DPW Forever
(note, the images on these page are from various cameras/phones/etc, including just casual hobbyist shots with an old DSLR, and phone shots)
Deadlock Pro Wrestling just celebrated its fourth anniversary. While four years is such a significant milestone, it also marked the closing of a chapter for the promotion. Outside of one final show in Japan in 2026, DPW’s 4th anniversary show was also announced as the promotion’s last show for the foreseeable future. Just making it four years is a big achievement, some promotions start with a bang and burn out almost instantly. Some under-deliver and barely survive a single show. DPW was different – three guys with a common love for professional wrestling and all its weird, dumb, hilarious moments, but also three dudes who understand the power of the artform, whether it’s big-stage epics, deathmatches, or joshi wrestling. That love is part of DPW’s DNA, and throughout the last four years, it was on full display.
Note: I don’t want to dive into show reviews or anything, but I want to talk about the shows I’ve attended while also speaking of DPW’s influence, so this is going to be a long one.
And things started out fairly small, their first show was run out of a CrossFit gym in Jacksonville, North Carolina in December of 2021. Taping a handful of shows at once, these established DPW Spark and Fire as their regular shows available on their streaming service, DPW on Demand. These shows established a lot of what would be DPW’s core going forward, Andrew Everett, Bojack, Lucky Ali, Calvin Tankman and so many others. Guys like Ali who were already established really took the ball and ran with it, Ali playing a great foil in an overall very positive promotion.
After the Jacksonville taping, DPW ran their first “big” show, “You Already Know” in Raleigh, in January. This was where the true vision of DPW started to come into focus. Kicking things off with Kidd Bandit vs Ho Ho Lun, a white-hot viral wrestler against a guy the 3 guys in DPW just liked from overseas. We saw a hardcore match with Colby Corino and Gringo Loco. Blake Christian against Calvin Tankman. We’d also see Yuu vs Ryo Mizunami. Japanese Womens’ wrestling would be an important cornerstone of big DPW cards going forward. Its main event crowned the initial DPW Worlds Champion, Bojack.
In April, they ran their second big show, “DPW Forever”, and it was very much a show in DPW’s universe – Hiroyo Matsumoto and Biff Busick being notable guests. The Tag Titles were also crowned with Chance Rizer and Patrick Scott defeating the Workhorsemen. It was a solid show, top to bottom, and it was such a foundational part of what the company was working towards. Chris Danger managing Rizer and Scott was a ton of fun, with Danger coming from the same universe as the three dudes leading DPW.
I haven’t even talked about those three dudes yet, but I guess this is where we talk about James, Jawnny, and Tony. All 3 came from the YouTube world, mostly playing wrestling games. James’ content as CMPulse ranged from your typical 2K content to way more far reaching stuff including introductions to promotions like Stardom. Jawnny, aka John Blud, a member of newLEGACYinc, a crew synonymous with ridiculous, over the top and engaging WWE gaming content. As well as Tony Pizza Guy, a dude with a passion for wrestling and gaming that shines through in everything he touches. The three launched Deadlock as a podcast, and the three together had such a refreshing take on wrestling. In a medium with fanbase bickering, tribalism, and unrelenting cynicism, Deadlock was refreshing, fun, celebrated the weirdness and praised the impressive. They reminded everyone, wrestling is supposed to be fun.
And now, a personal aside – I’ve never really been much into the Youtube side of WWE gaming. What drew me to Deadlock initially was just Darnell’s love of the same stuff I did – early TNA and joshi wrestling specifically. It was refreshing to see a popular creator not only talking about Actwres girl’Z, but making his profile photo one with Ayumi Hayashi (Wasshoi! Wasshoi!). So I dug in and listened to Deadlock and just became big fans of all 3 of the dudes. Three dudes with different tastes in wrestling coming together and creating something incredibly engaging.
And then June 2022 came around, and this is where DPW finally got me down to North Carolina, personally. DPW announced an absolute dream match of mine, Miyuki Takase vs Miyu Yamashita. Just the thought of this match was insane. A freelancer who had just left Actwres girl’Z as their ace. Yamashita, the ace of Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. A match that would never happen in Japan, at least not at the time. Also Takase’s first match in the US.
I’ve been to a bunch of shows with Joshi wrestlers popping up on them, and crowds can be a bit hostile towards them. Just look at the response to Riho. But this was different, and what really sets DPW and its community far apart from almost every fanbase in the US. Takase was a relative unknown to the fans in that building, and Yamashita had most of the support. But as the match went on, people saw Takase do what Takase does, big explosive moves, the legdrops off the ropes, her suplexes. And even though Yamashita came out victorious, the crowd chanted “Mi-Yu-Ki!!” after the match. Including the guy behind me who just minutes prior asked me who she was.
