By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, Impact Wrestling, MLW, ROH, GCW, and other notable live events. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
Deadlock Pro Wrestling “No Pressure”
Available via DPWOndemand.com
May 21, 2023 in Durham, N.C. at Durham Convention Center
Rich Bocchini and Caprice Coleman provided commentary. I am a big fan of DPW and they have a great roster of unknowns. This room is packed with perhaps 300-400 fans. DPW rarely airs shows live; they edit them and release them later, as they did here.
Youtube Pre-Show (36 minutes)
1. Alexander Moss defeated Mason Myles (w/Donnie Ray) at 6:10. Myles is short and white with a large eagle tattoo on his chest. Moss is a Black man with a decent physique and he’s the heel. Moss hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 2:30. Myles hit a hard kick in the corner. Myles hit a tornado DDT and a Death Valley Driver, but Moss rolled to the floor. MMoss got a weapon but Donnie Ray hopped on the ring apron and stole it. However, Moss hit a low blow and a brainbuster for the cheap win.
* Myles and Donnie Ray argued after the match; Ray shoved him to the mat and immediately apologized. Myles was livid; he rolled to the floor, barked at Ray, and headed to the back alone. Intriguing.
2. Labron Kozone defeated Diego Hill and Oliver Sawyer in a “Golden Opportunity” qualifying match at 7:50. Kozone is a Black man with a great physique; he has his hair pulled up on the top of his head, like Kofi Kingston frequently has. I am so impressed with Diego Hill, who I always compare to as a cross of Cedric Alexander and Wes Lee. I don’t think I’ve seen Sawyer before; he’s white, young, and average build. Diego hit a spin kick into the corner on Sawyer, sending him to the floor. Diego hit a huracanrana by launching himself out of the ropes. Cool, and we got a “both these guys!” chant. More quick moves and a standoff. Sawyer hopped in the ring and shoved his opponents together, and the crowd booed Oliver.
Kozone powerbombed Diego onto the ring apron, then he whipped his head into the guardrail. The commentators said Kozone trained Sawyer. Sawyer beat up on both opponents and celebrated. Diego hit a Stundog Millionaire stunner at 4:30. Diego missed a double-jump moonsault. Kozone hit a sit-out powerbomb on Hill for a nearfall, but Sawyer made the save, and they were all down. Diego hit a springboard missile dropkick on both of them at 6:30. Diego then hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor on both, popping the crowd. Diego hit a top-rope frogsplash on Sawyer, but Kozone made the save. Diego hit a huracanrana, then a spin kick on Kozone. However, Kozone nailed a decapitating clothesline to pin Diego. That was awesome.
3. Krule defeated Hunter Baynour at 1:49. I don’t know Baynour; he is a bit chubby and clearly a jobber for the night. When Krule’s music hit, it was like when Kane would wrestle… the crowd reacted in a way that said Hunter is in for a short night. Krule, who wrestled as Mads Krugger in MLW, wears his skull-inspired mask, and he’s billed as seven feet tall. Hunter hit a dropkick that didn’t budge Krule. Krule hit a Mafia Kick that sent Hunter to the floor. In the ring, Krule hit a chokeslam, and the crowd chanted, “one more time!” So, Krule hit a second chokeslam and made a two-handed cover on the chest for the pin.
* Krule teased hitting the referee. He rolled to the floor. He walked by a fan who had his phone out (clearly a plant), grabbed the kid, and dragged him over the guardrail and started beating on him. A masked man got in the ring. He ripped off the mask and it is Colby Corino! Krule stared at him, then left without fighting him. The crowd went NUTS for the return of Colby. Colby called out DPW champ Lucky Ali. Ali came to the ring and said, “How did I become a WWE superstar before you?” (Ali was destroyed by Veer and Sanga a week earlier.) Ali called for Corino to be arrested, because he’s in the ring and “he doesn’t work here.” Corino stood there and let himself be arrested. Ali taunted Corino as he was being taken away.
