Tag: Josh Barnett

Karrion Kross to compete at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Another WWE name is slated to compete at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII in Las Vegas.

Karrion Kross will be in action at the MMA-inspired pro wrestling show on April 17, which is the Thursday of WrestleMania week. He’s back for his third GCW Bloodsport event after previously competing twice in 2019 before he was signed to WWE.

“A man from the very beginning of Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport is coming back to hone his killer instinct,” Josh Barnett hyped. “What better place in the world then, than the kill-or-be-killed mat of Bloodsport XIII? Say hello again to Karrion Kross.”

Kross has a 1-1 record in Bloodsport with a victory over Nick Gage and a loss to Davey Boy Smith Jr.

An opponent for Kross this time has not been named yet. He posted a tweet this afternoon looking ahead to his return.

Natalya and Pete Dunne are the other WWE wrestlers that have been booked for the show. No matches have been confirmed so far, but Zack Sabre Jr., Miyu Yamashita, Maika, Konami, Jonathan Gresham, Tom Lawlor, Timothy Thatcher, and Gabe Kidd are among the other wrestlers set to compete. Bloodsport will air live on TrillerTV+ with a start time of 11 p.m. Eastern/9 p.m. Pacific.

Kross is also making an indie appearance this weekend, facing off against Alex Hammerstone at Future Stars of Wrestling’s Chris Bey benefit show on Sunday (March 23).

Natalya set to compete at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Natalya is heading to Bloodsport.

Josh Barnett announced that the WWE star will compete during Bloodsport XIII, which takes place on April 17 during WrestleMania weekend.

“The Queen of Harts. A member of the legacy filled Hart family. She spent time in the Hart Dungeon learning hoe to crank, rip, and tear wrestlers apart. You could say the she was BORN for this,” Barnett wrote on social media. “We she torture her opponent to the point of submission or will it be her hung from the rack? What will Bloodsport bring out of this veteran wrestler?”

This would mark Natalya’s first appearance in GCW. Since re-signing with WWE last fall, she has mostly been seen on WWE Speed, ultimately losing to champion Candice LeRae earlier this year. She also competed in the Women’s Intercontinental title tournament, coming up short in the qualifying around against IYO SKY and Alba Fyre.

Talent announced for Bloodsport XIII include Miyu Yamashita, David Modzmanashvilli, Tom Lawlor, Timothy Thatcher, Simon Gotch, Shinya Aoki, and Jonathan Gresham.

The People vs. GCW live results: Hammerstein Ballroom return

Posted on by Joseph Collins

For the first time in three years, GCW will return to the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City for The People vs. GCW.

After a big build, their January 2022 debut received mixed-to-negative reviews which GCW owner Brett Lauderdale will try to erase tonight.

GCW Champion Mance Warner defends against a mystery opponent while the next challenger will be decided in a bout between partners Effy and Allie Katch.

GCW Tag Team Champions Violence is Forever defend against Alec Price & Cole Radrick while the GCW Extreme title and Ultraviolent title will be unified in an eight-person match.

In what should be an athletic affair, El Hijo del Vikingo will take on Sidney Akeem while Tom Pestock (the former Baron Corbin) will debut in a Bloodsport rules match against Josh Barnett.

Former ECW stars Super Crazy, Little Guido & Tajiri will face Arez, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel with another former ECW star — Masato Tanaka — will go one-on-one with Joey Janela.

The card will also feature Matt Cardona against a mystery opponent, a steel cage match and more.

**********

Kick Off Show.

There was a 90 minute kick off show. It started off with clips of matches from various GCW events that set up tonight’s matches. There was a pretty good Matt Cardona hype video.

Preshow Scramble Match: Manders pinned Marcus Mathers in a match which also had Mr. Danger, Marcus Mathers, Fuego Del Sol, Rich Swann and Blake Christian (11:03)

The arena was still mostly empty at the start of the match, but there was still a booming GCW chant from the crowd that was there. Mathers got to look good in an exchange with Del Sol, and the commentators put over he was WWE’ID. Christian did some ariel stuff with Mr. Danger and Swann. The opening few minutes were two guys doing stuff in the ring, four guys selling on the floor.

