By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Deadlock Pro Wrestling “You Already Know”
January 17, 2025 in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey at The Mecca
Released January 21, 2025 via DPWondemand.com
It is worth noting this show ran against the C*4 show in Canada; a lot of guys on these two shows have competed in both promotions.
This city is just west of New York city. I’ve seen multiple promotions run from this venue. Lighting is good and the building is packed with 250 or so fans. Rich Bocchini, Veda Scott and Caprice Coleman provided commentary.
1) “Miracle Generation” Dustin Waller and Kylon King vs. Ichiban and Diego Hill. I’m a big fan of all four of these guys. Kylon and Dustin have ‘not been on the same page’ of late in other promotions so we’ll see if that carries over here. Kylon and Ichiban opened with quick mat reversals; I see fans standing against the back wall because the room is so packed, as these two traded armdrags. Diego and Waller got in and traded quick reversals; Diego is soooo underrated. He hit a running Shooting Star Press at 2:30. Waller hit a plancha on Diego, while Kylon hit a standing moonsault on Ichiban, and those two traded chops. Kylon hit a spinebuster for a nearfall at 4:00, and he applied a half-crab, as the MG kept Ichiban in their corner.
Ichiban hit a suplex on Kylon, but he couldn’t tag out. Diego finally got the hot tag and he hit some quick kicks on each opponent. He hit a Cradle Shock on Waller for a nearfall at 6:00. Ichiban hit a top-rope twisting neckbreaker on Kylon, and Diego hit a top-rope 450 Splash on Kylon! Waller got in and fought Diego. Ichiban hit a dive through the ropes at 8:00. Kylon hit an Asai Moonsault on Ichiban. Diego hit a dive to the floor. In the ring, he hit his spin kick on Waller. MG hit stereo kicks on Diego as Hill was going for a Lionsault. Kylon hit a top-rope superplex, and Waller immediately hit the Mamba Splash to pin Diego. That was a great, fast-pace opener. They all hugged afterwards.
Dustin Waller and Kylon King defeated Ichiban and Diego Hill at 9:38.
2. Kylie Rae vs. Queen Aminata. I’ll note that there were two shows in Chicago on this night, too, but WWE ID prospect Kylie came out here instead. Aminata locked her in a headlock and kept Kylie grounded early on. Aminata backed her into a corner and hit some punches. They fought to the floor; the fans are too close to the ring here but again, this room is packed. Kylie whipped her into rows of hard chairs at 5:00. (Not metal folding chairs here!) She got a nearfall in the ring. Aminata hit a snap suplex. Rae hit a rolling cannonball for a nearfall. Aminata hit a release German Suplex at 7:30 and they were both down.
They got up and traded forearm strikes, and Aminata hit a twisting neckbreaker, then a running kick as Kylie was in the ropes. Kylie raked the eyes, hit a Russian Leg Sweep, and tied Aminata in a crossface, but the Queen got a foot on the ropes at 10:00. Aminata nailed a running Air Raid Crash for a believable nearfall. She hit a snap suplex. They traded rollups. Aminata nailed a stiff headbutt and got the pin! A really good match.
Queen Aminata defeated Kylie Rae at 11:22.
* Backstage, the Miracle Generation celebrated their win. They want to be tag champs here!
3. 1 Called Manders vs. Adam Priest. Priest is a proud Alabama heel and he draws great heat. Manders hit some loud chops that dropped Priest. Priest hit a German Suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. They did the spot where they both got suplexed over the top rope to the floor at 5:00. Manders rammed Priest shoulder-first into the ring post and slammed Priest onto the apron. Priest focused on the left knee. In the ring, Manders hit a stiff clothesline for a nearfall at 8:00. Priest missed a frogsplash. Manders hit another clothesline while on his knees for a nearfall. Priest hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 10:30 and he was irate at the ref! Priest hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip on the damaged knee, and he applied a half-crab. Manders held up a middle finger as he tapped out. Great crowd heat here.
1 Called Manders defeated Adam Priest at 11:38.
* Backstage, Trevor Lee arrived. He was asked who will be his tag partner later, and Lee said even if he told us, we wouldn’t believe it.
