By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
Deadlock Pro Wrestling “Beast Coast”
August 10, 2025, in Jersey City, New Jersey, at the White Eagle
Released August 23, 2025, via DPWondemand.com
This show was released on Saturday on their subscription-only streaming platform. I think very highly of DPW, and I find their production values are well above-average. Rich Bocchini, Veda Scott and Caprice Coleman provided commentary. This is a rather small, attractive two-level room, so it is absolutely packed with 250 people in there. Jersey City is directly west, across the Hudson River, from New York City.
1. Trevor Lee vs. Ryan Clancy in a qualifier to become No. 1 contender for the DPW National Title. Ryan is using Garbage’s “The World is Not Enough” as his intro song and I think that’s perfect for a guy who just returned from an excursion to Japan, and Bocchini just noted that. The crowd was 100% with Clancy. Standing switches to open and they targeted each other’s left arm. Trevor hit a kick to the side of the head in the ropes at 3:30, and Clancy fell to the floor.
Lee dropped him back-first on the apron, and he was in charge as they got back into the ring. He hit a sliding forearm strike for a nearfall at 5:00. Clancy got a backslide for a nearfall, then a jackknife cover for another nearfall at 7:00. Clancy hit a Thesz Press and was fired up. He hit a butterfly suplex for a nearfall. Lee hit his Cave-In jumping stomp to the chest for the pin out of nowhere. A really good opener.
Trevor Lee defeated Ryan Clancy at 8:52.
2. Hyan vs. Yuu in a Battle of the Best first-round tournament match. Yuu is retiring soon; she is on par in size and build with Piper Niven. Hyan charged at the bell, and they locked up, but Hyan couldn’t budge her. Yuu knocked her down with a shoulder tackle, but she missed a senton. Hyan immediately hit a guillotine leg drop, and she repeatedly stomped on Yuu in the corner, and was booed. Yuu missed a buttdrop at 2:00, and Hyan kicked her in the face. Hyan couldn’t budge her on an Irish Whip attempt, and Yuu hit a senton, sending Hyan to the floor to regroup. Yuu steamrolled to the floor and flattened Hyan; I can’t say I’ve seen that before!
Back in the ring, Yuu hit the buttdrop to the chest for a nearfall, and she hit some chops. Hyan hit some forearm strikes that Yuu no-sold. Yuu dropped her with a double-handed chop at 5:00, and the crowd chanted, “I love Yuu!” Hyan tried a sleeper, but Yuu fell backwards to the mat to flatten Hyan. Hyan again tried a sleeper, but Yuu climbed to the second rope and fell backwards to the mat! Hyan eventually let go of the hold. Hyan hit a top-rope crossbody block at 7:30, but Yuu jumped up and hit a shotgun dropkick, then a massive rolling cannonball in the corner, but only got a one-count!
Yuu missed a second-rope splash. Hyan peeled down her knee pad and hit a running knee to the chin. She hit an Unprettier faceplant for a believable nearfall at 9:00; I thought that was it. Yuu hit an airplane spin into a slam to the mat, then a senton for a nearfall. She hit a second-rope frogsplash for a believable nearfall at 10:30. She hit a standing powerbomb for the pin. (I want to state here that I have avoided all spoilers, and I had no idea who was winning this one. I truly could have seen it going either way. That was FUN!).
Yuu defeated Hyan at 10:56.
* Backstage, Trevor Lee celebrated his win. He asked an off-screen cameraman who else has qualified. The cameraman replied that BK Westbrook has qualified. Lee cackled.
3. Emi Sakura vs. Mei Suruga in a Battle of the Best first-round tournament match. Emi trained Mei, and I’ve seen these two tie up before. “The queen is in the house!” Caprice shouted as Emi walked to the ring. Emi easily tossed the tiny Mei to the mat at the bell. They tied up in a knuckle lock at 1:00. Mei hit some creative armdrags and rolled Emi around on the mat. Emi tied up Mei on the mat and got the crowd to chant along with her singing as she tied Mei in a surfboard at 3:00. Mei walked the top rope, then walked it backwards, until Emi yanked her down to the mat at 5:00 and was booed.
They fought to the floor and up onto a stage! They traded chops in front of the fans seated on the stage. They seriously could not get more fans in this building. People are lined up against the wall. Emi teased a Razor’s Edge off the stage, but luckily, Mei escaped! We had a “please don’t die!” chant. Mei dove off the stage onto Emi on the floor. (It’s only maybe a four-foot drop, but it looked great!) They got back into the ring at 7:30. Emi immediately hit an Alex Shelley-style Shellshock swinging faceplant, a splash into the corner, and a backbreaker over her knee.
