By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA, 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 “Super Battle”
Available via DPWondemand.com
October 13, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina at Grady Cole Center
This show was released Saturday afternoon on their website. This is a really good crowd of perhaps 600. Rich Bocchini, Caprice Coleman and Veda Scott provided commentary and they are probably the best three-person booth going.
* The lineup was shuffled in the final week due to Anthony Henry’s bicep injury, including our opening match!
1. BK Westbrook and 1 Called Manders and Thomas Shire (w/Andrew Everett) vs. Leon Slater and “Lykos Gym” Kid Lykos and Lykos II. Everett was in his street clothes. Manders and Shire just teamed up in the wXw Tag Tournament in Germany a couple weeks ago. BK (think heel Adam Cole!) and Slater opened and they traded fast-paced reversals. Shire tagged in at 2:30; he’s a massive 6’3″ and he easily picked up the tiny, masked Lykos II. Lykos II tried to pick him up but couldn’t. Shire’s team took turns hitting moves on Lykos II. Lykos II finally got Shire on his shoulders and hit a Death Valley Driver at 5:00 to a massive pop and a “holy shit!” chant. Slater tagged in and traded punches with Manders, and Slater hit a handspring-back-elbow. Slater hit a plancha onto all three opponents.
In the ring, Lykos Gym hit team doublestomps to Manders’ back for a nearfall at 6:30. Manders hit a massive lariat. BK hit a Lionsault for a nearfall and we suddenly had everyone down. Manders and Kid Lykos traded blows, with Manders hitting some chops that dropped KL. Kid Lykos hit a superkick. Manders dropped him stomach-first on the top rope. Lykos II hit a brainbuster on Westbrook. Slater’s team hit dives to the floor, with Leon diving over the ring post. In the ring, Slater hit his Swanton 450 Splash for a believable nearfall, but Manders made the save at 11:00. Shire put both Lykos Gym on his shoulders and did an Airplane Spin, tossing them to the mat. BK hit a top-rope Shooting Star Press to pin Lykos II. That was a blast. I always say you need to start with a high-energy opener and this fit the bill.
BK Westbrook and 1 Called Manders and Thomas Shire defeated Leon Slater and Kid Lykos and Lykos II at 12:09.
2. Danni Bee and Hyan vs. Alex Windsor and Emi Sakura. Hyan just landed in Japan for a tour there (a reminder this show is airing six days after it was recorded.) Hyan and Emi opened, and Hyan dragged her to the mat by her hair. So, Emi did the same to Hyan. Emi tied her in a bow and arrow with the crowd singing along with Emi’s singing. Windsor and Bee entered, with Alex hitting a basement dropkick at 1:30. Alex hit a rolling somersault off the apron onto her opponents. In the ring, Windsor hit some chops on Hyan. Hyan tossed Windsor to the floor, where Bee stomped on Alex, and the heel team took over. Windsor hit a stiff headbutt on Danni at 5:00 and they were both down. Emi hit a Vader Bomb for a nearfall.
Emi tied up both heels. Windsor tagged back in, but Bee hit a Lungblower to the back. Emi hit her upside down butterfly-into-a-backbreaker over her knee. Windsor hit a back suplex on Hyan and everyone was down at 8:00 and this crowd was hot. They got up and all four traded punches. Hyan and Windsor traded open-hand slaps. Hyan and Bee hit stereo dives through the ropes at 9:30. Hyan hit a top-rope crossbody block onto both opponents. Emi hit her backbreaker over her knee on Hyan. Windsor hit a Shining Wizard on Hyan, but Bee pulled the ref from the ring! Bee and Emi fought on the floor. Meanwhile, Hyan and Windsor traded blows in the ring. Hyan got a rollup and pinned Windsor. A really good match; the crowd booed the outcome.
Danni Bee and Hyan defeated Alex Windsor and Emi Sakura at 11:43.
* Backstage, ‘Team Manders’ celebrated their victory. Andrew Everett said he will be cleared soon. He suggested Everett and BK vs. Shire and Manders.
3. Kenta vs. Kevin Blackwood. This should be stiff! Kenta wore his “Go2Sleep Club” shirt. Kevin wore brown-and-yellow trunks that are definitely Kenta’s colors; Kenta refused a handshake. Caprice said this is a first-ever singles match, which I presumed. Intense, fast-paced mat reversals to open. They got up and started trading stiff forearm strikes at 2:30, and Veda said we knew “this was the direction this match was heading.” Kevin it a doublestomp to the chest. Kenta hit a stiff kick to Kevin’s back, then he sat down and let Kevin kick his spine! Kevin did the same, and Kenta hit another stiff one. Kevin let Kenta hit a roundhouse kick to the chest, then Kenta let Kevin hit one! Signs of respect and showing how ‘tough’ they are. Kenta hit a second-rope kneedrop across the back of Kevin’s neck at 6:00.