4. Titus Alexander vs. Kevin Blackwood in a No. 1 contender’s match. These two have met here before. Again, Titus just returned from a NOAH tour in Japan, and he’s a top 10 indy talent. They immediately tied up each other’s arms. They traded forearm strikes at 3:30, and they fought to the floor. Blackwood hit a running Penalty Kick on the apron. In the ring, Titus shook the ropes to cause Titus to fall and be crotched in the corner at 6:00. Titus hit a suplex and was in charge. He hit some stiff kicks to the spine, but Kevin invited him to hit more! Kevin hit a Helluva Kick. Titus hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 8:30. Blackwood hit an Exploder suplex and a basement dropkick in the corner for a nearfall at 10:00.
Bocchini noted these two are both former West Coast Pro champs. Titus hit a twisting neckbreaker for a nearfall. Titus hit a uranage but missed a standing moonsault. He hit a German Suplex. (A 10-minute call came at 11:15! That is about as late as it gets!) They hit stereo clotheslines and were both down. Blackwood hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Titus hit a second-rope Death Valley Driver, then a Lethal Injection and a running knee for a believable nearfall at 13:30. Blackwood hit an enzuigiri and a brainbuster for a nearfall, then a tombstone piledriver for a nearfall. Blackwood came off the top rope, but Titus hit a superkick. Blackwood hit a Helluva Kick, then a top-rope doublestomp on the collarbone for the pin. A very good match.
Kevin Blackwood defeated Titus Alexander at 15:39.
* Backstage, Adam Priest boasted about his win. We then went to the babyface locker room, where Andrew Everett, BK Westbrook, and LaBron Kozone wondered who will be Trevor Lee’s mystery partner. They tossed around a few names, so rule those out! Everett and BK came out first, then Trevor. He introduced his partner… It’s Calvin Tankman! He’s been out with an injury for a month or so.
5. Andrew Everett and BK Westbrook vs. Trevor Lee and Calvin Tankman. BK and Trevor opened and traded reversals on the mat. Lee hit a spin kick to the chest at 2:00 and celebrated. Everett tagged in, so Lee scrambled to his corner to tag in Calvin. Everett hit some spin kicks to the massive thighs. Calvin missed a buttsplash. Calvin and Lee worked over Everett in their corner. Everett hit a Lionsault, and BK hit his own Lionsault at 6:00. Everett hit an Asai Moonsault to the floor. In the ring, Calvin hit a Pounce on BK and that popped the crowd.
Calvin backed BK into a corner and hit some LOUD chops. (Calvin’s a heel but the crowd chanted “one more time!”) Lee hit a backbreaker over his knee at 8:30 as the heels now worked over Westbrook. Lee dropped him snake-eyes and hit a Shining Wizard; this 10-minute call is actually on. Tankman got back in and hit more chops, wearing out BK’s chest. Tankman nailed a splash to the mat for a nearfall at 12:00. He dropped BK with a forearm strike. BK hit a Mafia Kick and a DDT on Calvin, and they were both down. Everett got the hot tag and battled Lee, and he hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 14:30. Everett dove through the ropes on Calvin, so BK hit a dive, too! Everett hit another, so BK hit another! In the ring, Everett nailed a Poison Rana on Lee. BK hit a Sliced Bread on Lee for a believable nearfall, but Tankman made the save.
BK was flipped onto Everett! Calvin hit a back suplex move onto both babyfaces at 17:00 and that got a “Holy shit!” chant. BK and Everett hit stereo superkicks on Tankman, then on Lee, for a nearfall on Trevor, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Everett hit his top-rope Shooting Star Press on Lee for a believable nearfall at 18:30. This has been great. Everett low-bridged the top rope, and Calvin crashed to the floor. Lee hit a powerbomb and pinned Everett. The ref messed up and stopped counting, but then determined that it was a pin after all. They checked on Everett to see if he was okay; I think he was supposed to kick out, but maybe he got knocked loopy on that powerbomb. Finish aside, that was a tremendous match.
Trevor Lee and Calvin Tankman defeated Andrew Everett and BK Westbrook at 19:32.
* Backstage, Kevin Blackwood talked about his early losses here, but he’s been training, he’s been traveling, and he’s competed in Japan. “From now on, it’s Kevin Blackwood’s time,” he said.