Christian hit a snap spinning powerslam on Del Sol. Manders (the only guy in the match who isn’t super flippy) got dropped with a quadruple superkick. Christian hit a fosbury flop onto four guys on the floor. Mr. Danger hit a top rope springboard moonsault onto all five guys. Back in the ring, Christian hit Danger with a top rope Spanish Fly. There was a stacker superplex on Swann, and then Fuegeo hit Manders with a coast-to-coast dropkick. Del Sol hit a springboard DDT on Christian, and Dangers hit a moonsault on Del Sol. Mathers hit a fisherman’s bustper on Danger. Manders tossed Matthers out of the ring with a suplex, and Christian took him out with a superkick. Christian followed up with a 450 foot stomp.

Swann caught Manders with a springboard cuter for a near fall. Manders hit a destoryer off the top on Del Sol while he was on Manders shoulders. Mathers dove into a Oklahoma stampede from Manders, who finished him off with a lariat. All those flips and the finish was a clothesline.

– Allie Katch and Effy gave promos ahead of their top contender’s match later.

PCO won the Kick-Off Rumble.

There were already a bunch of guys brawling in the ring with this started, but then there were more entrants every minute or two. First was Crowbar, who came in and hit everyone with a crowbar. Zeyda Steel (who is a woman) entered next and actually got the corwbar from Crowbar. The tag team champions from Juggalo Championship Wrestling, The Back Seat Boys, (brought out by the Insane Clown Posse) enterted next. Sam Stackhouse was the next entrant. This was just a mess.

Shane Mercer came in next. There were so many men in the ring I was started to fear it might break. Brook Havoc (another woman) entered next. She was followed by CPA, an accountant. Big Vin was the next entrant and he gave someone a big chokeslam. The final participant was PCO.

PCO tossed a bunch of guys. Havoc eliminated Steel. Shane Mercer eliminated the Back Seat Boys. The camera cut to a wide shot, but you couldn’t really tell what was goign on. Sam Stackhouse use a cartwheel kick to eliminate someone. Havoc sent Stackhouse (who weighed like 400 pounds) to the floor with a rana. Shane Mercer then gorilla pressed Havoc and dumped her onto a crowd on the floor. This left him with PCO. They fought onto the apron, where PCO chokeslammed Mercer to the floor and got the victory.

After the match, PCO got the microphone and smashed a TNA championship belt (the Digital Media title) with a sledgehammer. PCO started running down TNA and the show quickly cut away from PCO and went to a pretaped package.

I guess PCO wasn’t happy in TNA.

– Brett Lauderdale crows about his ticket sales and how they’re better than any show that ran in this building “in the last 30 days or so.” He put over GCW’s success and promised to bring it to all 50 states. He talked up how GCW was successful without a coprorate TV contract or “a billion dollar safety net.” He also recognized some GCW fans who have passed away, including his mother. He rambled on for way too long.

– Dave Prazak joined the commentary team.

The People vs. GCW Main Show

Dave Prazak and Veda Scott were on commentary for the main show.

Matt Tremont won the DLC Match for the GCW Ultraviolent Championship & Extreme Championship which also featured Drew Parker, Dr. Redacted, Rina Yamashita, Matthew Justice, Ciclope, John Wayne Murdoch, Brandon Kirk, and Maki Itoh (15:55)

Most of the entrances occurred during the pre-show. “DLC” means “Doors, ladders and chairs” with the two belts hanging above the ring. This was the retirement match of Brandon Kirk, win lose or draw. Murdoch grabbed a mic and declared that Itoh didn’t not belong in the match, and he was jumped by everyone else to start the match. Itoh is the “Extreme” champion, which is one of the belts hanging above the ring. Parker & Murdoch climbed a ladder and were yanked down by their groins by Yamashita. Itoh did the Terry Funny spinning ladder spot. Guys threw chairs at each other’s heads, then came off the top rope with chair shots to the head. Cicople gave Yamashita a spinebuster. Cicople hit a springboard moonsault onto a pile on the floor. The pan to a crowd shot, but I gotta say the building looked a lot better when AEW was in it last month.

Brandon Kirk went through the first door. Murdoch hit Parker with a destroyer. Itoh hit Murdoch and Justice with a spinning DDT. Kirk went for a pumphandle slam, but Itoh countered that with another spinning DDT. Itoh hit a dive onto a pile on the floor. Nobody has made any attempt to get the belts.