They got up and traded blows. Kevin hit a second-rope missile dropkick and they were both down at 8:30. Kevin hit a German Suplex then a pumphandle back suplex for a believable nearfall. Kenta again hit a second-rope kneedrop across the back of the head right at the 10:00 call, and we have 5 minutes remaining. Kenta hit a DDT. Kenta hit a Helluva Kick and a basement dropkick into the corner, but he missed a top-rope doublestomp. He hit a powerslam. Kenta set up for Go To Sleep but Blackwood escaped and they traded open-hand slaps to the face!
Blackwood hit an enzuigiri and a stiff clothesline at 12:00 then a brainbuster for a nearfall. Kenta hit a flying clothesline and they were both down. Kenta again went for Go To Sleep but Blackwood caught the leg! Kevin hit a top-rope doublestomp on a standing Kenta for a believable nearfall, then a running penalty kick. Kenta hit a running knee, then a Shining Wizard for a believable nearfall. Kenta finally hit the Go To Sleep for the pin. WOW that was great. The winner was never in doubt but that met all high expectations. The crowd gave a loud “That was awesome!” chant, the “Please come back!” They shook hands. “Kevin Blackwood has earned Kenta’s respect tonight,” Bocchini said.
Kenta defeated Kevin Blackwood at 14:28.
4. Mike Bailey vs. Labron Kozone in a No. 1 contender’s match for the DPW National Title. Standing switches to open, as the commentators talked about the history of wrestling in this building. Bailey dropped him with a roundhouse kick at 1:30; Kozone dropped him with a hard chop. Mike got up and they traded chops. Kozone dove through the ropes onto Bailey. Bailey hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor. In the ring, Bailey hit a missile dropkick and they were both down at 4:00. Bailey hit a Vader Bomb-style kneedrop to the chest, then his running Shooting Star Press. Kozone caught him and hit a gutbuster over his knee at 5:30. Kozone hit a senton, and Bailey sold the pain in his ribs. Kozone came off the ropes but Bailey caught him with a superkick. Kozone hit a sit-out Michinoku Driver and they were both down at 7:00.
Kozone hit a kip-up enzuigiri. He placed Bailey on the top rope, but Bailey avoided the Ballgame clothesline. Kozone hit a roundhouse kick to the jaw. Bailey hit a superkick for a nearfall at 9:00. Bailey hit a Falcon Arrow and a top-rope Shooting Star Press for a believable nearfall. Bailey hit his Triangle Moonsault to the floor at 10:30. Bailey snapped the left arm across the top rope. In the ring, Kozone hit a Burning Hammer and an overhead powerbomb for a believable nearfall. Bailey applied a cross-armbreaker on the mat, and he hit a moonsault kneedrop to the chest for a nearfall at 12:30, then some moe superkicks. He hit a Tornado Kick in the corner, then the Ultima Weapon moonsault kneedrop for a believable nearfall.
They fought on the top rope, and Kozone hit a Spinebuster to the mat, earning a “holy shit!” chant. Kozone slowly crawled and made a cover but only got a nearfall. Bailey locked in a Fujiwara Armbar at 15:00. They got up and traded punches and open-hand slaps. Kozone placed Bailey on the top rope and hit the Ballgame clothesline for a believable nearfall, and the place went NUTS for the kickout. Kozone hit two more stiff clotheslines and scored the clean pin. That was tremendous.
Labron Kozone defeated Mike Bailey at 16:55.
* Backstage, Kenta spoke about his DPW debut. He said the crowd was great and he loved it. He is open to a rematch with Blackwood at any time.
5. Shoko Nakajima vs. Dani Luna in a women’s tournament finale. The winner gets a title shot. An intense lockup to open. Shoko did a catapult to drop Luna’s neck across the ropes at 2:00 and she took control. Luna hit an Exploder Suplex and a sliding clothesline for a nearfall, and she tied up Shoko’s left arm. Dani hit another snap suplex for a nearfall at 5:30, then a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Shoko hit a clothesline in the corner, a huracanrana, then a dive to the floor at 8:30. Shoko nailed a flip dive through the ropes and landed on her feet. Dani hit a standing powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 10:00. Shoko hit a Northern Lights Suplex, but Dani hit a clothesline and they were both down. Shoko hit a 619 and another Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall, then a Death Rider DDT. Dani hit a German Suplex out of the ropes, then her modified Death Valley Driver and scored the pin. They shook hands afterwards.
