NXT wrestler Charlie Dempsey is set to compete in his third Bloodsport match.
Dempsey will face off against AKIRA at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII in Jersey City, New Jersey on Sunday, November 24. The show is taking place from White Eagle Hall and will air live on TrillerTV+.
With WWE’s permission, Dempsey made his Bloodsport debut with a victory over Matt Makowski this April. He then lost to Royce Isaacs at Bloodsport this July.
The son of William Regal, Dempsey is a member of No Quarter Catch Crew in NXT and is the current Heritage Cup Champion.
AKIRA is part of the MLW roster and is a former Middleweight and Tag Team champion in the promotion. In Bloodsport, AKIRA has an 0-2 record. He’s coming off a loss to “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
Barnett and Game Changer Wrestling have partnered together for Bloodsport — an MMA-inspired pro wrestling event — since 2019. Barnett vs. new AEW signee MVP is headlining this Bloodsport XII card. Masha Slamovich vs. Lei Ying Lee (former WWE wrestler Xia Li) and Dominic Garrini vs. Kevin Ku have been announced as well.
Figure Four Daily is back with two special guests, Filthy Tom Lawlor and Lance Storm, and we have a ton to talk about including the UFC lawsuit, Smackdown, Tom getting pounded by Brutus Creed at Bloodsport, the WWE Speed tournament, and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Josh Barnett will be taking part in the action at his Bloodsport event in New York City this weekend.
This Sunday, Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XI takes place from Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn. Barnett vs. Bad Dude Tito is the latest match to be announced for the event. It’s an MMA-inspired pro wrestling show where matches can only be won by knockout or submission.
Since 2019, Barnett and Game Changer Wrestling have partnered together for Bloodsport. Barnett has a 5-2 record in Bloodsport matches along with one time-limit draw. He lost to Jon Moxley at Bloodsport Bushido in Japan last month.
Bad Dude Tito has a 2-4 record in Bloodsport. He also wrestles for MLW and NJPW Strong.
Bloodsport XI will air live on Triller TV+. The announced lineup for the event is listed below:
The opponent for WWE’s Julius Creed in his Bloodsport XI debut has been revealed.
Josh Barnett — the man for who the event series is named — posted on Thursday that former Bellator MMA fighter and pro wrestler Matt Makowski will stand across the ring from Creed on Sunday, July 28th in Brooklyn, New York.
Julius (Jacob Kasper) and his brother Brutus (Drew Kasper) were announced for the show in June in the latest talent exchange/loan effort by WWE that began earlier this year. Both have extensive amateur wrestling backgrounds which were followed by Julius signing with WWE in October 2020 and Brutus signing in February 2021.
In a short amount of time, both won the NXT Tag Team titles and got their official main roster call-ups last November. They are now aligned with Chad Gable in his feud with the Wyatt Sicks.
This will be Makowski’s fifth Bloodsport event. He is coming off a loss to NXT’s Charlie Dempsey at April’s Bloodsport X and is 2-2 overall.
The Creeds are part of a large WWE contingent at the show which includes Shayna Baszler and Dempsey.
A pair of new matches have been booked for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XI.
In his Bloodsport debut, AEW/ROH wrestler Josh Woods will be in action against Bloodsport veteran Timothy Thatcher. Masha Slamovich vs. Jody Threat has also been announced for the event. It’s taking place on Sunday, July 28 and will be broadcast live on TrillerTV+.
— πΏππ πππππππππ (@JoshLBarnett) July 16, 2024
Woods has an amateur wrestling and MMA background. He had a stint in NXT earlier in his career and is a former Pure Champion in ROH. He’s part of the Premier Athletes in AEW/ROH with Tony Nese and Ari Daivari.
Thatcher is coming off a loss to Minoru Suzuki at Bloodsport Bushido in Japan last month.
Both Slamovich and Threat are TNA wrestlers. At Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X earlier this year, Slamovich lost to WWE wrestler Shayna Baszler. Threat is making her Bloodsport debut at this event.
Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, New York is the venue for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XI. Here’s what’s been announced for the show so far:
Shayna Baszler’s opponent for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XI is now official as she will square off against Miyu Yamashita later this month.
After debuting with a victory over Masha Slamovich at Bloodsport X during WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, the WWE star was announced for her second go-round last month.
The 29-year-old Yamashita will be making her Bloodsport debut and will be up against Baszler for the first time ever. She made her GCW debut this past April in a trios bout and then was defeated by Joey Janela in May.
Bloodsport XI will emanate from Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday, July 28th. It will be their third-such event of the year after the aforementioned Philadelphia show and their first-ever event in Tokyo, Japan, last month.
After making her debut at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X during WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, WWE’s Shayna Baszler will return for her second round at the 11th edition.
Bloodsport XI will emanate from Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday, July 28th.
Baszler, accompanied by Zoey Stark, took on current TNA roster member and former GCW Champion Masha Slamovich, picking up the victory after stomping Slamovich repeatedly and so forcefully that the referee awarded her the win by TKO. Her opponent for this time has not yet been named.
Charlie Dempsey of WWE NXT was also on the show, picking up a win over Matt Makowski.
The 43-year-old Baszler remains in WWE and unsuccessfully competed in a three-way Money in the Bank qualifying match on Monday’s Raw.
Baszler is the third name announced for the show as Mike Santana vs. Homicide was the first officially announced bout.
The Bloodsport brand just made its debut in Tokyo, Japan, last weekend for Bloodsport Bushido. The July show will be their third of the year already.
The Bryan & Vinny Show is back with the first of a ton of show this weekend! Tonight it’s Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport, WWE Smackdown and the Ring of Honor PPV with Mark Briscoe vs. Eddie Kingston for the ROH Title. A full 90 minutes of wrestling talk! Back tomorrow with NXT Stand and Deliver! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Last week, a surprising announcement was made with it being revealed that Shayna Baszler will be competing at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X.
This is the first time that a WWE wrestler has been allowed to work a WrestleMania week indie show. Dave Meltzer reports that Paul “Triple H” Levesque has a different mindset on these things than Vince McMahon did, and Levesque made the decision to let Baszler work Bloodsport.
While appearing on the Under the Ring podcast, Josh Barnett said he was able to book Baszler for Bloodsport because of the relationships he’s cultivated over the years:
I guess the easiest way to describe it is just through my relationships with people there [WWE]. Thatβs really what it comes down to. And with anybody, when speaking of a promotion, youβre always going to want, If youβre going to do anything outside of it, you want a certain level of trust and consideration given to you. And itβs hard to lend your toys out when thereβs so much money put into them and the product itself.
In general, of course, we see cross-promotion happening out there in the world of wrestling, but itβs really a big deal when you think about all the different things involved with it and the value of some of the athletes that are going back and forth. But fortunately, through relationships Iβve cultivated over the years, something like having Shayna Baszler at GCW Bloodsport is – itβs a reality now. And Iβm just super happy and honored to be able to do it. And I know that Shaynaβs going to do fantastic. I should know, Iβve been training her [for] her entire career.
Baszler is facing Masha Slamovich at Bloodsport. It’s a WWE wrestler vs. a TNA wrestler on a show that’s being presented by Barnett and indie promotion Game Changer Wrestling.
Bloodsport will air live on TrillerTV+ starting at 4 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, April 4. The show is being held at Penns Landing Caterers in Philadelphia.
Nic Nemeth vs. Mike Bailey, Josh Barnett vs. Johnny Bloodsport (John Hennigan), and Minoru Suzuki vs. Royce Isaacs are among the other matches that will be taking place at Bloodsport. The show features MMA-inspired pro wrestling matches that can only end by knockout or submission.
WWE talent is coming to one of WrestleMania week’s biggest indie shows.
