By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Deadlock Pro Wrestling “Live 3”
Available via DPWondemand.com
October 15, 2023 in Ridgefield Park, N.J. at Phil Sheridan Building
This room was packed with maybe 400 spectators. Rich Bocchini, Veda Scott, and Caprice Coleman provided commentary. Before the Oliver/Malachi match, Veda said they have set an attendance record for this building.
* The show opened with a video of Jay Malachi winning a tournament, then winning the DPW Heavyweight Title.
1. Alec Price and “Miracle Generation” Dustin Waller and Kylon King defeated Marcus Mathers and “Above the Rest” Gabriel Skye and Tristan Thai at 9:04. Skye has been nursing a shoulder injury in recent months. If you don’t know these six… they are among the very best young stars in the Northeast today. Price and Mathers opened. “If you don’t know them yet, you will,” Veda said. Tristan and Waller tagged in and traded quick reversals. Mathers hit a flip dive to the floor at 1:30. Skye hit a springboard corkscrew dive to the floor. Back in the ring, Mathers’ team worked over Waller, with Skye hitting a hard Yes Kick to the chest. Kylon hit a double missile dropkick at 4:30.
King hit a German Suplex on Thai. Price hit a dive over the top rope. Waller flipped over the ring post to the floor. In the ring, Kylon hit a coast-to-coast missile dropkick on Skye at 6:30. Skye hit a Falcon Arrow on Price. Mathers hit a Canadian Destroyer. Thai hit a stunner on Waller. Thai flipped Waller at his teammates, who hit a kneestrike. Nice. Waller hit a top-rope 450 Splash for a nearfall at 8:00. Kylon hit a second-rope superplex on Mathers. Waller hit a Mamba Splash on Mathers. Price then nailed the Surprise Kick/step-up mule kick to pin Mathers. Breath-taking action.
2. Labron Kozone defeated Kevin Blackwood at 7:15. Kozone is a muscular Black man; think Kofi Kingston. (Caprice has name-dropped him a few times recently on ROH TV for training young stars.) Quick reversals and a standoff, with fans chanting “both these guys!” Blackwood hit a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall at 1:00. Kozone hit a belly-to-belly suplex and a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes and this is stiff action. Blackwood hit another doublestomp to the chest. Kozone hit a flying forearm at 3:30. Kevin hit another top-rope doublestomp, then a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall.
Kozone hit a top-rope chokeslam powerbomb, and he was bleeding from the mouth; Caprice said Kozone has lost a tooth. They traded more forearm shots. Blackwood hit a German Suplex at 6:00 then a Helluva Kick, then a top-rope doublestomp to the back for a nearfall. Kozone nailed a decapitating clothesline. Kozone placed Blackwood on the top rope and he hit a second-rope clothesline for the pin. A close-up showed the loose tooth in Kozone’s mouth. Wow, that was hard-hitting.
3. Masha Slamovich defeated Takumi Iroha and Mio Momono in a three-way at 9:04. Masha competed in Japan days ago and in California less than 24 hours ago, and Veda talked about how all three were in San Francisco so they are all battling jet lag. Momono wore pink, yellow and green. Iroha wore a full-body shiny red outfit and she has red hair. Mio choked Iroha in the ropes with her foot. Iroha hit a snap suplex on Mio for a nearfall at 2:00, and she applied a Boston Crab. Masha hit a splash on Iroha for a nearfall. Mio hit a huracanrana, dropping Masha onto Iroha. Mio hit a dropkick on Iroha at 4:00. Mio got a huracanrana on Iroha.
Iroha missed a Swanton Bomb. Masha missed a Swanton Bomb and everyone was down. Masha hit a stiff kick to Mio’s back, then a senton for a nearfall at 6:30. Iroha applied a Boston Crab on Masha while also having Mio trapped between them. Cool spot. Iroha hit a German Suplex on Mio for a nearfall. Masha hit a spin kick to Iroha’s head. Masha nailed her White Knight Driver/piledriver on Mio for the pin. That was a blast. The crowd chanted “please come back!” at them.
* Masha got on the mic and she issued a challenge to DPW Women’s Champion Emi Sakura at the next show in North Carolina.
* Anthony Henry and JD Drake hit the ring. They are the DPW Tag Team Champions and they have issued an open challenge to anyone for a “proving grounds match,” which means they need to win to earn a title shot. Drake said “the only horse shit is the shitty-ass tag teams that have come out of New Jersey.” He ripped on the local sports teams. Drake said it can only be a team they have NOT faced before. Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini came out of the back, but JD reiterated the challenge is only open to teams they haven’t faced before. Ku said he has a team lined up. Out of the back came… James Drake and Zack Gibson!!!!