Main Show
* We opened with a backstage interview with “The Miracle Generation” Kylon King and Dustin Waller, who are rising stars in the Northeast. Waller said “we are on the run of our lives.” We then went to a video montage set to Gavin Rossdale’s “Adrenaline” (one of my favorites; it is in my marathon mix!).
1. “The Workhorsemen” JD Drake and Anthony Henry defeated “The Miracle Generation” Kylon King and Dustin Waller at 10:54. Bocchini and Caprice reminded viewers how the WHM beat down Kevin Ku and Dominic Garinni after WHM lost a cage match. I’ve said this before, but Waller looks like a young Trent Baretta; King is Black with short curly hair. Henry and King started. Waller hit a rolling cannonball in the corner on Drake at 2:00. They all fought on the floor. In the ring, Drake hit deafening chops on King, but he missed a Vader Bomb at 4:30. Henry hit a stiff kick to the spine and the WHM were in charge.
Waller made the hot tag at 7:00 and he hit a Death Valley Driver and a running Shooting Star Press on Henry, then a German Suplex on Drake. King nailed a top-rope springboard moonsault to the floor. In the ring, Waller hit a 450 Splash. King hit a splash. King hit a Poison Rana on Drake. King hit a top-rope superplex on Henry, and Waller immediately nailed a Mamba Splash frogsplash for a believable nearfall, but Drake pulled the ref from the ring! In the ring, Drake hit a spinebuster on Waller. Henry hit a superkick and a top-rope doublestomp to pin Waller. That was awesome.
* Henry got on the mic and said this match, and from the prior night, shows what killers they are. He said they will be in the upcoming tag team festival, and they are coming for Violence is Forever!
2. Nicole Matthews defeated Jada Stone at 8:33. Stone is a short Black woman with long red hair; she’s quite athletic and I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen of her. Matthews, a Canadian, competed in WWE’s Mae Young Classic and in Shimmer; like Mike Bailey, she was banned from entering the United States for five years but she is now allowed to return and compete. Matthews has a signficant height, weight, and ring experience advantage. Matthews kept her grounded early with an anklelock. Stone hit a European Uppercut and a basement dropkick in the corner at 2:30.
Stone went for a standing moonsault, but Matthews got her knees up. Matthews applied a Dragon Sleeper on the mat and hit elbows to Stone’s unprotected stomach. Matthews hit a kneelift to the stomach as Stone was draped in the corner at 4:30. Stone did a bridge to avoid a clothesline, and she hit her own clotheslines. Stone nailed a top-rope moonsault! She then did a backflip-into-a-stunner for a nearfall. Matthews hit a Northern Lights Suplex and she immediately applied a cross-armbreaker; Stone reached the ropes at 7:00.
Matthews tied her up in the ropes and hit some chops and kicks. Stone nailed a second-rope superplex for a nearfall. Matthews nailed a brainbuster, and she applied a modified crossface on the mat, and Stone immediately tapped out. That was really good. Stone shows such great fire and athleticism, but she must be 5’1″ or so, and just was out-sized by Matthews here.
3. Jay Malachi defeated Myron Reed at 11:36. Malachi is an athletic-but-thin Black man (with his purple pants, it’s easy to compare him to Velveteen Dream) and he’s a great babyface with tremendous jumping skills; he appears to be an inch taller, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Myron has the weight advantage. Almost immediately, Malachi hit a dive through the ropes onto Reed; Reed hit a dive onto Malachi. In the ring they traded quick armdrags, simultaneous dropkicks and had a standoff at 1:30. Reed hit an enzuigiri, then a dive over the top rope onto Jay. Reed slammed Jay onto the ring apron. In the ring, Myron kept him grounded with a bearhug on the mat.