It was announced today that WWE’s Shayna Baszler, a former MMA fighter, will be in action at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 4. The show is being put on by Josh Barnett and Game Changer Wrestling. Baszler’s appearance is promoted as her GCW debut.
Bloodsport is a pro wrestling show where matches can only be won by submission or knockout. Baszler’s opponent has not been announced yet. The show will air live on TrillerTV+.
Baszler is friends with Barnett and is a long-time student of his. Barnett wrote about her competing at Bloodsport:
What does it mean when a Queen takes up the sword and marches to war?
Blood. Victory. Glory.
From battlefields all over the world – MMA & the @ufc, @WWENXT, @WWE, @wwr_stardom, and more – to now step into a ring she was made for from the beginning.
The Warmaster’s disciple, ‘The Queen of Spades’ Shayna Baszler, comes to Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport X.
Baszler tweeted:
You people merely adopted Bloodsport. I was born in it, molded by it. From Billy Robinson the the gene seed of the Warmaster himselfβ¦..BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!! #LimbByLimb
A former NXT Women’s Champion and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, the 43-year-old Baszler is currently part of a tag team with Zoey Stark in WWE.
Fightful reports that “multiple” WWE wrestlers are scheduled to compete at Bloodsport X. The show has a 4 p.m. Eastern start time on April 4. Nic Nemeth vs. Mike Bailey, Josh Barnett vs. Johnny Bloodsport (John Hennigan), and Minoru Suzuki vs. Royce Isaacs are among the matches that have been confirmed.
Josh Barnett and Minoru Suzuki are bringing Bloodsport to Japan.
At a press conference held on Wednesday, the two Pancrase veterans announced Bloodsport Bushido will take place June 22, 2024, at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
Similar to Bloodsport events held in the United States, Bloodsport Bushido will have shoot-style rules, with no ring ropes and matches only ending via knockout or submission.
Barnett would later say they are looking for professional wrestlers and combat athletes from other sports to take part. Only Barnett and Suzuki have been confirmed for the show thus far.
Barnett said at today’s press conference:
At Bloodsport, we want to express the purest part of wrestling. There are various shows in professional wrestling, and flashy performances are held all over the world, but there are so many different things out there. , athletes sometimes get lost. I want to express what I’ve learned from so many legends like Antonio Inoki, Karl Gotch, and Matt Hume. I do both combat sports and professional wrestling, but when I’m wrestling…I once thought, ‘There’s something missing.” I want to bring that spirit and heart back to professional wrestling, and I want to create a place like that.’
A translation of Suzuki’s comments from today’s press conference reads:
Actually, I’ve been participating in Bloodsport since the first tournament.Well, all I can say is that it’s just a normal match.It doesn’t matter if there are special rules or where it is. “Whether it’s on a moving train, in a field, in a ring with barbed wire, or anywhere else, it’s just one match for me,” he says nonchalantly. I don’t know if I’ll bring it with me? (lol) I use everything that’s there. That’s my style.
— πΏππ πππππππππ (@JoshLBarnett) February 14, 2024
Barnett and Suzuki went to a 25-minute time-limit draw at Bloodsport in 2019.
GCW Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X is scheduled for April 4, 2024, in Philadelphia over WrestleMania weekend. Takuya Nomura vs. Fuminori Abe is the only match announced thus far.
Jon Moxley has a new opponent for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 9.
With Davey Richards off the show, Moxley will now face NJPW’s Alex Coughlin at the Bloodsport event. Coughlin challenged Moxley to the match after Josh Barnett announced that Moxley’s opponent would be changing.
Multiple promotions cut ties with Richards last week after domestic violence allegations that were made against him. Richards issued a statement denying the allegations but announcing that he is retiring from pro wrestling.
Coughlin was originally scheduled to face Yuya Uemura at Bloodsport.
This will be the first time Moxley and Coughlin have ever faced each other. Both have competed at several previous Bloodsport shows.
Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 9 is being held at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 30. The show, which will air live via Fite+, is part of GCW’s The Collective during WrestleMania week.