4. “The Grizzled Young Veterans” James Drake and Zack Gibson defeated “The Workhorsemen” JD Drake and Anthony Henry in a Proving Ground Match at 12:42. The crowd POPPED when GYV (f/k/a The Dyad) came out of the curtain. Henry and Gibson traded mat holds to open. JD tagged in to face James, and the Drakes locked up. James hit a top-rope crossbody block at 3:00 on JD. JD hit a bodyslam on Gibson and a falling headbutt. The GYV hit some quick team moves on JD. Henry hit a running penalty kick on the ring apron at 5:00, and the WHM began working over James in their corner. JD backed James into a corner and hit some deafening chops.
JD hit a DDT on James Drake. Zack made the hot tag at 8:00 and he cleared the ring. He repeatedly stomped on Henry in the corner. Zack dove through the ropes onto JD. James flew onto Henry. In the ring, Zack hit a spike brainbuster on Henry and tied up his left arm. JD hit a Shining Wizard on Gibson at 10:00. Henry hit a top-rope doublestomp to the chest. JD nailed a top-rope moonsault on Zack for a believable nearfall, but James made the save. James and Henry traded forearm strikes, and James hit an enziguri. Henry hit a German Suplex; James popped up and hit a superkick.
The GYV hit a team Lungblower to the jaw, but JD pulled the ref from the ring to stop the count. Henry hit a low blow on Henry at 12:30! Henry got a belt, but Ku suddenly appeared at ringside and took it away! Zack rolled up Henry for the pin! The WHM were incredulous, and Bocchini reiterated that the Grizzled Young Veterans have earned a title shot!
* Intermission. A countdown clock on the screen; I wasn’t watching live so I could fast-forward.
5. Bryan Keith defeated Mike Bailey, Dominic Garrini, and Kevin Ku in a four-way to retain the DPW National Title at 19:02. All four of these guys were competing in California on Saturday. Just weeks ago, teammates Ku and Garrini squared off in a tournament in Black Label Pro Wrestling, so they have fought recently, and they came to the ring together. The crowd chanted “all these guys!” before they locked up. Intriguing as it’s clear that Bailey and Keith are making plans. Garrini dropped Keith with a forearm. Keith hit a Mafia Kick on Bailey. Ku slammed Bailey into Keith, and ViF was working together. Ku hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor on Bailey and Keith at 3:00.
All four brawled on the floor, with Ku hitting spin kicks to Bailey’s chest. (Ku and Garrini still have not laid a hand on each other.) They rolled into the ring and stood across from each other! Garrini hit a chop while Ku had his hands clasped behind his back, so Ku hit one back. They hit clotheslines, but then they were pulled out of the ring. Bailey and Keith entered the ring, and Veda noted these two have squared off all over the country this year. They traded kicks at 5:30. Bailey nailed his running Shooting Star Press on Keith for a nearfall. Ku hit an Angle Slam on Bailey, then some running clotheslines in the corner on Bailey, then a Tiger Suplex for a nearfall.
Keith hit an Exploder Suplex on Garrini, then a backbreaker over his knee on Ku for a nearfall. Garrini hit an Exploder Suplex and a German Suplex on Keith at 7:30. Garrini hit some Kawada Kicks on Keith. Bailey hit his Speedball kcks to the ribs on Garrini at 8:30. Garrini hit a hard clotheslien on Keith. All four hit spin kicks and they all collapsed, and this crowd is rightfully HOT for this action. Eveeryone got up and traded forearm shots. Bailey hit a back chop on Keith, and Keith was livid. So, Bailey offered his back for a chop at 11:30. So, they all took turns hitting back chops. “It’s worse when you can’t see it coming,” Veda explained. Of course, Bailey ended the back chops by kicking Garrini.
In a nice spot, Keith got a double backslide on ViF for a nearfall at 14:30. They worked together to beat down Keith. Bailey hit a superkick on Keith. Bailey hit his Triangle Moonsault to the floor. Bailey hit his moonsault kneedrop on Garrini’s chest on the ring apron at 16:00. Keith hit a top-rope superplex on Bailey. Ku hit a brainbuster on Keith, then a top-rope doublestomp on Keith for a nearfall. ViF hit the Chasing the Dragon kick-and-brainbuster combo on Keith, but the ref refused to count for both of them. So, Garrini and Ku stood up and traded chops. Ku nailed a fisherman’s buster. Keith hit the Tiger Driver. Bailey hit his moonsault kneedrop on Keith, then the Tornado Kick. Bailey hit his Ultima Weapon. Keith hit a running knee but Bailey popped up. Keith hit a sit-out powerbomb to pin Bailey. Fantastic.