Mei hit a back-body drop, but Emi immediately hit a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker over her knee at 9:30. This is really clicking, and the crowd was totally into it. They traded rollups for nearfalls, and Mei hit a dropkick. Mei got a Victory Roll and a doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall at 11:00. Emi held Mei upside down and hit the backbreaker over her knee for a believable nearfall. Mei hit a doublestomp to the back. Emi got a rollup for a nearfall. Mei got a rollup with a jackknife cover for the pin! That was a blast; their familiarity really came across here.
Mei Suruga defeated Emi Sakura at 12:59.
* Backstage, Hyan was upset about losing her match. Nicole Matthews walked into the room with her title belt on her shoulder. Hyan noted that she gave Nicole some money before, and Hyan thinks Nicole should give her a title shot. Nicole mockingly told her she needs to win a few matches first.
4. Mad Dog Connelly vs. Dominic Garrini in a Jersey City Street Fight. Caprice noted that Kevin Ku (Garrini’s teammate) wasn’t clear to wrestle tonight (he hurt his shoulder two days earlier at a different GCW show.) So, Garrini took this match instead. Connelly always has his dog collar chain with him; he charged into the ring, and they immediately started fighting. They were throwing fists, and the crowd was going nuts! They went to the floor and traded chops in front of the fans in the front row. (The commentators reiterated what I already wrote; this crowd was at capacity. That front row is almost right up next to the ring.) Garrini hit a series of roundhouse kicks to the chest.
Connelly hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 2:00. He got a chair and he cracked it across Garrini’s back. Garrini hit him with a garbage can. He got the dog collar chain, and he whipped Connelly with it at 5:00. They put the dog collar on and fought, even though this isn’t officially a dog collar match. Garrini was bleeding from his forehead. Connelly tied the chain across Dominic’s eyes and got a “you sick f—!” chant at 7:30. They got back into the ring, and Garrini hit some clotheslines in the corner. (They both still have the chain on.)
Garrini nailed a Muscle Buster onto a garbage can for a believable nearfall at 9:30. Veda noted that both men were now covered in blood. Connelly tried a Triangle Choke, but Garrini powered to his feet and powerbombed Connelly through a door in the corner and got a nearfall at 12:00. Connelly sat up, and he was really bloody now. Garrini hit him again with the garbage can. Garrini again set up for the Muscle Buster, but Connelly escaped and got the Hangman’s Choke along his back, and after a few seconds, Garrini submitted. That was hard-hitting and violent.
Mad Dog Connelly defeated Dominic Garrini at 12:55.
* Backstage, Mei Suruga celebrated her win and she vowed to win the tournament.
5. Cedric Alexander and “The Workhorsemen” Anthony Henry and JD Drake vs. Calvin Tankman, Manny Lo, and LaBron Kozone. On the show from two days earlier (which aired a week ago!), Tankman was upset with the hot-headed, overly confident Manny Lo. (This is like Farooq being upset with a young Rocky Maivia). Henry and Kozone opened. Henry hit a doublestomp on Manny’s back at 1:30. JD tagged in; Manny chopped Drake and immediately got a “You f—ed up!” chant as JD no-sold the blow. JD began unloading loud chops on the youngster, and the crowd was LOVING this beat-down. JD hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 3:00 and more chops.
Cedric entered for the first time to a nice pop and hit a stiff kick to Manny’s spine. Lo finally – on his knees! – tagged in Tankman. Some good humor with that. Cedric tried a German Suplex, but Tankman didn’t budge. Calvin shouted at him, “This is my f’n house!” Manny pulled Cedric to the floor, but Cedric chopped him. Tankman hit the biggest Pounce that dropped JD at 6:00. Awesome. Tankman hit a backbreaker over his knee on Henry, then a clothesline on him. Kozone entered and chopped JD. Manny got in and hit some European Uppercuts, and they kept JD Drake in their corner. Henry got a tag at 8:00 and hit a pop-up knee strike on Manny. Caprice noted that the Workhorsemen “came off the injury list at 110%.”
