DPW’s Carolina Classic took place on September 14, 2025 from the Durham Armory in Durham, North Carolina. It can be seen on DPW’s On Demand service. 

The announcers are Rich Bocchini, Veda Scott, and Caprice Coleman.

Opening Contest: Carolina Classic Finals Qualifying Match – LaBron Kozone vs Erick Stevens 

For the Classic, there are 4 qualifying singles matches with the winners advancing to a 4-way match in the finals. Winnter gets a guaranteed World Title shot. Kozone is the DPW National Champion for those keeping track. Stevens lights up Kozone with some chops and LaBron returns in kind. Kozone shoulder tackles Stevens to the floor and follows him out for more chops. Apron powerbomb by the National Champion and an impressive flying headbutt back inside. Spinning back kick knocks Stevens down, but Stevens comes back with a forearm and a tope suicida. Corner clothesline and Saito suplex by Erick and both men are down. Forearm to the back of the neck gets two for Stevens. Stomps to the face of Kozone which is transitioned to a Triangle Choke, but Kozone uses his strength to life up Stevens and drill him with a powerbomb. They duke it out with Stevens losing his mouthpiece in the process, but he manages a half and half suplex. Big lariat and a double underhook powerbomb gets a close two. We get a slapfight and enzuigiri from Kozone, followed by a huge lariat for the win to advance to the finals. That was a hard-hitting and stiff opener.  ***¼

Post-match Kozone helps up Stevens and shakes his hand. Stevens grabs a mic and puts over Kozone then declares his intent for the National Championship. First however, Stevens needs to up his game and asks for Roderick Strong’s help to prepare.

Match Two: Caroliina Classic Finals Qualifying Match – Jake Something vs. JD Drake

Worth mentioning that each match is preceded by a video highlighting the participants which is neat. Jake Something was last year’s Carolina Classic winner, which led him to winning the DPW World Title from Calvin Tankman before having to relinquish it due to injury. They fight over a lockup to a stalemate, then a test of strength. We get some grappling as they rollout to the floor and trade some heavy shots. Back in, Something runs through a clothesline and knocks Drake down with a bodyblock. Short-arm clothesline and bodyslam. Lariat misses and Drake gets a single-leg dropkick for two. Something eats some chops and then casually forearms Drake down. JD gets a second-rope crossbody splash for two. Now Drake can really lay in the chops and hits a slingshot and spinebuster for two. Double clothesline puts both guys out. Something hits a corner spear for two. He charges into a Bossman Slam however by Drake for two. JD goes for a powerbomb which turns out to be a mistake and Something gets his own sitout powerbomb for a close two. Into The Void follows to give Something the win and send him to the finals.  ***

Match Three: Carolina Classic Finals Qualifying Match – Trevor Lee vs. Anthony Henry 

Lee is the heel here for anyone relatively new to the promotion (like me). Mat wrestling gets us started and Henry gets a wristlock, then anklelock until Lee grabs the ropes. Henry with a low dropkick sending Lee scurrying to the outside. The fight is on out there with Henry remaining in control. Lee baits him back inside and nails a penalty kick from the apron. Side suplex to the apron as Lee eggs on the crowd. Trevor stomps away in the corner and uses the power of shadowboxing to pump himself up. Dropkick right on the jaw gets a two count for Lee. Trevor lands some MMA kicks, but Henry fires up and fights him off with clotheslines. Release German suplex by Henry and a running dropkick on the outside. Henry goes up with a splash on the inside for two. To the top again, but Henry jumps right into a leaping forearm from Lee for two. To The Moon is avoided and a short piledriver by Henry gets two with Lee getting his foot on the ropes. Anthony goes for the ground and pound, but Lee manages to move the referee out of position, get a low blow and To The Moon to advance. Entertaining match, with Lee being a great pest heel.  **¾

Match Four: Carolina Classic Finals Qualifying Match – Calvin Tankman vs. Cedric Alexander 

I can’t imagine this being anything but awesome. Tankman is the crowd favorite here and Cedric attacks quickly. Lope suicida on the outside as the pace is fast early. A third dive this time to the back of Tankman sends him into the railing. Tankman fights him off and pushes Cedric into the ringpost, then gets a side suplex on the apron. Big chop up against the railing. Back to the inside Calvin remains in charge with a European uppercut then tosses Alexander halfway across the ring. Inverted bodyslam and Ultimate Warrior splash gets two. Cedric can barely stand but still manages to taunt Tankman which earns him a forearm to the face. Camel Clutch is applied next which is quickly broken up with a Stunner. Alexander back to the offense now landing a middle-rope missile dropkick. On the apron Cedric gets an STO. Tank comes back with a backbreaker and big clothesline for two. He charges but bounces off the ropes and Cedric finally hits the German and a shining wizard. Impressive DVD by Cedric gets two. Fans want to see a Lumbar Check which predictably fails so Cedric goes for a tornado DDT instead and gets caught into a Tankman Driver to finish for Calvin. That finishing spot was slick.  ***