6. Jay Malachi defeated Jordan Oliver to retain the DPW Heavyweight Title at 12:02. Oliver is among what is at least nine wrestlers on this show who competed in California on Saturday. Jordan charged at the bell and he hit a Helluva Kick and a standing powerbomb, then an Acid Kick, then a second powerbomb all in the first 30 seconds of the match! Jay hit a Mali-cutter and a top-rope frogsplash at 1:30. Jay hit a dive to the floor. They traded chops on the ring apron. Jordan hit a brainbuster on the hard floor! In the ring, Jordan grounded Malachi. He hit a standing neckbreaker at 5:00.
Jordan hit a spike piledriver for a nearfall, and he immediately locked in a crossface. Malachi hit a Frankensteiner for a nearfall at 8:00. Jay hit an enziguri and a springboard crossbody block for a nearfall. Oliver hit his Cleopatra stunner. Jay hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall, then a frogsplash for a nearfall at 10:00. Jay came off the top rope but Oliver caught him coming down with a stunner. Oliver immediately hit a Clout Cutter for a believable nearfall. Jay hit the top-rope Mali-cutter/fadeaway stunner for the clean pin. That was really good, too.
* Before Jay even was able to put his belt back on, Alec Price hit the ring. He said “that title deserves to be in the northeast.” The crowd immediately chanted “Northeast Beast!” at him. He made it clear he wants a title shot. Malachi told him if he wants a title shot, Price needs to “come to my turf” and fight him in North Carolina next month. A really good post-match segment.
* A short intermission. When we return, there is barbed wire wrapped around some of the ropes and a barbed-wire bat in the ring.
7. Colby Corino defeated Krule in an anything-goes last man standing match at 18:39. The storyline is that Corino left the company (when he thought he was legit getting an NXT contract but then it fell through) and now he’s fighting to get his DPW job back. Krule is significantly taller than Corino and he had a nice run in MLW. If you haven’t seen him, it could practically be Luke Gallows in a mask, as they appear to be the same height and overall size and bald. (Krule wears a mask.) Krule entered the ring and grabbed the female ref, drawing boos. Colby hit Krule with a chair to the back to open the match. Krule pulled down his singlet, allowing Colby to push the barbed-wire bat into his chest. Gross.
Krule pushed the bat into Colby’s forehead, and Corino was bleeding significantly. Yuck. Corino used a drill on Krule. I’m not enjoying this. Krule hit a chairshot across the back at 6:30. Krule slammed Corino across an open chair, which collapsed. Krule pushed Corino into the barbed wire ropes. Corino dove through the ropes at 10:30. In the ring, Corino threw a barbed-wire chair at Krule. Corino leapt off a ladder in the ring and crashed onto Krule, who was lying on a table on the floor, at 12:00. That was an insane spot.
Back in the ring, Colby wrapped barbed wire around his knee, then hit a kneestrike to Krule’s mask. Krule hit a backbreaker over his knee then a Jarrett-style Stroke faceplant, and they were both down. Colby leapt off a short stage and stomped onto Krule at 15:30. He put a chair around Krule’s neck and he hit it with another chair. Colby went under the ring and pulled out a table covered in barbed wire. They fought on the short entrance stage. Corino hit a Tornado DDT off the stage and through the table! Corino clearly injured his left arm as he landed. Corino got to his feet, but Krule did not, so Colby won. The referees RUSHED, and I do mean rushed, Corino to the back to get medical attention. I don’t want to speculate on the damage to his arm, but it looked serious.
Final Thoughts: What a great show. I’ll go with the four-way for best match, Jay-Oliver for second place, and the debuting GYV earning third place in their return. They looked fresh and motivated and fit right in. The four-way so much fun because they are all presented as babyfaces, but with two of them being teammates, it added a fresh wrinkle into the match.
My only complaint is that DPW didn’t bring enough of their top North Carolina-area guys to New Jersey. That opening six-man was fun, but if they had included, say a third three-man team formed of Bojack, Lucky Ali, and Diego Hill, that would have been even better. I wanted to see more of those first-time matches. Again, that opening six-man was great, but that match could have happened on any show in the Northeast.
I certainly hope Corino’s injuries are minor and just flesh wounds, and not a broken bone (see below for an update). While I can do without the blood and barbed wire, they put together a hardcore match that kept the fans engaged.
DPW was already among the top indies in my opinion, not just for workrate of its stars, but for quality of lighting, sound, announcing, and overall presentation. The debut of the Grizzled Young Veterans will bring a lot of new attention to them.
Ayyy if you’re worried about me, don’t be!
10+ stitches later and I am good as new. Can y’all believe this is the first time I ever needed sutures? pic.twitter.com/c13Vns58rl
— Colby Corino (@ColbyCorino) October 16, 2023
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