DPW FIRE
DECEMBER 16 2021 (TAPED DEC 11.)
JACKSONVILLE, NC.
AIRED ON YOUTUBE
REPORT BY JRH, PARTS UNKNOWN PRESS
After months of teasing and a whole lot of hype, DEADLOCK Pro Wrestling is finally real. DPW Fire is finally here. If you want to watch the show for yourself, it is available for free on the DPW YouTube Channel. If you want to hear some of the behind the scenes stuff, listen to the latest episode of the Deadlock Podcast where your commentary team (and promoters) talk about everything that happened before show time. Anyway, enough rambling… on to the show review!
The show kicks off with a nicely put together show intro, complete with some royalty free punk rock to kick us into gear. We then go to the arena (a Crossfit Gym in North Carolina) where the commentary team welcome us to the show. I will say, I personally love the look of DPW. Too many promotions, especially on an indy level look way too similar to each other and look way to nice. Like sure, I’m glad that some places seem to know what white balance is in 2021, but I miss each show feeling slightly rough around the edges and different. That is why I am thankful that DPW has managed to both not look like shit, but also look raw, gritty and not overly sanitised.
Lucky Ali vs Kidd Bandit
The first match in DPW history sees Lucky Ali take on Kidd Bandit. Lucky Ali ( primarily works on WWN shows and has also started doing stuff in CZW and NJPW Strong. Kidd Bandit is a Nightmare Factory student who has a gimmick of being the main character and is gaining some popularity at the moment.
On the way to the ring, Ali cut an insert promo asking why has to wrestle people that he’s never heard of. He then went on to say that it may be against YouTube TOS to commit child abuse, but that isn’t gonna stop him. As Bandit makes their way to the ring, they cut a promo using RPG maker… such a cool idea. In the promo, Bandit says they are the protagonist of professional wrestling. They say that the battles that they are gonna face are much easier with their friends.
The match kicks off with some chain wrestling as the crowd chants “DPW”. This builds up into a fun back and forth, with Ali tossing Bandit to the outside. Bandit elects to hide under the ring for a little bit, throwing Ali off. Back in the ring, Bandit hits a nice looking array of moves, flying around the ring and hitting a big kick to Ali, sending him to the floor head first. Bandit goes for a suicida, gets caught and gourdbustered into the rental chairs~! Back in the ring, Ali gets countered and sent back to the floor leading to a successful sucida DDT~! Bandit sets up for a springboard in the ring, gets caught and transitioned into a sexy looking spinning arm-trap STO for two. Bandit goes for another sprinboard, but gets caught again into the Jackhammer, followed by a double stomp. The match then comes to an end when Ali hits a massive grindline (a Northern Lariat) for three in 7:10.
Rating: ***
We see a promo for DPW You Already Know for a Hardcore match between Alex Colon and Colby Corino. According to John Blud, the city of Raleigh have banned light tubes.
DPW World Title Eliminator Tournament 1st Round: BoJack vs Josh Fuller (w/ Mikey Banker)
Next up is the first match in the DPW World Title Eliminator Tournament. This match sees hometown performer BoJack (who is really fucking great 5 years in) taking on Josh Fuller, a popular young talent. This match was very fun, although compared to the first match had much less action. The main focus of the match was making BoJack look like a beast and showing off how much of a dick Fuller can be. Early on there was a big “BoJack’s gonna kill you” chant lead by BoJack. Some back and forth until Fuller makes the mistake of chopping BoJack, who clatters him in return. A big toss out of the corner and a beautiful stalling brainbuster by BoJack. Fuller tries to get a Tornado DDT but gets caught in a backbreaker, then a spinning backbreaker and a meaty belly-to-belly for two. BoJack goes for the BoJack bomb, but gets countered with an enziguri. BoJack manages to comeback with a pop-up tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. BoJack gets sent to the floor and Fuller does some work on the CrossFit rings but gets caught by BoJack… Luckily for Fuller he managed to escape. Fuller then spammed suicidas in an attempt to get BoJack down. On the third one, BoJack got down to one knee, but Fuller fell flat on his face after hitting it. Back in the ring, Fuller attempts an overdrive to the extreme dismay of Johnny on commentary. BoJack counters into a sick BoJack Bomb for the win at 6:42! Post match, BoJack shakes Fuller’s hand and Banker carries Fuller away. Overall, a fun match that served it’s purpose on the card well.
Rating- ** 3/4
DPW World Title Eliminator Tournament 1st Round: Andrew Everett vs Rosemary
Main event time, as IRL couple Andrew Everett and Rosemary do battle for the first time ever in one hell of a match. As he walks to the ring, a pre-taped Everett talks about how appropriate it is that DPW’s show is called Fire, since he’ll have to walk through fire and beat a demon in order to advance. He says he’ll get the job done, because he’s 7 foot 4. Rosemary then made her entrance, complete with a meat cleaver in hand. She was nice to the kids in the crowd though. Before the bell, the ref checks for weapons and keeps finding knives on Rosemary, who claims the knives are part of her gear. Match starts at a fast pace, Rosemary tricks Everett into thinking she has another knife but doesn’t. “Let’s go big dog” chants as Everett sends Rosemary out to the floor and hits a sick looking springboard moonsault. The camera pans to where our commentary team were sitting during the show (since the commentary is done in post) and they tell security to throw them out… big early PWG energy there. They do battle on the floor, leading to Rosemary taking a fan’s chair and doing a drop toehold onto it… RAVEN SPOTS~! Back into the ring, Rosemary does a nice leg choke in the ropes and a massive slingblade.
Everett gets away, and goes for a springboard nothing into a Scorpion Death Lock by Rosemary. Everett just makes it to the ropes, but Rosemary eventually catches him with a running chancery that he has to gouge her throat to get out of. This leads to a big spot where both goozle each other and hit a simultaneous chokeslam! Everett does some evading, hits a tidal wave, follows up with a standing springboard moonsault and lionsault combo for two. Springboard dropkick and a mean kick on the ground to Rosemary, who demons out of it. She goes for a Chaos Theory, but gets countered by Everett who goes to the top… only to get crotched. Rosemary then hits a BIG release German superplex and Scorpion Death Drop for two. Not long after that, Everett hits a Chokeslam for two.
They exchange some more hold attempts until Rosemary goes for the green mist, which Everett avoids by superkicking Rosemary, who mists herself. He then hits the Falcon Arrow for two. This leads into the big closing sequence as Andrew goes for a 630 (despite the very low ceiling) misses, rolls through and gets caught by a spear for two. Rosemary continues offence but gets caught by a boot, which doesn’t stop her long. Rosemary bites Everett’s face on the top rope and goes for a superplex, but gets sent flying off. Drew then goes for the 630, but goes for the second rope shooter instead for the finish at 13:59.
Post match, Drew goes for the handshake, but Rosemary mists in her hand. Drew decides to shake anyway, spitting in his own hand for good measure. What a phenomenal match and the perfect main event to the first DPW show.
Rating – ****
Final Thoughts
Overall a very fun, well-paced wrestling show. This show goes to show how far match pacing goes to making a great, consumable wrestling product. The production was great, the in ring action was even better. The only real complaint I have is that I have to wait to see more. Either way, the show does a great job at hyping me up for You Already Know in January. Fun stuff from the whole DPW crew~!
