The first ever DPW Carolina Classic event took place on October 15th, 2022 from the Durham Convention Center in Durham, NC. The winner of the tournament gets a DPW World Title shot at the 1st Anniversary show. This show can be found in its entirety on DPW’s YouTube channel.

The announcers are Joe Dombrowski and Rich Bocchini.

Opening Contest: Carolina Classic Round 1 – Andrew Everett vs. Shun Skywalker

This is one of four first round matches, with the winners advancing to a four-way match in the main event to crown the Carolina Classic winner. Everett chokeslams the streams thrown at him during his intro. They lock up to a clean break, then exchange headlocks. Skywalker gets a dropkick and chops away in the corner. Shun rolls him up for two and puts on a cravat. He fakes a standing moonsault and switches to a Boston Crab. Big boot in the corner follows but a second one misses, allowing Everett to hit a missile dropkick. Springboard spinning heel kick gets two for Everett. The Giant looks for the chokeslam which Skywalker avoids, but Andrew gets an enzuigiri and Falcon Arrow instead for two. Everett looks for a 450 which doesn’t hit and he rolls through trying another springboard only to dive right into a dropkick from Skywalker. They duke it out from their knees and Shun lands a kick and double underhook suplex for two. Skywalker reaches down but gets caught in a chokeslam for two. Everett goes up for a big moonsault and gets the win to advance. **½

Match Two: Carolina Classic Round 1 – BK Westbrook vs. SB KENTo

BK tries to get the fans to chant for him which doesn’t go all that well. Westbrook gets a quick rollup for two and SBK returns the favor in kind. They trade chops and SBK gets a shotgun dropkick into the corner. BK quickly picks up KENTo and F5’s him across the top rope sending him to the floor. After some fighting on the floor, SBK hits springboard somersault dive onto Westbrook outside. KENTo with kicks on the apron but one inside is caught by Westbrook and turned into a suplex. BK stomps a mudhole in the corner and then lands a running dropkick. Sitout powerbomb by Westbrook gets two. Dombrowski notes that BK gives off “young Adam Cole vibes” which is high praise and something I agree with. BK misses off the top and KENTo hits a German with a bridge for two. SBK charges but runs into a hotshot and springboard moonsault from BK for two. Chokeslam is countered and SBK goes low and hits an SB Driver for the win. Good match with good crowd reactions for both. ***

Match Three: Carolina Classic Round 1 – Lucky Ali vs. Yuya Uemura

Stalemate early on and Yuya gets an armbar then a headscissors hold. Ali worms his way out of that and scratches at the back of Uemura. He charges right into a deep armdrag from Uemura. Yuya charges but gets caught in a tree of woe and then low dropkicked by Ali. Lucky drops the knee of Uemura on the apron and goes to work on it. Yuya manages a dropkick putting both guys down. Flying forearms and a bulldog hit next (bad knee and all) for two. Rollup gets another two, followed by a lariat and side suplex for two again. Another lariat is ducked by Ali and he hits a suplex and low dropkick. Rollup for two and a La Majestral cradle for another two. Lucky decides to mess with the ref allowing Uemura to hit a deadbolt suplex but he misses a top-rope crossbody. Ali hits the Grime Line to finish it. **¾

Match Four: Carolina Classic Round 1 – Mike Bailey vs. Colby Corino

They have a mat-based exchanged to a stalemate and Colby gets an Angle Slam for one. Speedball sends Corino to the floor and Bailey dropkicks him through the ropes out there. To the top where Bailey gets the double kneestrike onto Corino’s back for two. Corino asks for a chop exchange but eats a kick instead after a delayed buildup from Bailey. Colby reverses a suplex into a Stunner and hits his own doublestomp. Bulldog by Corino gets two. Both guys exchange strikes in the middle and knock each other out. Speedball gets the rapid fire running kicks but the Ultimo Weapon misses and Corino gets a small package driver for two. Colby looks for a Styles Clash but Speedball rolls through and gets a springboard moonsault out to the floor. They head up in the corner and Corino gets a rolling senton followed by a kneestrike for two. Corino gets a super Air Raid Crash for two. Bailey reverses out of a pin, hits a series of kicks and then the Ultimo Weapon for the win. Probably the best of the first-round matches. ***

Match Five: Janai Kai & Hyan vs. Jungle Kyona & Sumie Sakai

Hyan starts with Kyona and they break even and tag out to Kai and Sakai. Sumie grabs a rear naked choke but Kai quickly gets the ropes. Front kick by Kai gets two and she tags back out to Hyan. Legdrop from Hyan gets two and she logs in an armbar. Kneelifts and a neckbreaker get another two count. Snake Eyes in the corner followed by a Falcon Arrow for two. Kyona runs interference knocking Hyan off the top rope which allows Sumie to hit a missile dropkick and make the tag. Kyona takes out both heels with a double suplex. She goes toe to toe with Hyan as both get knocked down but only Hyan can make the tag. Sakai comes in anyway with an assisted senton and Kyona covers Kai for two. Janai comes back with a kick and double elbow gets two on Kyona. All four women are in now as Sumie climbs again this time getting a missile dropkick on Kai, then hits Smash Mouth. Kyona then connects with a sitout powerbomb for the win. The finishing sequence was good but the rest was a bit disjointed. **