Match Five: Bojack & Morgan Dash vs. Manny Lo & Adam Priest 

Manny’s partner was a mystery going into this, and he ends up bringing the World Champion with him. Bojack wipes out the heels as Dash flies in a low dropkick on Manny followed by a moonsault off Bojack’s back with gets two. Priest tags in and gets sent flying to the outside. Dash lands a moonsault off Bojack’s shoulder to the floor and then an assisted senton. Manny Lo jumps in from behind to finally turn the tide and Priest gets a DDT to the apron on Bojack. They chop the leg of Bojack and Manny goes to work on that, then tags the champion. Middle-rope dropkick connects, but Bojack just falls on top of Priest for two. Bojack catches Priest on a doubleteam attempt and tags Dash who takes out both heels with a spinning corkscrew splash. Dash heads up where Priest meets him and powerbombs him for two. Manny Lo with a shoulderbreaker on Dash but Bojack tosses Priest onto the pin attempt to break it up. Another ref distraction/low blow from Manny and a twisting suplex on Dash gives his team the win.  **¾

Match Six: Battle of the Best Finals – Yuu vs Queen Aminata vs Mei Suruga

Winner gets a Women’s Title shot. Aminata tries for some sportsmanship to begin but Yuu and Suruga aren’t having it. Fallaway slam by Yuu on Suruga, leaving Aminata and Yuu to go at it. Queen can’t get a German suplex or a shoulderblock takedown. Yuu is more successful but Suruga jumps back in with some offense to take both ladies out. Crossbody from the top to the floor on both Yuu and Aminata. Suruga tries to roll Yuu but isn’t strong enough, so bites her shoulder instead and then rolls her up for two. She charges but Yuu catches and press slams her for two. Yuu with a double slam on both opponents, firing up the crowd and rolls to the outside. Snap suplex by the Queen on Suruga.

Mei fights back but can’t get a suplex, and Aminata suplexes her again for two. Suruga bridges out and low dropkicks Aminata. She grabs the wrist and walks the top rope, but can’t hit the hurricanrana. Suruga gets on top of Yuu’s shoulders and doublestomps Queen Aminata getting a two count. Yuu and Suruga turn on each other, causing an alliance between Mei and Aminata as they double suplex Yuu. Bodyslam by Suruga on Aminata who comes back with a clothesline and all three are out. Yuu stacks up both in the corner and lands a cannonball. Middle-rope splash to Aminata, but the Queen quickly cradles Yuu for the flash pin.  **½

This was fun and gives Aminata the trophy and Women’s Title shot. You can see why Aminata is gaining momentum and getting more exposure on AEW tv.

Main Event: Carolina Classic Finals 4-Way Dance – LaBron Kozone vs. Jake Something vs. Trevor Lee vs. Calvin Tankman 

This is elimination style. Priest accompanies Lee to the ring and gets promptly tossed before the match even starts. Lee tries to leave with him but the rest of the guys chase him back. He tries to fight off all of them and Kozone absolutely destroys him with a lariat. 3-way test of strength as the “meat” chants begin early. Something just runs through everybody clearing the ring. Plancha onto the floor by the big man with Lee still loopy outside. Tankman and Kozone doubleteam Something trying to eliminate him but can’t just yet. Calvin hammers away on Kozone who comes back with a dropkick. LaBron can’t get a suplex but hits a big boot instead. He charges but runs right into a spinebuster, as Trevor Lee dives off the top and gets swatted away by Tankman. Spinning backfist misses leading to Kozone hitting a belly to back suplex. Something returns and eats a lariat from Kozone. He walks right into a spinning backfist and Tankman Driver to eliminate Kozone. Lee attacks with a chair and a series of kicks, but Tankman is a beast and tosses him away. Something and Tankman go toe-to-toe, with Tank getting a spinning backfist. Lee gets the To The Moon from the middle rope out of nowhere for the surprise pin on Tankman. I would not have bet on that one. So we’re down to Lee vs. Something. 

Trevor with a high kick and superkick, then Collision Course for a close two count. He calls for the To The Moon but gets caught by the throat. Jake tries the sitout powerbomb and Lee counters out, then hits the Cave In for another two. Running penalty kicks from the apron, the last of which is caught by Jake taking Lee down. Inside, Lee chops Something down with kicks and gets two. Trevor goes for the lowblow after diverting the ref again, but Jake catches him and drills him with a sitout powerbomb. Into The Void is delivered and Something gets the win to repeat as Carolina Classic champion. Another hard-hitting match with a very good closing sequence between Something and Lee.  ***¾

After the match Something accepts the WrestleMania IV sized trophy and calls out Adam Priest. He challenges Priest for the title at Super Battle in October…in a steel cage match.

Final Thoughts: For starters, this is my first DPW review, and I was immediately impressed by the atmosphere and production value. There were 7 matches on the card, with minimal filler which made it fly by. No match was bad, with the opener and main event in particular standing out to me. They set up some matches for Super Battle on October 19th, including the return of Roderick Strong and a World Title steel cage match. I’ll definitely be checking that out.