Yamashita and Redacted tried to come off of opposite corners while wearing trash cans, but wound up crashing into each other. Now the match has just stopped while everyone builds ladder struckers in the ring and door/table structures on the floor. Yamashita and Cicople double-teamed Redacted, suplexing a ladder onto him. Out of the ring, Itoh and Murdoch were laid out on tables by Parker. On the top of a ladder, Cicople forced a kiss onto Yamashita, then superplexed to the floor through some tables. Then Drew Parker came off the top of another ladder with a swanton through Itoh and Murdoch. Then on a ladder-scaffold, Justice gave Redacted a death valley driver through a table against the ring barricade. This left Kirk to climb the ladder, but Drew Parker cut him off. Kirk then gave him a pump handle powerpomb through the ladder.

With everyone down, Kirk set up another ladder-scaffold before starting to climb for the belt. Murdoch low-blowed Kirk and sent him through the ladder he’d just set up. Oh the irony! Matt Tremont and Murdoch climb a ladder, and Tremont stopped him by hacking away at him with a fork, sending Tremont crashing down. Tremont pulled down both belts to win the titles.

– A pre-match video on Allie Hatch had me convinced she was winning tonight.

Effy defeated Allie Katch by decision for the GCW World Title shot in the Main Event (4:35)

Katch backdropped Effy to the floor and followed him out with a tope. Katch’s head ended up under the guardrail, but the commentators said she injured her leg. Later it was confirmed she injured her leg. Effy broke character checking on Katch, and the show cut to a wide shot while Katch was tended to by the crew.

Mance Warner (the champion) came out and attacked Effy with the title belt. Warner chokeslammed Effy through the time keeper’s table. Effy was declared the winner in what was obviously not the planned finish.

The New York OG’s (Homicide, Grim Reefer & Amazing Red) defeated Real F’n Pros (Kerry Morton, Tony Deppen, Griffin McCoy) after a lot of time killing.

Kerry Morton started a pre-match promo by saying “It’s a damn shame that GCW gets real professional wrestlers” and immediately became the babyface for me. There was a lot of mic work that felt like it was trying to fill the time left from the last match. And there was really no need for that.

Then, an announcement is made that they can’t actually start the match because “the commission” was not at ringside because they were dealing with the Allie Katch injury. This led to Morton grabbing another mic to run down some more people. The Real F’n Pros decide to leave since they’ve already been paid. Homicide got a mic and started cursing and demanded someone ring the bell. The Grim Reefer offered to hunt down the commissioner and “slap him in his f*n face.”

The finally cut away for some pre-tapes.

The match got underway once a second ambulance got on site. The first ambulance took Allie Katch to the hospital after her leg injury.

Morton did some great heel work from the apron while Deepen was triple teamed by the OG’s. Morton pulled a joint out from behind the Grim Reefer’s ear and broke it in half. Reefer sold for the heels. Morton’s heel work was tremendous. Reefer was completely gassed taking basic punishment from the Real Pros. Reefer pulled out another joint, lit it, then hit a top rope dive onto Deepen and McCoy. Homicide got the tag and took out Deepen and Morton with cutters. Morton’s team triple-teamed Homicide. Morton grabbed Homicide’s fork, but Ricky Morton ran in and took the fork away from his kid, then gave him a destroyer. A Code Red and A Cop Killer ended the match for the New York OG’s.

After the match, Amazing Red was inducted into the 2025 Independent Wrestling Hall of Fame. This would have been a great thing to do when they were trying to kill time before the match.

The Gahbage Daddies (Cole Radrick & Alec Price) defeated Violence is Forever (Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini) for the GCW Tag Team Championship (14:28)

The match spilled to the floor very early. The Gahbage Daddies went for spinning DDTs on the floor, but they were blocked. Price was dropped with a brainbuster on the ring apron. Back in the ring, the champs double-teamed Radrick. This led to some pretty good old-school tag psychology where Vioence is Forever kept cutting off Radrick from getting the tag to Price.

Price finally got the tag and hit a blockbuster on Ku for a near fall. Price hit knee strikes on the champs. Garrini ate several kicks, and Price hit him with a top rope splash for two. Garrini dropped Price with a northern lights bomb. Ku hit a Regalplex on Price (with a boot from Garrini for good measure) for a near fall. Price and Garrini took each other out with a double clothesline.

Ku and Radrick exchanged forearms, and Ku caught him with a sleeper. Garrini had Price locked in a submission, but Radrick broke that up. Ku hit a brainbuster on Radrick, but Drake came off the top with a swanton bomb to break the pin up. Ku and Garrini hit Radrick with a spike piledriver, but it only got two.