6. LaBron Kozone vs. Starboy Charlie for the DPW National Title. Charlie was a late replacement for Leon Slater. Kozone is looking more and more like a young Booker T, and he has the size advantage. A feeling-out process to open; I doubt these two have fought before. Charlie hit a chop-block, then a basement dropkick, then a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 2:30. Kozone hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall, then a suplex. Charlie hit some jab punches. Kozone hit a clothesline in the corner at 6:30, but he missed a senton. Charlie nailed a Pele Kick, then a Lionsault Press on a standing Kozone, then a bodyslam, then his second-rope Cosmic Swirl twisting press for a nearfall at 9:00.
Charlie leapt off the top rope but Kozone turned it into a Choke Bomb for a believable nearfall. Charlie got some rollups. Kozone nailed a Burning Hammer and a standing powerbomb. Charlie hit a standing powerbomb. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees at 13:00, then while standing. Charlie hit a superkick; Kozone hit an enzuigiri, and that popped the crowd. Charlie hit his Poison Rana for a nearfall, then an enzuigiri for a nearfall. Kozone charged into the corner but crashed into the ring post. Charlie went for a top-rope Shooting Star Press, but Kozone got his knees up! Kozone hit a stiff clothesline, then another one, to score the pin. That was fantastic.
LaBron Kozone defeated Starboy Charlie to retain the DPW National Title at 15:41.
* Adam Priest snuck in the ring to attack, but Kozone turned around, and Priest backed off. Kevin Blackwood got in the ring, and he wanted to fight Priest now!
* Backstage, Trevor Lee and Kevin Blackwood celebrated their win. Lee said all that Everett does is disappoint the fans.
7. Jake Something vs. Ace Austin for the Deadlock Pro Title. Ace is not a regular on this roster. Bocchini said he doesn’t have an update yet on Everett; it is clear by the way they spoke that he got knocked loopy on that powerbomb to end the match. Obviously, Jake has a size advantage, and Ace stalled in the ropes rather than lock up. A feeling-out process early on. They went to the floor, where Jake hit his running body block at 4:00, and they traded punches at ringside. (Again, it is astonishing to see fans standing against the back wall; this is truly at capacity!) Jake chokeslammed him onto the ring apron. In the ring, Jake hit some more body blocks. Ace hit a huracanrana, but Jake held on, got to his feet, and hit a powerbomb for a nearfall, and they were both down at 7:00.
Jake whipped Ace into the corner, then a spear into the corner. Ace hit an enzuigiri into the corner at 9:00. Ace hit a back suplex and a series of guillotine leg drops, and he applied a leg lock around the neck. Jake hit a backbody drop at 13:00, then a clothesline into the corner, then a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Ace jumped on Jake’s back and applied a sleeper. Jake escaped and clocked him with a forearm strike. Ace hit a Bey-style OsCutter for a nearfall and they were both down at 16:30. Jake hit another forearm that sent Ace to the floor. Ace hit a plancha to the floor, then a spin kick in the ring. Jake hit another sit-out powerbomb. Jake hit an Into The Void (Black Hole Slam) for the pin. Good match, but I never once thought the title was in jeopardy of changing hands.
Jake Something defeated Ace Austin to retain the Deadlock Pro Title at 19:45.
* Calvin Tankman came out of the back and stared down Jake; referees stopped Calvin from coming to the ring.
* Backstage, Titus Alexander was asked about his loss. He got angry, went into the locker room, and attacked LaBron Kozone!
Final thoughts: I have repeatedly written that watching a current DPW show is like watching a classic 2004-era ROH show. The wrestling is top notch, the production is top-notch, the commentary is top-notch. This is a tough one to rank, but I’ll go with LaBron vs. Charlie for best match, the Tankman/Lee tag for second, and Blackwood vs. Titus takes third. The initial reaction was to blame the ref on the finish to the tag match, but it became clear that Everett was supposed to kick out there. (With them so close to the time limit, I think it was supposed to be a draw.)
When WWE announced they were starting an ID program, I made a list of 25 men and 10 women on the indy scene who deserve a contract. Kylie Rae got one. This show features seven guys (Titus, Kylon, Waller, Diego, Charlie, Priest and Tankman) who made my list, and I noted in that column that the only reason I left Blackwood off is because he’s in his mid-30s. Point being, this lineup is filled with competitors that I believe are the future of wrestling.
I absolutely love this commentator trio; very few people can pull it off, but they really make it work. It still feels weird to not see Mike Bailey on shows that Veda is doing commentary. I have speculated he is having issues with his visa (and to be clear, I have no knowledge on that), as it just feels weird to have Bailey — who has been such a workhorse — suddenly take more than a month off.
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