It’s a reflection back on the guys, dudes who love this stuff, it breeds a positive environment, even when they are critical or poking fun at other moments. It opens the minds of those watching, and I’d give DPW so much credit for rebalancing a lot of the thoughts of fans. And look at the main event from that show, Bojack vs Matt Cross. Bojack is just a big dude who does cool shit. And for years the way too online wrestling fan community wouldn’t give a guy like him a shot. DPW made him their first champ and he ran with it. And everyone loved it, because there was no hint of pretentiousness within the fanbase.
In July they had another great show featuring Kevin Ku vs Calvin Tankman to be come the inaugural DPW National Champion. In August, I made it down again for “Believe The Hype” – mostly to see Mizuki vs Emi Sakura, student vs mentor. When I look back on that show, I do consider it one of the best wrestling shows I’ve ever been to. Tankman defended his newly won title against a defiant Baliyan Akki. An insane 3-way lucha match between Gringo Loco, ASF, and La Estrella had me screaming for like 10 minutes straight. An insane sprint between two excellent high flyers – Dante Martin vs Diego Hill, too. And what may be the greatest match in DPW history, Konosuke Takeshita vs Andrew Everett as the main event. Oh yeah, the title match kicked off the show.
The next show was “Victory Lap”, live from the Johnson Room. 100% Intentionally chosen for the name. But that show, while cramped and crowded, was a huge example of DPW had achieved to that point. The opening match of Jack Evans vs Shun Skywalker vs SB KENTo. B-Boy vs Lucky Ali. And a match between two tag teams that would define the division, the Workhorsemen and Violence is Forever. Add in Maya Yukihi vs Jungle Kyona and it was all special. The main even, too, Bojack defended against Jay Malachi, a huge spot for a young guy like Malachi, and one that would help catapult him towards WWE as Je’Von Evans. After the show, Sumie Sakai helped me operate a waffle maker. Thanks, Sumie.
Next was the inaugural “Carolina Classic” event – and again, a stacked card. And I’ve probably hammered it home to death at this point, but just the raw talent they brought in for these shows, worldwide attraction matches, Yuya Uemura vs Lucky Ali. Emi Sakura vs Mei Suruga. Its completely insane main event final four way between Andrew Everett, Speedball Mike Bailet, SB KENTo and Lucky Ali – full on examples of how legitimately anything can happen in DPW.
November brought DPW to the Charlotte area for the first time when they ran “World’s Strongest” in Concord. While they expanded their territory, DPW also reaffirmed that everything they were doing was indeed special.
The whole show is a fantastic showcase of DPW, but its last 3 matches do set “World’s Strongest” apart. The mixed tag between Andrew Everett & Miyuki Takase vs Best Bros is pretty much a go-to match for me trying to explain why I love DPW. A mixed tag where all four competitors are equal, each working towards their strengths. Everett, while claiming to be the tallest person of all time, is a madman high-flyer who does some insane shit every time I see him. Takase’s energy only amplifies that, and the pair become an uncontainable ball of energy. Best Bros are a seasoned tag team and complement each other just as perfectly. Emi Sakura vs Jungle Kyona was a dream match, with the DPW fans completely embracing Sakura as their queen. It was nice to see, again, considering how some fans treated her run in AEW.
And then the main event. It was the first time I really felt like I was within the DPW universe. Bojack issued a challenge, and Lucky Ali answered. Kidd Bandit inserted themself as the holder of the DPW Golden Opportunity. It was a fantastic three-way, with Ali, the heel, getting the win over Bandit. It was booked well, and a bit of an ambitious move for a company just starting out, one that paid off greatly.
In 2023, DPW then started running in my neck of the woods, in northern New Jersey. The room they ran in Ridgefield Park is often called “The Mecca” – it’s hosted some legendary wrestling shows over the last few years. DPW’s arrival to the venue felt different. They sold it out. Highest attendance ever. The place had an elaborate entranceway with LED lighting. The place looked better than I had ever seen it.
The show itself was a perfect pairing of the DPW core as well as what made the New Jersey scene so interesting at the time. Alec Price, Marcus Mathers, and even the Bulldozer himself Matt Tremont all were on the card. Speaking of Mathers and Dozer, they fought Violence is Forever in an absolute classic that night.
Their next shows were their first entry into the Japanese market. Running a pair of shows with Gatoh Move, it was a fantastic combination of two highly influential promotions at the time. Also it had Luminous on the card (Haruka Umesaki and Miyuki Takase) for the first show, so that’s their best show right there. Also there’s just something right about Chie Koishikawa in DPW. The Second show had GalaxyPunch! (SAKI and Hikari Shimizu) so it also was in the running for greatest show of all time. An appearance by TJPW’s Arisu Endo and a fantastic main event between Emi Sakura and Miyuki Takase really did make this trip really special for DPW.