Radrick hit an inverted powerbomb for a near fall. The Gahbage Daddies went for their finisher, but the champs countered it, and Ku dropped Drake with a top turnbuckle brainbuster. The Gahbage Daddies made a fast comeboack on Ku, hitting him with a cutter and a rebound lariat. Then then hit their finish, the Gahbage Disposal (a top rope stop from an electric chair) on Ku to get the pinfall and the championship.

This was decent. The Garbage Daddies went into the crowd to celebrate their title win.

Charles Mason defeated Richard Holliday in a Steel Cage Match (12:17)

Holiday reported Mason for murder, but apparently the charges didn’t stick and now we have this cage match. Because a snitch is worse than a murderer, according to commentary. During the entrance for Mason, various criminals are shown on the screen and Luigi Mangione gets a face pop.

Mason seems to understand his character, I will give him that. Mason was pretty dominant early. He sent Holliday headfirst into the cage but walked into a cutter. Holliday sent Mason into the cage headfirst but it didn’t faze him. Holliday hiptossed Mason into the cage to finally slow him down. They brawled up to the top of the cage. Holliday tumbled to the mat, and Mason came off the top of the cage with an elbow.

Perro (Holliday’s ally) broke into the cage and chokeslammed Mason. Mason kicked out of the pin attempt, so Perro threw a door and some chairs into the ring. Perro set up Mason for a powerbomb through the door, but Mason’s ally Slade entered the ring and speared Perro through the door. The wooden door set up like a table, not the cage door. Slade and Perro brawled out of the cage and into the crowd.

Holiday found a chain, but Mason had a chair and beat Holiday to the punch. With the chair, I mean. Mason went for a last big swing, but Holliday caught him with a low blow. Holliday admitting to snitching on Mason and leveled him with a superkick. Holliday hit a spinning suplex for one. Mason hit a spinning lariat and a meteoria in the corner. Mason hit a death valley driver for two, then locked in a sleeperhold. Holiday went for a suplex, but Mason countered into another sleeper, and locked in a body scissors. Holiday tried to use the chain to break it, but Mason grabbed it and used it to choke out Holliday to get the win via ref stoppage. This wasn’t too bad, either.

Sidney Akeem defeated El Hijo Del Vikingo (10:38)

Some pretty great mat stuff started things out. Vikingo offered Akeem a handshake, but he declined and hit a crossbody and a forearm. Vikingo came back with a superkick. Akeem went for a suplex to the floor, but Vikingo escaped with a knee and a kick. Akeem dodged a dive from Vikingo and hit him with a bodypress on the floor from the apron, basically on his back.

Back in the ring, Akeep hit a top rope crossbody for a near fall. Vikingo came back with a missle dropkick off the top that sent Akeem to the floor. Vikingo hit a tope and immediately grabbed his left knee. Back in the ring, Vikingo hit a frog splash for two. Akeem hit a spin kick and a pump handle slam for a near fall. Vikingo hung up Akeem in the ropes and hit a double stomp for a near fall. Both guys avoided cutters and knocked each other down simultaneously with kicks.

Akeem hit his handspring cutter (The Final Act) for two. Vikingo crotched Akeem on the top rope, then hit a destoryer from the top rope onto the ring apron. Back in the ring, Akeem hit the Final Act a second time and got the pinfall.

Arez, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel defeated Tajiri, Super Crazy & Little Guido (12:35)

The ECW guys looked very old. Guildo did soem pretty good matwrok, and Tajiri hit some crisp arm drags. Super Crazy kept up with Arez desipte putting on a good deal of weight since his ECW days. A cheap shot from Arez led to all six guys getting in the ring, and Cartwheel’s team triple teamed Crazy and sent him to the floor. Arez stomped on Little Guido, and Cartwheel hit a slingshot elbow off the ropes. He went to the top for a skytwister press, but Guido rolled out of the way.

Crazy got the tag and hit his opponents with clotheslines. Tajiri took out Loco and Arez with the handspring elbow. Tajiri and Crazy tied them up with tarantuals, and Guildo locked Cartwheel in an armbar. The fight then went to the floor.

Super Crazy climed up the second level balcony and hit a moonsualt on the pile. That’s an insane risk considering what’s already happened on this show. The match eventually went back to the ring, and Arez and Crazy each lock one of their opponents into a surfboard. Arez sent Crazy to the floor, and Loco and Cartwheel followed out and hit him with dives. Arez then hit the pile with a moonsualt to the floor of his own.

Back in the ring, Tajiri misted the referee. Arez then hit Tajiri with the red mist! Loco hit Guido with a split legged moonsault and got the pinfall.

