 9:30, then she hit a T-Bone suplex for a nearfall.
Rosemary went for a Sharpshooter, but Raychell escaped, got up, and nailed a superkick for a believable nearfall at 11:30. The crowd fired up and chanted for Rosemary. Rosemary hit a sliding clothesline for a nearfall. Raychell hit a DDT, but Rosemary sat up and screamed at her. Rosemary missed a spear and crashed into the corner, and they were both down at 14:00. Rosemary sprayed mist, but it struck the referee. Raychell got the belt and nailed Rosemary with it. A replacement referee came out and made the three-count. The announcers were shocked at the title change. That was a fun match.
* A backstage promo with Diego Hill. (I’ll compare him to a cross between Wes Lee and Cedric Alexander). He said he has a lot to prove here in his match against Dante Martin.
9. Dante Martin defeated Diego Hill at 7:26. The crowd is hot before we started, and they shake hands. They are about the same height but Diego might have a bit more bulk on top. They traded headscissor takedowns and Martin nailed a dropkick. Diego hit a series of kicks. Dante hit a crossbody block for a nearfall at 4:00. The crowd chanted, “Both these guys!” Dante did a flip to avoid a spear, then Dante dove through the ropes but crashed hard. Diego immediately hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor.
In the ring, Diego hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 5:30. Diego missed a Best Moonsault Ever, landing on his feet. Dante hit a uranage but he’s favoring his right leg from that dive to the floor. Diego hit a spin kick to the side of the head. Out of nowhere, Dante hit his springboard-moonsault-DDT move for the pin. So good but far too short. In a nice touch, Dante left the ring first, so Diego could get adulation from the crowd, even in a loss.
* Another outside promo, this one from Konosuke Takeshita, also mixing Japanese and English. He concluded with the simple, “Let’s fight!”
10. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Andrew Everett at 18:40. The announcers talked about Takeshita’s debut here a few months ago when he beat Adam Brooks in a fantastic match. Of course, Andrew is doing his Andre the Giant gimmick, with his one-strap singlet, and he’s announced as 7’4.” Huge pop for both men. A handshake and they both went for a chokeslam in the opening seconds. Quick reversals and the first minute is just a blast. Takeshita is taller and he threw a forearm that DROPPED Everett and popped the crowd at 1:30. Everett hit an Asai Moonsault to the floor, with them crashing several rows deep.
Everett hit a missile dropkick in the ring for a nearfall at 3:30. Takeshita hit more forearm shots and a swinging faceplant. He popped Everett up in the air and sent him crashing stomach-first. Takeshita nailed his flying clothesline at 6:30, then a DDT for a nearfall. They fought to the floor. Takeshita nailed a DDT on the ring apron at 8:00. Takeshita hit a running boot to the face as Everett was seated in a chair. In the ring, Everett hit a nice tornado DDT, and the crowd chanted, “This is awesome!” as both men were down at 10:30.
Everett did a springboard off the ropes, but Takeshita caught him and turned it into a Blue Thunder Bomb. Awesome. Everett came back with a springboard spin kick. Takeshita nailed a Mafia Kick. Everett nailed a Lionsault for a nearfall at 13:30. Everett went for a chokeslam but Takeshita turned it into a huracanrana. They traded more forearms and Takeshita hit a hard clothesline, but Everett kicked out at the one-count. Everett nailed a Pele Kick and finally hit the chokeslam, but Takeshita kicked out at one! Everett hit his Shooting Star Press, but Takeshita kicked out again at 16:30. This is insanely good, and the crowd chanted “Fight forever!” Takeshita nailed a running kneestrike to the jaw for a nearfall, then a pump-handle sit-out powerbomb for the pin. Just incredible. They hugged after the match.
* Konosuke spoke briefly on the mic in English, saying “I think you are a giant!” He then added, “I promise, I will be back! Thank you, DPW.” Huge pop for his speech. Everett spoke on the mic and said Takeshita is the best wrestler in the world. The crowd chanted “Both these guys!”
Final Thoughts: That main event was just insanely, insanely good. That was such a blast. Takeshita’s 2022 U.S. tour has just been so fun to watch him steal the show in every city, in every promotion, where he appeared. Hands down the best match of the show.
That lucha three-way was just tremendous, and any other show, it’s easily top match. But the reality is major promotions might decide that Loco is too heavy or too old, and the other two are too thin or too small. That’s unfortunate, because they are all stellar, and that match was just so entertaining. Dante-Diego is a distant third-best, with a strong Rosemary-Raychell match getting a close honorable mention.
I said this before, but Deadlock Pro Wrestling is doing all the little things right. I like the backstage promos mixed in between matches. The commentators are knowledgeable and passionate. The shows are well-filmed and look good. I have come away really impressed with this roster. With Diego and BoJack making strong impressions at GCW on Friday, I wouldn’t be surprised if they get more attention nationally.
You mentioned Mizuki’s gear looking like Riho’s, well, that’s because Mizuki designed Riho’s gear as well as her own.
Also, minor correction, it’s Akki not Aaki. He’s a really cool dude, played a big role in growing the audience for Emi Sakura’s promotion that streams their shows on Youtube, with him acting as both wrestler and translator.