Kota Ibushi vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Josh Barnett vs. Timothy Thatcher are among the other matches that will be taking place at Bloodsport.
The former John Morrison will take part in GCW Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 8.
Barnett announced the news this afternoon on social media. He will wrestle under his real name, John Hennigan. The following night at GCW Gringo Loco’s The Wrld on Lucha, Hennigan will wrestle as Johnny Caballero.
A man whose exploits are known all over the world is tapping into his collegiate wrestling roots and showing a side of himself that's never been seen before in Professional Wrestling.
— πΏππ πππππππππ (@JoshLBarnett) February 27, 2022
Hennigan returned to the ring on February 19th, 2022 at AAA Rey de Reyes in Veracruz, Mexico after being released by WWE last year. Wrestling as John Superstar, he was defeated by El Hijo del Vikingo in a match for the AAA Mega Championship.
The 42-year-old Hennigan was released from his WWE contract on November 18th, 2021. He had been with the company since September 2019. His first run with WWE lasted from 2002 to 2011.
Bloodsport 8 takes place March 31st from Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. Those already announced for the show include Jon Moxley, JONAH, Timothy Thatcher, Marina Shafir, Janai Kai, Biff Busick, and Minoru Suzuki. The event will air live on FITE TV.
Former NXT wrestler Timothy Thatcher is returning to in-ring action.
It was announced today that Thatcher will be wrestling at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 8 during WrestleMania week in Dallas. The show is taking place at Fair Park on Thursday, March 31 and will air live via Fite TV.
A Catch Wrestler returns home.
Timothy Thatcher is BACK where he belongs – Josh Barnett's: Bloodsport 8, The Collective during Wrestlemania Week.
— πΏππ πππππππππ (@JoshLBarnett) February 23, 2022
Thatcher hasn’t wrestled since August 2021. He and several other behind-the-scenes Performance Center personnel were released by WWE last month. Prior to his release, Thatcher had been working in NXT as a coach.
Before signing with WWE in 2020, Thatcher competed at three Bloodsport events for Game Changer Wrestling. His most recent Bloodsport appearance was a victory against Ikuhisa Minowa at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 2 in 2019.
Bloodsport is part of GCW’s The Collective 2022 set of events that are being held in Dallas during WrestleMania week. Minoru Suzuki, Biff Busick (formerly known as Oney Lorcan in WWE), Janai Kai, and Thatcher are the first four wrestlers that have been announced for the show. There haven’t been any matches confirmed yet.
The seventh installment of GCW Bloodsport is set for Los Angeles, California, Friday as part of two straight nights of shows for the promotion.
The event’s namesake will be in competition against Tiger Ruas, the former Arturo Ruas in WWE NXT. He’s made one AEW appearance since being released and will look for his first GCW win against the former UFC heavyweight champion who is looking for his third straight Bloodsport victory.
Minoru Suzuki will continue his busy U.S. run with a return to the Bloodsport mat when he faces Chris Dickinson. This is his first Bloodsport outing since April 2019 when he and Barnett went to a 25:00 draw. Dickinson is looking for his third straight win at this event.
The rest of the ten-match show will see some returns (“Filthy” Tom Lawlor, JR Kratos, Calvin Tankman, Royce Isaacs) and some debuts (Davey Richards, Marina Shafir, Starboy Charlie).
Our live coverage begins at 11 PM Eastern.
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Show Report —
The entire cast of wrestlers on tonight’s card was introduced, and each came out to open the show. Minoru Suzuki was the last to be brought out.
Chris Dickinson hyped up the crowd before turning his attention to Suzuki. He told Suzuki to save his energy, because he’d need it. Josh Barnett got in between them to prevent a scuffle.
Lenny Leonard and Rocky Romero were on the card. That’s a great commentary team.
Fights on this show can only end by submission or referee stoppage. There are no ropes.