This show feels like it’s been on forever.

Josh Barnett v. Tom Pestock in a “Bloodsport Fight” (10:04)

Pestcok is the former Baron Corbin, but he has legitimate Golden Gloves and BJJ experience. This match has a 15 minute time limit with a five minute overtime if necessary. The ropes have been removed from the ring for this.

Pestock got a takedown and then a heel hook. Barnett looked like he might have an armbar, but Pestock countered and got in a full mount and turned that into a cross arm breaker. Barnett escaped and caught Pestock with some short rights. Pestock threw some elbows into Barnett’s ribs. Barnett got a headlock, but Pestock countered with a headscissors and then went right back into a cross arm breaker again. Barnett was able to block it. Barnett rolled up on Pestock and went for ankle, but Pestock was able to roll on top to counter. Pestock got on top and drove some knees into Barnett’s ribs, then went into a guillotine. Barnett countered that with a suplex, then locked in an armar into a cross arm breaker. Pestock tried to power out, but Barnett countered into a knee bar. Pestock escaped and started pummeling him with forearms. Pestock hit a verticual suplex and some more forearms. Barnett got on top and hit a punches, but Pestock rolled over and fired back.

Both men got to their feet, and Barnett went after Pestock with kicks to the legs. Pestock blocked a kick and leveled Barnett, then hit a pair of backdrop suplexes. Barnett countered a third with a go-behing and went for another legbar, locked it in and Pestock (who had been the crowd favorite) had to tap out.

I don’t’ know what it was but the crowd was into Pestock.

Megan Bayne defeated Atticus Cogar (13:49)

Cogar wore headgear exactly like Bayne’s. Bayne quickly hit a spear for a near fall. Bayne backdropped Cogar and hit a chop in the corner. Bayne buried knees in Cogar’s midsection and hit a spalsh in the corner, then followed that up with a butterfly suplex. Sliding lariat got Bayne a near fall. Cogar shoved Bayne off the turnbuckles to the floor.

Cogar draped Bayne across the barricades and came off the apron with a splash. Cogar set up a table on the floor. Cogar caught Bayne coming in the ring with a DDT for a near fall. Cogar kicked a chair into Bayne’s face. Cogar tried to drive skewers into Bayne’s head but missed. They exchanged German suplexes, and Cogar hit a half and half suplex and a superkick. Cogar found some more skewers and shoved them into every corner of the ring.

Bayne came back with forearms and an overhead belly to belly suplex. Cogar went for a crossbody, but Bayne caught him and gave him a fallaway slam into a steel chair. Cogar hit a headbutt, then came off the top with a stomp for a near fall.

Bayne escaped an air rad crash and hit a sitout powerbomb for two. Bayne went to the top, but Cogar caught her with a kick. Cogar followed him up and hit an air raid crash that was supposed to be on the apron but they went straight to the floor. They went back into the ring and Bayne kicked out of a cover attempt. Bayne hit Cogar with an F5 for a near fall. Bayne grabbed some of the skewers, but before she could skewer him, Otis Cogar (Atticus’ brother) ran in and gave Bayne an uranage, then a moonsault. But Atticus only got a near fall. Otis went for a second moonsault, but Sawyer Wreck sprayed him with a fire extinguisher. Wreck then hit Atticus with a taser, and Bayne hit a tombstone on Atticus to get the pinfall.

Joey Janela defeated Masato Tanaka (12:38)

I don’t think having this many guys who were stars in ECW 30 years ago is the flex the guys running this thing think it is. Tanaka turned Jalena inside-out with a clothesline. Janela dropped Tanaka with a death valley driver on the ring apron. Janela set up some tables on one side of the ring. Jalena then walked Tanaka over to the tables and whipepd him into the ring barricade. Tanaka sent Jalena over the ring barricade and hit him with a chair. Janela then positioned himself onto a table for Tanaka to dive onto him.

Tanaka then threw a bunch of chairs in the ring. Back in the ring, Janela cuaght Tanaka with a DDT. Tanaka hit Jalena with a swinging DDT into the pile of chairs. Janela suplexed Tanaka into the pile of chairs. Then back onto the apron , and Janela powerbombed Tanaka through the table on the floor.

Jalena set up the chairs in the ring. He went for a powerbomb, but Tanaka countered with an elbow and hit Diamond Dust for a near fall. An elbow sent Janela into the chairs and Tanaka went to the top, but Janela caught him. Janela superplexed Tanaka through the chairs and got a one count. Janela hit Tanaka with a pair of chair shots to the head for two.