Cedric hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall on Manny. He slapped the kid and dropped him. Manny hooked an arm and got a rollup for a nearfall at 10:00, then an enzuigiri. Kozone hit a Helluva Kick, then a huge Exploder Suplex on Drake! Kozone hit a Torture Rack on Henry for a nearfall. JD hit a stunner on Kozone! Manny got back in, but JD dropped him. So, Tankman got back in and squared off with Drake! Tankman picked him up and hit a Death Valley Driver at 12:00! Kozone hit a spin kick on Henry. Cedric hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly on Kozone. Manny dove through the ropes onto Cedric. He tried one on JD, but Drake clobbered him. In the ring, Henry dropped Manny face-first, and JD hit a rolling cannonball for a nearfall on Manny.
Tankman got back in and again traded blows with Drake. Kozone hit a ballgame clothesline. He and Henry fell to the floor. It was suddenly just Cedric vs. Tankman; Caprice said they had never fought before today. Cedric hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 15:30. Tankman hit a pop-up spinning back fist. Manny tagged himself back in and this TICKED off Tankman. Cedric immediately hit the Lumbar Check for the pin on Manny while he GLARED at Tankman, who was being held back from being able to break it up. That was awesome.
Cedric Alexander, Anthony Henry, and JD Drake defeated Calvin Tankman, Manny Lo, and LaBron Kozone at 15:56.
* Mad Dog Connelly was walking the streets of Jersey City, blood still on his forehead, and he was seething. No promo, just him grunting. You see that on the street, you’re walking in the other direction, right?
* A video package for Nicole Matthews, set to P!nk’s “Get This Party Started.”
6. Nicole Matthews vs. Masha Slamovich for the Deadlock Pro Women’s Title. Nicole carried a bottle of wine with her to the ring. A quick check of cagematch.net records show that Nicole is 1-0 against Masha. The crowd chanted “new champ!” before the bell. They shook hands before locking up. The commentators talked about how Nicole is blowing through the bonuses she’s getting as champion. Masha immediately tied up the left arm. Nicole rolled to the floor at 2:30 to regroup; the crowd responded with a “Masha’s gonna kill you!” chant. They locked up again in the ring with Masha hitting some chops and a running kick, then a clothesline, and she was fired up.
They fought at ringside with Masha hitting more chops. (I must reiterate that they have almost no room to move!) In the ring, Nicole pushed the ref into the middle, then yanked Masha to the mat by her hair, and she got booed. Masha hopped up and flipped Matthews to the mat and hit kicks to the spine, then chest at 5:30. Nicole dropped her throat-first on the middle rope, and she took control. Masha hit her jumping knee in the corner and a rolling Koppo Kick for a nearfall at 7:30. She hit a spin kick to the back of Nicole’s head for a nearfall.
Mathews tied her in a modified Figure Four; they traded chops while still tied together, and Masha broke free at 9:30. Masha applied a heel hook, and Nicole got to the ropes. They got up and traded blows; Nicole raked the eyes for more boos. Masha hit a snap back suplex for a nearfall at 11:00, and they were both down. Nicole rolled to the floor and got her bottle of wine, but the ref confiscated it. Nicole immediately spat something in Masha’s face, hit a swinging neckbreaker, and scored the tainted pin. LOUD boos for that outcome. A really good match.
Nicole Matthews defeated Masha Slamovich to retain the Deadlock Pro Women’s Title at 12:19.
* Outside, JD, Anthony Henry and Cedric Alexander celebrated their win. Cedric glared at the camera and made it clear he wanted a match with Calvin Tankman.
* In the locker room, Tankman told Kozone he’s sick of Manny Lo, but he’s also sick of the “big TV stars” who come here and look down on them, like Travis Lee and Cedric Alexander. He said Manny “couldn’t keep his nose out of big folks’ business.” Manny walked in and was mumbling about the crowd. Tankman shoved Manny against the wall and warned him to “choose your words wisely,” then he stormed out of the room.
* A video package aired of the Miracle Generation’s march to winning the tag titles.
7. “Miracle Generation” Dustin Waller and Kylon King vs. “Grizzled Young Veterans” James Drake and Zack Gibson for the Deadlock Pro Tag Team Titles. The MG just won these belts last month (and had their first successful title defense two days ago.) Waller and Gibson opened, with Zack targeting the left arm. The GYVets kept Waller grounded early on. Dustin hit a huracanrana on Gibson at 3:00, then a leg lariat. Kylon entered and hit a slingshot senton, then a regular senton. Kylon launched off of Dustin’s back and hit a dropkick on Drake, sending him to the floor. The MG hit stereo planchas to the floor and were fired up.