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Yoya defeated Starboy Charlie via TKO (3:42)
Charlie caught a dive right away and took Yoya down. He controlled Yoya’s back with a waistlock, which Yoya rolled out of. There was a great sequence early where Charlie hit an overhead throw, Yoya came back with an up kick, but then Charlie returned fire with a flying guillotine. Charlie flipped out of an ankle pick and landed three sick Germans suplexes.
Yoya went for a convoluted flip into an armbar. Charlie went to shoot, but Yoya met him with a kick and then a PK and laid in ground and pound for the stoppage.
**********
Zeda Zhang defeated KZT via submission (7:09)
KZT landed a palm strike right away to Zhang’s face. Zhang came back with a judo takedown and then a Northern Lights suplex. She looked for an armbar, but KZT transitioned out and went for an armbar of her own. Zhang stopped the attack and landed body shot knee strikes. KZT got a top wristlock, but Zhang powered out. Neither woman could establish an extended advantage.
Zhang made a mistake and was baited right into a triangle choke. She then gave up her back, and KZT locked on a rear naked choke. Zhang turned it around and powered out of it with a powerbomb.
They stood and faced each other. Zhang was able to take KZT down with a leg sweep before landing wild strikes. She used side control to land more knees to KZT’s body. Zhang then locked on almost a crucifix while laying in strikes, forcing KZT to submit.
**********
Clark Connors defeated Royce Isaacs via submission (5:34)
They had an amateur wrestling exchange to open things up. It started to kick off with a slap from Isaacs, leading to a great slap fight which concluded with a high kick from Isaacs. Connors blocked an armbar but was met with a double leg takedown. Isaacs got a head-and-arm choke and then a cross armbreaker, but he lost the grip when Connors tried to escape.
Conners hit a spear and a Saito suplex. He escaped another armbar attempt and hopped on with a rear naked choke for the submission.
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Erik Hammer defeated Bad Dude Tito via submission (4:35)
Hammer laid in some quick ground and pound, which staggered Tito. He forced Tito out of the ring, which just infuriated Tito. Tito avoided a jumping knee and took Hammer down with side control. Hammer went for a kneebar. Tito had to fight desperately to escape and used a crotch-grip suplex. They slugged it out, leading to Hammer landing knees and taking Tito down once more. A German suplex followed by the double wristlock got Hammer the submission victory.
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Marina Shafir defeated Masha Slamovich via submission (4:53)
Neither woman could establish an advantage early on. The first big moment was a double ring-out. Slamovich landed a rare Bloodsport dive with a senton onto Shafir on the outside. Shafir caught a spinning backfist and landed a judo throw, taunting Slamovich and daring her to hit back. She landed hard palm strikes to Slamovich, who came back with a Northern Lights suplex into a cross armbreaker (the Minoru Tanaka special).
Shafir caught a kick and landed a big muffler slam. A modified triangle, which Shafir calls “Greedy,” was enough to force Slamovich to tap.
β After the match, Zeda Zhang, who won a match earlier in the show, came out with a mic. They share a similar past in WWE. Zhang called out Shafir, but Shafir brushed it off. They will likely fight at Bloodsport 8.
**********
JR Kratos defeated Calvin Tankman via TKO (6:55)
They boxed around at the start. Neither man could take the other down as they had a strength stalemate. They went to the mat, where Tankman utilized his weight advantage. After a long bout of grappling, Tankman landed standing knee strikes and locked on a guillotine. Kratos turned it into a big-time vertical suplex.
They faced off again. Tankman was loopy and Kratos hit a big palm strike, but Tankman fired up and landed a German suplex. They traded forearms in the center of the ring. Kratos hit a punch, Tankman hit a back elbow, but then Kratos surprised his opponent with a jumping knee and a sliding forearm for the TKO.
**********
“Filthy” Tom Lawlor defeated Alex Coughlin via submission (8:10)
Filthy came out in black trunks and a mustache, mocking Coughlin and the NJPW Young Lions.