Janela threw a door and a table into the ring while Tanaka grabbed his head. Janela set Tanaka up in the corner for a superplex, but Tanaka turned it into a spinning DDT into the table. Jalena kicked out at two. Janela sent Tanaka through the door with a death valley driver.

They fought with chairs and forearms in the center of the ring. The each hit rolling elbows and knocked each other down. Janela hit a superkick, then a package piledriver on a steel chair to get the pinfall.

Janela grabbed the mic afterwards and said, “it’s been a long f*cking night.” Yeah, no kidding. Janela got the crowd to give Tanaka ovation. Janela started to talk about his spring break show and the lights went dark. Then clips of Sabu were shown. Including stuff from ECW, Raw, and WCW so I don’t know how they’re getting away with that. Anyway the lights came back up and Sabu was in the ring with Janela. Janela announced that Sabu would have his retirement match with Janela at his spring break show.

Matt Cardona defeated Tommy Invincible (1:44)

Cardona cut a promo about how he’s carried GCW on his back for the last four years. Tommy Invincible has a social media following, and the crowd doesn’t respond well to him. Cardona hit Radio Silence right out of the gate, but it only got two. Invincible hit a pair of knees and then did a John Cena impression to a lot of boos. Invincible hit a fistdrop and a cutter for a near fall. The crowd was not having any of this. Cardona hit a low blow and another Raido Silence and that was it.

So after destroying that nobody, Cardona demands more competition.

Matt Cardona defeated Micro Man

It’s midnight, are these guys serious? The smallest wrestler alive Micro Man came out to wrestle Cardona. Cardona won this match after a low blow when his second, Jimmy Lloyd, pulled the ref out of the ring. Cardona demanded another opponent.

Jimmy Lloyd defeated Matt Cardona (2:12)

Lloyd was Cardona’s second, who turned on Cardona and hit him with Radio Silence. Lloyd hit him with a boot wash and a superkick, then dropped him with a big piledriver and got the pinfall.

Effy defeated Mance Warner for the GCW Championship (19:07)

Warner is trying to start fights with the crowd around ringside. Also it looks like there are a lot of empty seats in the Ballroom. Probably because it’s well past midnight.

Effy started off fast and hit a pair of boots in the corner, but Warner grabbed the title belt and walloped Effy with it. The fight went to the floor and Warner dominated with chops and bit Effy’s forehead. Effy suplexed Warner on the floor. Effy whipped Warner into the ringpost and into the guardrail. Effy threw some chairs in the ring.

Back in the ring, Effy hit Warner with a chair, then dropped him crotch-first onto a chair. Effy went for a cannonball off the top, but Warner moved and Effy hit the chair. Warner hit Effy with a chair. Warner then chokeslammed Effy into the edge of a set-up steel chair. What was left of the crowd was behind Effy, and they definitely weren’t as loud as they were earlier in the night. Warner set up some more chairs in the ring. Effy sent Warner into the chairs with the TKO. Effy followed up with a tombstone into a set up chair.

Effy smashed Warner with a door. Warner hit him with the door. Warner tried to springboard into Effy, but Effy caught him and spinebustered him threw the door. Effy gave him a curbstomp into a chair for another near fall.

Effy threw more doors and chairs into the ring. Any booker with good sense would have sent these guys home by now. The crowd does not care about any of this. Effy and Warner fought on the apron, and Warner tried a piledriver through the table and it didn’t break and both guys are out of it. And the crowd couldn’t care less.

Back in the ring, Effy kicks out of a pin attempt. The crowd barely reacts. Warner goes to the floor to throw more stuff around. Warner hit a member of the ring crew with a steel chair. Back in the ring, Warner put a door across some steel chairs (a “door bridge” the commentators called it). Warner DDT’d Effy off the top through the door, and Effy kicks out. And maybe four people clapped.

Warner dumped Effy to the floor and demanded a count out. Effy got in before the ref counted ten, so Warner dumped him out again. Effy made it back in the ring, and Warner beat him with a steel chair. Warner hit him with a knee for one, and finaly the crowd reacted a bit. Warner pulled a screwdriver out of his boot, and Effy hit a spear. Effy got the screwdriver and hit Warner in the head. Effy gutwrench powerbombed Warner through the door, but it only got one. Warner countered a Radio Silence attempt with a powerbomb, then hit a DDT for another near fall.