In June, I made it down for “DPW Tag Festival”. Again, another example of why DPW is so great. An emphasis on tag team wrestling is really what made their core so strong. They even intended on bringing in the Magical Sugar Rabbits. Sadly due to an injury, Yuka Sakazaki wasn’t able to participate in the match, but her presence was absolutely felt. DPW’s one-night tournaments are always fantastic, too. A series of matches to start the show to set up the main event. Then some important matches wedged in, including a title match between Lucky Ali and Mike Bailey here. Then another insane four-way tag match. What I said earlier about gender not meaning much really applies here. Suruga being the only woman in this match, and absolutely undersized, she scrapped her way to a near-upset multiple times. Best Bros were a well oiled machine, but it’s so hard to defeat a team like the Workhorsemen.
At this point I didn’t necessarily fall-off with DPW, but I ended up settling for the New Jersey shows, I’d been going to Japan more often, and not making the trips down as often. The promotion was still white hot, but I’d disconnect a bit until “DPW Live 3”, the next Jersey show. And again, they showed that they owned that room. Marvelous’ Takumi Iroha and Mio Momono made appearances, and again the whole show was a mix of the very hot NJ scene and the NC scene. And just seeing Alec Price and the Miracle Generation together was a mindblowing experience. Jay Malachi vs Jordan Oliver, too. And the bloody battle between Colby Corino and Krule.
In 2024, They ran in Texas, they ran Chicago. They did a WrestleMania weekend show in Vegas, they returned to Tokyo. In the latter half of the year, they teamed up with two other big indies, DPW, West Coast Pro, and Prestige for some shows. DPW as all over and its fingerprints were undeniably all over the scene.
But it was a while until my next DPW show. August 2025 at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City. It was a bit strange seeing wrestling in that space. Taking a selfie with Mei Suruga and seeing Sakura-ism, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, and Lightning Bolt posters in the background. But, much in the way I had seen boundary-pushing artists in that space in the past, DPW really did fit in among them. On that night, Yuu vs Hyan and Mei Suruga vs Emi Sakura were obvious highlights for me, obviously. But my favorite match of the night was Mad Dog Connelly vs Dominic Garrini. Just an intense brawl from the moment it started. Loved the tag match of Miracle Generation vs Grizzled Young Veterans. The main event, too, which was booked in a really fun, interesting way that the audience really seemed to vibe with that night. I really enjoyed it and was looking forward to the next DPW show in Jersey. That would never end up happening.
Back in NC, they ran some really good shows, Super Battle in October was killer for sure. Jake Something claiming the title was just a shot of energy for sure. Queen Aminata scoring the title, and Roderick Strong vs Erick Stevens, hell yeah. Showdown in Cary II was another solid show, but right after it was announced DPW would run its final US show for the foreseeable future in December, with a show in Japan their only scheduled event for 2026. So I had to get back down to North Carolina.
And once again, the Deadlock guys did what they wanted to do – and that was raise funds for the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Each ticket was only $1, donated to the food bank, and they matched all donations up to $10,000. Just good dudes giving back to the community that DPW grew from.
And with that, the 4th Anniversary show for DPW was the final DPW show. Without a single match announced, I headed to SportsHQ in Cary. I ran into some friends, familiar faces, I hadn’t been down there in a while, and it was great to catch up. But it felt like the last day of school. I came down just for the show, and we realized, this may be the last time we see each other. I’m sure that was a sentiment echoed in the locker room, and among countless in attendance that night. Even for the fans, the community became a huge, huge part of what made DPW special.
And I could go on and on about how great the show was. How sick it was seeing Andrew Everett get thrown off a ladder. Then jumping off a balcony. How insane the reaction was when Mei Suruga won the Women’s Worlds Championship. The INSANITY that was Jake Something’s Entrance. Watching Miracle Generation reclaim the tag titles. And literally everything involving Trevor Lee. But the real highlight was all the love in that building. Everyone there loved DPW, guys like Kevin Ku, Andrew Everett, BK Westbrook. Dudes who were there from the beginning. Brian Keith coming through that curtain and proudly proclaiming DPW 4 LIFE. And even if he won’t admit it, Trevor Lee. There were DPW chants all night. And in the end, James and Jawnny came out and James talked to the audience one final time. They even hung around and took pictures with fans, and everyone was just so upbeat, even though they just witnessed a final show. But that’s what made this place so special. A love of pro wrestling returned in kind by pro wrestling.
Every time you see someone like Andew Everett, Bojack, LaBron Kozone, Brian Keith, Calvin Tankman, Je’Von Evans, Saqon Shugars, The Workhorsemen, Violence is Forever, and even Miyuki Takase or Trevor Lee, you’re watching all the bits and pieces of DPW’s legacy, even if they’re in WWE or SenJo. That’s the lasting impact of DPW. An unlikely platform that launched, defined, re-energized careers. That put great foreign talent in front of rabid fans who’d love them forever. And because of that, DPW is Forever.
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