Dani Luna defeated Shoko Nakajima to win the tournament at 13:17.
* Dani showed off the trophy that was almost as tall as her and held it above her head. However, Hyan and Danni Bee jumped in the ring and beat up Luna and they destroyed the trophy. The ring bell rang frenetically. Finally, Alex Windsor and Emi Sakura ran into the ring to make the save.
* Backstage, Bailey sold pain in his chin and talked about losing here, but he knows he pushed Kozone to his limit. Bailey said he knows Kozone is a great coach, and this match will benefit all of Kozone’s students.
6. Adam Priest vs. Masato Tanaka for the DPW National Title. This is a “relaxed rules” match, so chairs will be legal. Priest had travel issues and missed last month; I always compare him to Jaime Noble as the short, mat-based gatekeeper. Basic mat reversals early on and Tanaka hit a snap suplex at 3:00. They fought to the floor and Tanaka whipped him into the guardrail, and they brawled at ringside. As Tanaka re-entered the ring, Priest kicked the ropes at 6:00 to crotch Tanaka, and the crowd chanted “Asshole!” at him. Priest whipped him head-first into a chair wedged in the corner. He came off the top rope and hit a chairshot across the top of Tanaka’s head. Tanaka shrugged it off and hit a DDT at 8:30! He hit a tornado DDT.
Priest dropped him face-first across an open chair and was booed some more. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Tanaka hit a chairshot across the head, then a diving forearm, for a believable nearfall at 11:00. Priest avoided a sliding clothesline, and he hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and applied a half-crab, but Tanaka reached the ropes. Tanaka dropped him with a stiff forearm. Priest hit a superplex and a piledriver but Tanaka kicked out at one at 13:00! Priest hit a chairshot to the knee. He again applied a half-crab and dragged Tanaka to the center of the ring, and Tanaka tapped out.
Adam Priest defeated Masato Tanaka to retain the DPW National Title at 13:53.
* Labron Kozone came out of the back and confronted Priest, making it clear he has the next title shot. Priest ducked to the back with no punches thrown.
* Backstage, Dani Luna was thrilled with her victory tonight, but she was enraged at Hyan and Bee for destroying her trophy. (How did she plan to get that huge trophy back to the UK?)
7. “FTR” Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler vs. “Violence is Forever” Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini. The whole crowd sang along to The Cranberries’ hit “Zombie,” and we had a huge pop for FTR’s entrance music, too, and we got a “holy shit!” chant before the bell. Cash and Dominic opened with an intense lockup. Ku and Dax locked up at 2:30. Ku dropped him with a shoulder tackle, and he hit a series of hard chops. Dax fought back with his own hard chops. All four got in and began brawling and the crowd was going nuts. The action spilled to the floor, with Dax paired with Garrini. Back in the ring, ViF began working over Cash in their corner, with Garrini hitting a diving forearm to the back at 7:30. Ku applied a modified Camel Clutch and kept Wheeler grounded.
Harwood got the hot tag at 9:30 and hit punches on each opponent. He hit a hard clothesline that dropped Garrini. Ku and Dax traded chops while holding each other’s left wrist. Dax hit some rolling German Suplexes; Ku hit some of his own German Suplexes. Dax hit another; Ku hit another. Cash hit a standing powerbomb on Garrini. Ku hit a crossbody block on Dax for a nearfall at 13:30, but FTR hit a spike piledriver on Ku for a nearfall. Ku hit a spin kick to Dax’s head and a running knee for a nearfall at 15:00. Dax hit a superplex, and Cash immediately hit a frogsplash on Ku for a believable nearfall. FTR set up for Shatter Machine but Garrini broke it up. Dax and Cash each applied a Sharpshooter! Ku reached the ropes at 17:00 to break the hold.
Dax and Cash accidentally collided! ViF immediately hit the Chasing the Dragon (spin kick and brainbuster combo) for a believable nearfall on Dax! Chase hit a powerslam. FTR hit the Shatter Machine on Garrini for a nearfall, but Ku pulled Dax from the ring! They brawled back to the floor! Ku hit a DDT on Cash on the bare floor. Garrini and Dax fought on the mat, and Dominic applied a Crossface, but Dax held on until the bell. Of course, the fans chanted for “Five more minutes!” Both teams wanted it, but the ref refused, and he left, and the crowd booed the ref.
Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler vs. Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini went to a time-limit draw at 20:08.
* Dax got on the mic and said he’s glad that DPW is alive. “That match is what I live for,” Dax said. And he loves the fans. He put over ViF, and said he anticipates they’ll eventually have a rematch. The fans chanted “Please come back!” Cash got on the mic and said “there’s no way we’re not coming back after a draw!” Cash talked about the destruction in Asheville caused by Hurricane Helene and the money raised on Gofundme by fans. FTR left. Ku got on the mic and thanked the fans and FTR. Ku turned his attention to Jake Something and Mike Bailey, saying they want their tag titles back.
* Backstage, Labron Kozone was pumped about his win and he can’t wait to get his title match against Adam Priest. He said Priest will face Kushida at the next DPW show in November. Kozone said he is looking forward to facing the winner of that match.
* We headed to Danni Bee and Hyan, who were holding the pieces of the destroyed trophy.
* One more backstage segment, where Priest boasted about beating Tanaka. He said he has a busted lip from the match. The interviewer told Priest that he’s facing Kushida next month. Priest was livid that the first time he’s hearing this news is from an interviewer.
8. Calvin Tankman vs. Jake Something for the DPW World Title. An intense lockup to open. They traded shoulder tackles with neither going down. Jake finally dropped him with a shoulder tackle and a running body block at 2:00. Calvin hit a Pounce that sent Jake flying. Calvin said we “Can’t remember his last name because he ain’t shit!” Jake hit a bodyslam at 4:00 and flexed. Calvin hit a second-rope superplex and they were both down. Calvin grabbed his belt and teased that he was leaving. However, Jake hit a dive over the top rope onto Calvin at 7:00, and they brawled at ringside. Jake hit a back bodydrop that sent Calvin over the guardrail and onto some fans (I presume they were plants), and they kept fighting in the crowd. There are maybe 10 rows in the risers and we could really see how many fans were here as they brawled around the room.
Calvin now hit a back bodydrop on the floor as we hit the 10:00 mark. He hit a piledriver on the floor! He buried Jake under some chairs. Jake dove back into the ring at 13:00 to avoid being counted out. Jake hit a hard clothesline then a spear into the corner, then an Into the Void (Black Hole Slam) for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes. Calvin hit a spinning back fist, then a backbreaker over his knee, then a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall at 16:30. Jake hit a chokeslam and was fired up. Calvin hit a pop-up spinning back fist, then the Tankman Driver (piledriver) for a believable nearfall at 18:00. Calvin again grabbed his belt, and Jake’s tag title belt, too! The ref confiscated one, but Tankman hit Jake in the face with the other belt! He got a believable nearfall and the crowd popped at the kickout. Calvin hit a Hidden Blade forearm to the back of the head, then a second Tankman Driver for a nearfall as we hit 20:00.
The crowd chanted, “You can’t beat him!” Tankman missed a top-rope moonsault! Jake hit a hard forearm to the back of the neck, but Tankman kicked out at one! They got up and traded blows, and the crowd was going nuts! Jake hit a Tiger Driver swinging powerbomb! He hit a second Into The Void and pinned Calvin! New champion! I truly didn’t expect that! Jake is now a double champion.
Jake Something defeated Calvin Tankman to win the DPW World Title at 22:49.
* Backstage, Jake was relaxing in a chair and he said a year of hard work has paid off with this win. Bailey walked in and they had a bro-hug. Jake said he recently lost to Donovan Dijak, in a different promotion, and he is calling him out for the next show on Nov. 17!
Final Thoughts: I don’t know how you pick out the best match here because there were so many great bouts here. I’ll go with the main event for best, as I really just assumed Tankman was retaining. (Thank you, wrestling universe, for not spoiling this result.) Bailey-Kozone was second and Kenta-Blackwood was third. FTR-ViF was incredible too, and I wouldn’t argue with anyone who had that as top match. Seriously, four tremendous matches there. And I don’t want to sound like I’m belittling the other four matches, as everything here was so good.
I have written this multiple times now, but Kenta’s matches in North America just seem so much better than his New Japan matches in recent years. The American crowds treat him with such reverence, and he usually meets the moment. This match here was fantastic.
Sure, GCW does more shows and they book some crazy stuff, that some of it works and some doesn’t. But no indy promotion has delivered better shows, month in, month out, than DPW this year. It’s not just the wrestling… it’s the quality of the production, the quality of the three-person booth, and the post-show edits of inserting good promos between matches. If you haven’t seen DPW, check out their website, and they also have a lot of free stuff on their YouTube page.
Be the first to comment