Warner then left the ring to grab a guitar. But Cole Radrick ran in and stopped him. Radrick pulled out a brass ring (which would get him a title shot), but Radrick didn’t use it. Instead, he gave Effy the guitar and left. Effy hit Warner with the guitar, then hit the Radio Silence (which he calls the Sack Ryder), and got the pinfall. The win got barely any crowd reaction.

This show was about two hours too long. There’s only so many times you can see guys get hit with chairs or go through tables or doors before it gets redundant. And I’d guess about 1/2 the crowd left before the end of it.

Baron Corbin to make GCW debut at Hammerstein Ballroom event

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Baron Corbin is heading to GCW.

The company announced that Corbin, going under real name Tom Pestock, will be making his debut for the company on Sunday at their Hammerstein Ballroom event The People vs. GCW. He will be taking on Josh Barnett in a Bloodsport rules match.

“Pestock is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist & Golden Gloves Champion entering Bloodsport for the 1st time,” he company noted in their announcement.

Pestock commented on social media soon after the match was announced, writing “Grit your teeth and protect your neck!!”

This will be Pestock’s first match on the independent scene since his release from WWE last November. Pestock, along with Indi Hartwell and Tegan Nox were all released from WWE at the same time. 

The People vs. GCW is scheduled for Sunday, January 19, 2025, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. It will air live on Triller as a pay-per-view.

The People vs. GCW announced lineup:

  • GCW World Champion Mance Warner defends against Effy or Allie Katch
  • Effy vs. Allie Katch (winner challenges Mance Warner later in the night)
  • GCW Tag Team Champions Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku defend against Cole Radrick & Alec Price
  • Doors, Ladders & Chairs match for the vacant GCW Ultraviolent Championship: Matt Tremont vs. Brandon Kirk vs. Drew Parker vs. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Matthew Justice vs. Dr. Redacted
  • Super Crazy, Tajiri & Little Guido vs. Arez, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel
  • Masato Tanaka vs. Joey Janela
  • El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Sidney Akeem
  • Bloodsport match: Josh Barnett vs. Tom Pestock
  • Steel cage match: Charles Mason vs. Richard Holliday
  • Megan Bayne vs. Atticus Cogar
  • Matt Cardona vs. TBA
  • NYC OGs (Homicide, Grim Reefer, and Amazing Red) vs. Tony Deppen, Kerry Morton & Griffin McCoy 
  • PCO, Maki Itoh, and more set to compete
  • Sabu returns to GCW

Marina Shafir vs. Jody Threat announced for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII

Posted on by Ethan Renner

A new match is set for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII.

As revealed by Barnett himself in a social media post Monday, AEW wrestler and former professional MMA fighter Marina Shafir will face TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion Jody Threat at Bloodsport on November 24.

The match is the sixth made for the Barnett and GCW co-promoted event taking place in Jersey City, New Jersey at the White Eagle Hall. Barnett wrote:

[Two] women wrestlers set on a collision course… Pain Agony Will Blood Violence Glory And that’s exactly why they’re meeting in the ring known as Bloodsport. @AEW’s Marina Shafir vs @ThisIsTNA’s Jody Threat at Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport XII Get your tickets now!

Bloodsport XII streams on Triller TV on Sunday, November 24 at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The updated card:

  • Josh Alexander vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
  • MVP vs. Josh Barnett
  • Masha Slamovich vs. Lei Ying Lee
  • Charlie Dempsey vs. Akira
  • Kevin Ku vs. Dominic Garrini
  • Marina Shafir vs. Jody Threat

Josh Alexander vs. ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey set for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII

Posted on by Josh Nason

Former TNA World Champion Josh Alexander will take on former TNA X-Division Champion “Speedball” Mike Bailey in one of the featured bouts at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII.

The unique event will take place on Sunday, November 24th from Jersey City, New Jersey, airing on Triller.

It’s the latest chapter in a rivalry that dates back to 2011 and has gone across several promotions including TNA where they two had a notable November 2022 match that went just under an hour. They last faced off this past August — their first-clash since the aforementioned TNA match.

It will be Alexander’s second appearance for Bloodsport and his first since October 2020’s third edition. Bailey haas competed four times in Bloodsport, picking up his first win this past July when he knocked out Akira.