Match Six: Alec Price vs. La Estrella vs. Yoya

Yoya monkey flips Estrella into Price for a bodyscissor takedown. Estrella with a tope suicida to the floor, hitting Yoya, then Price follows with a big dive. Back inside Yoya gets Sliced Bread on Price. He tries a tornado DDT on Estrella but he rolls through it and then moonsaults off the apron onto Price. Yoya then hits his own version of a tope suicida. Poison rana from Yoya onto Estrella after a kick assist from Price. Price catches Yoya in the corner and kicks Estrella high then gets a doublestomp on both. Estrealla with a German on Price and then Yoya catches him with a sitout driver. Price tosses Estrella into Yoya for a Destroyer, then gets a Destroyer DDT on Yoya and a drive-by kick…for two, even though Yoya didn’t kick out. Gotch Piledriver is delivered for the win. Match needed more time clocking in at under 6 minutes. Speaking of clocking, Price kicks the referee down after the match for the messed up pin attempt. **½

Match Seven: Emi Sakura vs. Mei Suruga

Suruga wound up being the final DPW Women’s Champion ever. Sakura was the trainer of Suruga as well. Emi grabs the hair to get out of an armbar then tosses her by the hair a few times. Suruga tries a crossbody but gets caught in a backbreaker. Sakura briefly gets a surfboard but Mei flips out and hits a dropkick and then a doublestomp on the apron. Suruga takes time to celebrate with the fans at ringside and runs into a chop from Sakura. Suruga climbs the ringpost to evade the attack but gets knocked onto the apron and sent back inside. Double underhook backbreaker by Sakura. Suruga avoids another one and puts in a form of the Cattle Mutilation hold. Another doublestomp this time from the middle rope. She can’t get a suplex and Emi hits a version of Smash Mouth to regain control. Corner crossbody and Vader splash from gets two. Suplex is countered with a roll through for two and Suruga follows with a bodyslam and splash for two. Mei tries an armbar but Sakura quickly gets to the ropes to break. She tries a headscissors but Emi shakes her off and lariats her down. Moonsault from Sakura misses and Suruga hits a doublestomp for a two count. They trade dropkicks with Sakura getting the better of it and getting a delayed backbreaker for two. Ice Driver connects to give Sakura the win. These ladies both rule. ***½

Match Eight: Jay Malachi, Diego Hill and LaBron Kozone vs. Bojack, Donnie Ray and Mason Myles

Bojack is the World Champion at this point in time. Hill starts with Myles and after some slick counters and reversals Hill kicks him down. Another series of counters with neither man getting the upper hand. Chris Danger saunters out to taunt Myles, and tags are made to Ray and Malachi. They trade some heavy shots and some rollups. Dual kicks knock both guys down and the big men tag in next. Bojack runs through Kozone and they get into a shoving match as all 6 men come in for a brawl. Things head out to the floor where Hill tries a dive onto Bojack, who just shakes it off and destroys Diego. Back inside Bojack’s team takes turns diving into Kozone on the corner. Myles gets a kneedrop for two but Kozone stops him with a forearm and a slam for two. Malachi comes in for a sitout bomb for two. Kozone back in with a legdrop for two and he puts on a chinlock. Myles finally makes a comeback and tags to Bojack who slams Malachi and hits a senton for two. Pop-up forearm to Hill sends him packing. Kozone and Bojack exchange clotheslines knocking both down to the canvas. Ray and Malachi go at it next as Ray hits a suplex, while Diego kicks him down. Kozone boots Myles down while Malachi gets a 619 on Ray and dives out to the floor taking out several guys. Jay goes up but gets doubleteamed with a wheelbarrow DDT from Myles and Ray for the win. Mildly surprised by that finish. Solid 6-man tag. ***

Main Event: Carolina Classic Finals Elimination Match – Lucky Ali vs. SB KENTo vs. Mike Bailey vs. Andrew Everett

Winner gets a World Title shot and a giant trophy. Lots of jaw jacking as Ali gets double dropkicked outside. SBK takes Bailey down and does a springboard somersault plancha out to the floor. He stomps away in each corner on his opponents until Ali stops him with a bodyslam and senton for two. Everett looks for a chokeslam but Ali blocks it and The Giant looks to have hurt his left knee. Suplex and a splash gets two for Ali. Everett gets an assist from SBK and Bailey to chokeslam Ali. Bailey and SBK exchange strikes with Speedball getting the rapid running kicks. SBK snaps off a rana, and Everett dives back in with a crossbody onto both. Lucky returns to go after the knee and hit the Grime Line to eliminate Everett.

Bailey and SBK low bridge Ali out of the ring and Bailey follows with a springboard moonsault to the floor. SBK gets a top rope superplex on Bailey for two. German suplex with a bridge gets another two. Another on Ali for a two count. SBK gets a low blow on Bailey, but Speedball rolls him up and hits the Cave In to eliminate SBK.

Down to Ali and Bailey. Superkick by Bailey and both guys are down. They trade kicks with Speedball getting the better of things. Hurricanrana gets two followed by the standing doubleknee moonsault. Straight kick to the head gets two. Roundhouse kick in the corner, but the Ultimo Weapon misses and Ali gets the F12 for two. Grime Line is ducked and Bailey gets a springboard moonsault out on the floor. Speedball gets the doubleknee moonsault on the apron and the Ultimo Weapon connects this time but only for two. Flamingo Driver is countered with Ali getting a schoolboy for two. Speedball comes back with kicks to the head but Ali hits the Grime Line twice to win the Carolina Classic. Ali would go on to win the title a month later. ***½

Final Thoughts: DPW’s first Carolina Classic was a solid event. While no one match really stole the show most were solid, with the final three on the card being the best of the bunch.