Jay nailed a Poison Rana, so Myron hit a Poison Rana. Jay hit a back suplex with a bridge for a nearfall at 5:00 and fans chanted, “Both these guys!” Jay went for a springboard cutter, but Myron caught him and slammed Jay to the mat. Myron went for his stunner over the top rope but Jay caught him; they brawled on the floor. Jay hit a dive with incredibly hang time over the top rope, landing on Myron as they crashed into the rows of empty chairs at 7:30. WOW. In the ring, Myron hit a slingshot powerbomb for a nearfall, and we have a “this is awesome!” chant. Reed hit an enzuigiri, then a swinging Flatliner for a nearfall at 9:30.
Myron hit the leaping cutter over the top rope, with them both crashing to the floor. In the ring, Myron hit a superkick. Jay hit a springboard Spanish Fly. Reed hit a mid-ring stunner. Jay hit a Clout Cutter, then a double-jump Clout Cutter for the pin. That was amazing, and a nice win for Malachi over an established, well-known indy talent. They shook hands and hugged after, with fans again chanting, “both these guys!”
* Lucky Ali (w/BK Westbrook) came to the ring. He apparently has an open challenge tonight, but he’s not happy about it. He said he defended the title last night, so he doesn’t understand why he’s defending it again here. Out of the back came Andrew Everett. He has the DPW National Title belt on his shoulder. However, he’s not the challenger! He called out… Jackson Drake! Drake looks like he’s still a teen but he’s shown good fire. Ali made fun of Drake for losing on Raw (to Veer and Sanga) earlier in the week. (Funny, because Lucky Ali was Drake’s teammate in that match.) The fans taunted Ali for also losing, but Ali said it was someone else.
4. Jay Malachi (w/BK Westbrook) defeated Jackson Drake to retain the DPW Heavyweight Title at 11:24. Drake is white, young and athletic. He hit a series of punches in the corner. Drake hit a dive through the ropes at 1:30, and they brawled over the guardrail and into the crowd. Back in the ring, Malachi was in charge. Drake hit a series of clotheslines for a nearfall at 6:00. Jay hit a thrust to the throat. Drake hit a Lionsault for a nearfall. Malachi hit a butterfly suplex, then a clothesline to the back of the head for a nearfall at 8:30, and Caprice went nuts for the kickout.
Drake hit a tornado DDT, then a modified Jackhammer. However, he missed a top-rope doublestomp, but he hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly. This time, he hit the top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall at 10:00. They traded mid-ring punches. Malachi slammed Drake into the corner, then he hit Lance Archer’s Blackout slam for the pin. Good match, but I never bought Drake as potentially winning here.
* BK Westbrook beat up Drake after the match and ‘covered’ him, with Malachi acting as referee and making the “three count.”
5. Bryan Keith defeated Kevin Blackwood at 13:05. Well, this should be hard-hitting. Keith, the Black man from Texas, wore his Mexican poncho and cowboy hat. Blackwood, best known for his PWG run and some AEW Elevation matches, is heavily tattoed. They almost immediately traded STIFF forearm shots. Keith hit a Mafia Kick at 2:30. Blackwood hit some stiff kneestrikes and kicks to the spine. They traded more hard chops. Blackwood draped Keith on the top rope and hit a doublestomp on his back for a nearfall at 6:30.
Keith hit some Yes Kicks to the chest and was in charge. He hit a kneestrike to the jaw, but Blackwood caught him on a second attempt. Blackwood hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 9:00 and he jawed at the referee. He missed a top-rope doublestomp. Keith hit a stunner and an enzuigiri, then a sit-out powerbomb. Blackwood hopped up and hit a doublestomp to the collarbone, and they were both down. They got up and traded more forearm shots and kicks. The crowd is hot. They hit headbutts and were staggered. Blackwood hit a brainbuster, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall at 11:30. Keith hit him with a running kneestrike to the jaw for a nearfall, then a Tiger Bomb powerbomb for the pin. That was great stuff.
* A video package aired of Violence is Forever, showing off their tag title belts, and footage of their prior matches, including some from the recent Japan tour.