Kylon hit a missile dropkick in the ring for a nearfall on Gibson at 4:30. Drake hit a standing neckbreaker. Gibson hit a bodyslam with Kylon’s leg hitting the ropes, and the Vets kept Kylon grounded and in their corner. Zack hit a bodyslam, then he slammed Drake onto Kylon for a nearfall at 8:30. Dustin finally got a hot tag and hit a top-rope double crossbody block, then punches on both Vets. He hit a double Lethal Injection at 10:30, then a running Shooting Star Press on Gibson. Kylon hit a moonsault for a nearfall. Drake hit a spinning leg lariat on Kylon. Kylon nailed a tornado DDT on Drake, then a brainbuster for a nearfall at 12:30.
The MG accidentally struck each other! Gibson hit a clothesline. The GYV hit Grit Your Teeth (team Lunblower move to the chin) for a believable nearfall at 14:00, but Kylon kicked out! Kylon hit a double suplex, and he was fired up. Waller hit a second-rope Spanish Fly on Gibson. They hit stereo running knees on Drake’s head. Kylon hit a superplex, and Dustin immediately went for the Mamba Splash, but Drake got his knees up to block it! Gibson hit Waller while on the floor, allowing Drake to get a rollup for a believable nearfall at 17:00. Gibson hit a Lungblower move on Waller, but Waller landed on top, rolled him up, and got a flash pin on Zack! Zack sat up in disbelief that he was just pinned!
Kylon King and Dustin Waller defeated Zack Gibson and James Drake to retain the Deadlock Pro Tag Team Titles at 17:21.
* Backstage, Nicole Matthews vowed she will be “champion forever” and added, “You’re welcome.”
8. Adam Priest (w/Trevor Lee) vs. Jake Something for the Deadlock Pro World Title. A reminder that Jake relinquished this title while injured earlier this year; he was not defeated for it. Priest rolled to the floor at the bell to stall, and he hugged Lee. Trevor reached in, but Jake shoved him to the floor. The ref ejected Lee at 1:30! Priest hit a dropkick and some punches. Jake hit some running body blocks, but he sold pain in his ankle from his match two days ago. He whipped Priest into the corner, with Adam crashing to the floor. We got a “new champ!” chant. Priest snapped Jake’s left arm over the top rope at 4:00 and began targeting it.
Jake hit a bodyslam at 6:30. Priest hit a DDT for a nearfall. Jake ripped off a turnbuckle pad that Priest had been unable to remove. Priest hit some chops. Jake hit some clotheslines. He dropped Priest with a punch and hit a Burning Hammer for a nearfall at 9:00. Jake hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Priest pushed Jake into the corner, with Jake accidentally flattening the ref at 10:30! Trevor Lee ran into the ring and struck Jake in the back with a chair! He jabbed the edge of the chair into Jake’s knee as Jake was tied in the Tree of Woe. Priest hit some chairshots to the knee as well.
Priest and Lee hugged as the ref was still down. Tankman and Kozone ran into the ring and chased off Lee. Meanwhile, a new ref (finally!) ran to the ring, but Priest immediately clocked him over the head with the chair at 13:30. He shoved the prone ref to the floor. Jake got up and hit the Into The Void (Black Hole Slam), but we had no ref! Jake and Priest fought to the floor. In the ring, Priest hit a chop block and a piledriver; the original ref counted a nearfall at 15:30. Priest locked in a half-crab and we got a “please don’t tap!” chant. Priest kicked the inner thigh and again applied a half-crab and turned it into an STF. The ref checked Jake, determined he was out, and called for the bell!
Adam Priest defeated Jake Something to retain the Deadlock Pro World Title at 16:39.
* Backstage, Priest and Lee spoke. Lee was surprised that Priest won.
Final Thoughts: I’ve written it before, but DPW is as close to peak-level early 2000s ROH as we have today. It is just top-notch indy wrestling with above-average production and a great commentary team. Every match hits for me. The six-man tag was a standout. From the cocky rookie Manny Lo tagging himself in all the time, to the exchanges Tankman had with both Drake, then with Cedric, everything about that match worked. I’ll narrowly go with the Emi-Mei match for second, with the main event third. But I hate to even do a ranking because there are just so many top-notch matches here.
I was just watching a women’s indy match on Friday that was “fine,” but it felt like it was moving at three-quarters speed. This went through my mind while watching Mei and Emi moving at 100 mph. They just click, and it was fast-paced, and everything was on point. I write this every show, but a reminder that while DPW’s new shows are on the subscription-only website, they do have some older stuff for free on YouTube. Check it out and see why this is the best indy, top to bottom, going today.
Be the first to comment