The finalists for the 40th anniversary of the Technics DMC World Championship have been announced. Staged in Tokyo for the first time in history from Saturday 11th to Sunday 12th October at venues O-East and Harlem, the event sees 40 of the world’s finest scratch DJs go into battle, showing off insane skills and technical routines that truly push the limits of turntable performance.
The 2025 DMC heats drew a staggering 800 entrants across 16 countries, with regional qualifiers and national finals all leading to Tokyo. The finalists named today represent the cream of the crop in global turntablism talent.
Finalists include France’s Defending DMC Scratch Champion Aociz and New Zealand’s two-time former World Champion, K-Swizz, both hoping to reclaim their titles.
As well as a fresh wave of new talent, the 2025 finalists include several national champions who have fought their way to previous World Finals. These include Brazilian masterminds DJ Raylan and DJ Shinpa; Japan’s DJ Fummy; NelsonX, who competes this year over two categories (Scratch and Supremacy); Poland’s Chmielix and many more, each back for another shot at their first World Title.
Also competing in #DMC40 are some of the world’s most skilled young artists. Dubai’s sensational Scratch talent DJ Michelle returns, having first become a finalist at the age of 9 years old. Prague’s rising force and former Scratch World Champion Simonczech heads back with fresh innovation to claim his place among the best. And US phenomenon The Kid RC3 will deliver jaw-dropping routines that showcase prodigious skills. These finalists demonstrate how DMC continues to nurture and provide a global platform to showcase the next generation of turntablist talents.
Over the course of the event, audiences will experience the full breadth of DMC competition formats: Classic, Scratch, Supremacy on Saturday 11th, and The Open on Sunday 12th.
The Classic showcases polished six-minute routines that blend technical prowess with showmanship. Scratch presents razor-sharp 16-bar displays of turntablist technique. Supremacy delivers head-to-head knockout battles. And The Open celebrates diverse approaches to DJ performance and equipment. Judging criteria rewards originality, technical ability, musicality and overall impact—criteria that have defined DMC champions for forty years.
Since Tony Prince founded the DMC World DJ Championship in 1985, the event has remained the ultimate proving ground for DJs and the single most influential platform in the development of turntablism.
Over four decades, DMC has shaped techniques and set the standard for DJ performance worldwide. The Championship’s legacy includes many unforgettable moments and champions, from launching the career of A-Trak at just 15 years old to the unmatched technical masterpieces of the highly decorated, Craze.
DMC40 in Tokyo will add a new chapter to that history while shining a spotlight on both established names and rising stars. For more information and to purchase tickets for the event, visit https://www.dmcdjchamps.com.
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