6. “Violence is Forever” Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini defeated “MSP” DangerKid and Aiden Aggro to retain the DPW Tag Team Titles at 14:29. DangerKid has orange hair with pink streaks and he’s white and a bit heavy for a high-flyer; Aggro is Black with short dreadlocks. I have seen them maybe three times before; and they are both smaller than the champs. A huge pop for ViF, especially coming off their wild cage match victory against Workhorsemen recently. MSP attacked at the bell and got a nearfall just seconds in. They all brawled on the floor, but Ku and Garrini slammed their opponents’ backs together.
In the ring, ViF hit a Demolition-style second-rope kneedrop to the throat, and they were in charge, as they worked over Aggro in their corner. Aggro hit a spike DDT on Garrini for a nearfall at 6:00. Ku hit a flying kick as Garrini hit a back suplex on Aggro. DangerKid hit a clothesline on Garrini at 11:00. MSP slammed Garrini onto Ku and they got a nearfall. Garrini hit a Samoa Joe-style Musclebuster, and Ku followed with a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a believable nearfall, and suddenly everyone was down. MSP hit a team Lungblower move. DangerKid hit a top-rope senton splash for a nearfall.
Ku hit a second-rope moonsault to the floor at 14:00. In the ring, ViF hit a team chokeslam move on Aggro, then the Chasing the Dragon spin kick-and-brainbuster combo on Aggro for the pin. Very good match, but again, I never though the challengers were winning here.
7. Calvin Tankman defeated BoJack at 18:08. These big Black men are both perhaps 350 to 400 pounds wth long dreadlocks; they really are mirror images of each other. They immediately brawled to the floor and traded heavy shots. They returned to ringside at 4:00. They traded blows in the ring and BoJack was in charge. They traded forearm shots as they fought on the ring apron at 8:30 and BoJack hit a kick to the face. BoJack lifted Calvin and slammed him onto the ring apron — that is a big man to do that to! The ref checked on the prone Tankman on the floor. He got back into the ring before being counted out at 11:00.
Tankman hit a springboard twisting crossbody block for a nearfall, and that move got a huge pop. BoJack hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 13:30. BoJack hit several clotheslines before Tankman finally fell to a knee; he hit another hard clothesline that dropped Calvin. BoJack hit a massive bodyslam for a nearfall. We were informed we have five minutes remaining in the time limit. They fought on the ropes in the corner, and Tankman hit a suplex, with BoJack barely rotating in time before landing on his head, and they were both down.
They got up and BoJack hit some stiff forearms and a superkick. Tankman hit his pop-up spinning back fist. Tankman put BoJack on his shoulders and hit a Death Valley Driver into the corner at 18:00. Tankman then nailed a hard back elbow to the jaw for the pin! They got me; I was convinced we were headed to a time-limit draw. Considering the size of both men, this was tremendous. They never appeared winded and kept a good pace throughout. Bravo. They pounded fists together as a sign of respect, and the crowd cheered.
Final Thoughts: Such a great show… I’ll go with Blackwood vs. Keith just ahead of BoJack vs. Tankman for best match, but I wouldn’t argue with anyone who liked the main event more. The Workhorsemen vs. Miracle Generation was a strong match for third place, with Malachi-Reed for honorable mention. Again, these were all quite impressive.
If you asked me, “who is the best indy wrestler you’ve never seen on national TV,” I would reply “Diego Hill.” He is so smooth in the ring. I’ve seen a lot of him here and in other southern indies. The pre-show is on YouTube, so it’s worth checking out, just for that three-way.
When I read prior to the show that Lucky Ali was having an open challenge, I hoped it would be against Colby Corino, who was a regular here before taking time off to join NXT (the deal fell through.) It was an intriguing way they chose to play it out, with Corino making his (entirely expected) return, but he will instead be in a chase position as Ali presumablly will keep ducking him for a month or so. Quite frankly, if fans hadn’t already seen Colby before Ali’s open challenge… that would have been a letdown.
This promotion is vastly underrated. Check them out at deadlockpro.com
Be the first to comment