They performed some classic fundamental-level wrestling at the bell. Coughlin moved to the open guard and took a palm strike for his effort. They both had an Achilles hold on and stared each other down before trading hard strikes and resetting.
Coughlin threw an elbow smash but took a knee strike to the gut. A head and arm choke wore Coughlin down. Filthy went for a key lock, but Coughlin bridged out of it and powered all the way up for an overhead throw. He laid in ground and pound, but Filthy turned it back around and went for an armbar. Coughlin countered a Kimura attempt into a fallaway slam. He tried to follow it up with the Boston crab, but Filthy turned it into a guillotine. Coughlin couldn’t power out, and Filthy landed hammer fists from the omoplata position. Coughlin got one brief moment of respite, but Filthy turned it into a double heel hook and Coughlin tapped out.
**********
Davey Richards defeated Yuya Uemura via submission (7:17)
The first big moment of the fight was Uemura laying on his back and pulling guard, inviting Richards in. Richards countered it with a jumping double stomp Γ la Sakuraba. Back at a standing position, Richards laid in strikes, but Uemura leaned into them. One mid kick finally dropped Uemura to the mat, leading the official to check on him.
Uemura exploded out with a shotgun dropkick, sending Richards to the floor. Out on the floor, Uemura dished a relentless assault before bringing Richards back into the ring and going for a double wristlock. Richards rolled into a knee bar and then an ankle lock. Uemura rolled out and caught Richards with a knee to the face. After more knees, Uemura hit a back suplex and locked on a cross armbreaker.
The crowd really wanted a submission there, but Richards eventually countered into an ankle lock. Uemura tried multiple escapes, but after hitting some desperation up kicks, Richards locked on an inverted Figure Four for the submission.
**********
Josh Barnett defeated Tiger Ruas by submission (9:00)
Some intense grappling early on resulted in both competitors trading control. Ruas went for a triangle but was stacked up by Barnett, the bigger man. A fireman’s carry takeover allowed Ruas to maintain control. The first big move of the fight came about five minutes in, with Barnett landing a belly-to-back suplex. He followed it up with ground and pound, but Ruas transitioned out of an armbar and went for a modified kneebar himself.
Strikes from Barnett evened the fight. Ruas came back with a single leg take down and then overhand palm strikes. Ruas wanted a choke from the back, but Barnett stood up out of it and hit a sidewalk slam. A foot stomp gave Ruas a chance to make a comeback with strikes and a vertical suplex.
They separated and moved to a standing position. Barnett hit a high kick and a knee, but Ruas landed almost a flip kick and then a German. They traded strikes from a kneeling position and then stood up, where Barnett locked on a front choke. A Michinoku Driver followed, allowing Barnett to slap on an armbar for the submission win.
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Minoru Suzuki defeated Chris Dickinson via submission (15:22)
Dickinson utilized his power advantage early on as Suzuki was content to hold back in the guard. Suzuki rolled to the floor and taunted Dickinson, trying to bait him out for a brawl. Dickinson returned by giving Suzuki the amateur wrestling back position. Neither man earned control for a few minutes as they traded holds. Suzuki smiled in Dickinson’s face with a heel hook applied, which got the match to another level.
Suzuki took some hard overhand palm strikes and changed his mood from playful to all business. They traded overhand chops in the center of the ring. After a sick exchange, Dickinson hit a German and went for a head-and-arm choke. Suzuki came back by grinding his knuckles into Dickinson’s eyes. He then hit Bryan Danielson-esque curb stomps.
Dickinson leaned into forearm strikes and they began trading really stiff slaps to the face. The crowd fired up huge for that exchange. Suzuki went for a knee bar, but Dickinson transitioned into an armbar. Suzuki forced a break and rolled to the floor to create some distance between himself and Dickinson.
Back in the ring, Dickinson landed a big mid kick and then a high kick. Suzuki caught a kick and floored Dickinson with a forearm before transitioning into a single-leg Boston crab, which forced Dickinson to tap.