Here’s the current card:

  • Josh Alexander vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
  • MVP vs. Josh Barnett
  • Masha Slamovich vs. Lei Ying Lee
  • Charlie Dempsey vs. Akira
  • Kevin Ku vs. Dominic Garrini

Josh Barnett vs. MVP confirmed for GCW Bloodsport XII

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The match between MVP and Josh Barnett is official for the next Bloodsport.

It was confirmed that the two will meet on November 24 at Bloodsport XII, which takes place at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, New Jersey. This comes after MVP made a surprise appearance at the last Bloodsport event, revealing his then-upcoming departure from WWE and issuing a challenge to Barnett.

On social media, Barnett wrote about the upcoming bout:

“The long history of training and friendship was explained and also revealed as the source of the challenge laid down between MVP and the Warmaster at Bloodsport XI,” he wrote. “Mutual respect and admiration was given, not freely, but earned through respecting the other’s strength.”

“That desire to test one’s strength now decides that a match must happen,” he continued. “A match where limits will not be constrained and both wrestler’s will use all they have down to their very cores, because what is more valuable than he who shed his blood for his friend?”

MVP recently made his debut for AEW at WrestleDream earlier this month. He announced that he was looking to recruit new clients, and revealed that Shelton Benjamin has retained his services once again.

Josh Barnett guest coaching at NJPW dojo

Posted on by Joseph Currier

This month, pro wrestler and former UFC fighter Josh Barnett is helping to train NJPW’s Young Lions.

NJPW has announced that Barnett will serve as a guest coach at the promotion’s Japan dojo in October. Barnett, 46, is looking forward to teaching Strong Style and catch-as-catch-can wrestling to the up-and-coming talent in the dojo.

“It’s an honor for me to be a guest coach in the New Japan Dojo, continuing a lineage of development that goes back to the work of my own teacher Karl Gotch,” he told NJPW. “I’m looking forward to seeing NJPW’s strength at its source, and to impart the same catch-as-catch-can style that is my background and that of so many legends.”

While in Japan, Barnett will also be competing in matches for GLEAT and Pro Wrestling NOAH. He made his pro wrestling debut for NJPW back in 2003.

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII is taking place from Jersey City, New Jersey this November. Barnett and Game Changer Wrestling have partnered together for the Bloodsport events since 2019.

Date revealed for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Josh Barnett has revealed the date and location for Bloodsport XII.

The twelfth event in the co-promoted Barnett/GCW Bloodsport series has been announced for Sunday, November 24 in Jersey City, New Jersey at The White Eagle.

The New Jersey location is notable as the show will take place on AEW Full Gear weekend, with the Full Gear pay-per-view set for the day before in Newark, New Jersey.

Barnett announced the date in a social media post, noting that The White Eagle hosted the first Barnett-branded Bloodsport in April 2019:

“The Hardest Hitting Event in all of Professional Wrestling returns… Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport is headed back to where it all started – The White Eagle in Jersey City, Sun Nov. 24th. Tickets on sale soon.”

Bloodsport XI was held in July in Brooklyn and featured talent from WWE including Shayna Baszler and The Creed Brothers from the Raw brand, plus NXT’s Charlie Dempsey.

No talent has been announced for the November 24 date to this point.

MVP confirms upcoming WWE departure, challenges Josh Barnett at Bloodsport XI

Posted on by Bryan Rose

MVP is leaving WWE, and already making his first steps.

In a surprise appearance, MVP came to the ring following Barnett’s match against Bad Dude Tito at Bloodsport XI on Sunday. He said he recently got his black belt in jiu jitsu and his contract with a company he wouldn’t mention (WWE) is about to expire, and he’s not going back. He said he has things he wants to do before retiring and issued the challenge. Barnett replied that he didn’t even had to ask, and he’s welcome to come in on his own or with a posse.

Last week, it was reported that both Bobby Lashley and MVP would be leaving WWE when their contracts come up shortly and would be trying to reform the Hurt Business stable with Shelton Benjamin, possibly in AEW. Later in the week, MVP reflected on his current WWE run on Instagram.

While talking to local media in London after meeting with the mayor about potentially bringing WrestleMania to the city, Levesque didn’t give an update on the status of Lashley or MVP.

“Just like any sport, any business, we sign talent, talent contract runs out, we release talent. It’s just part of the process, so it’s an ongoing thing,” he said.

MVP has rarely been seen on television in 2024, most recently accompanying Omos to the ring for the Andre the Giant battle royal that took place on the SmackDown before WrestleMania 40.

Josh Barnett set for action at Bloodsport XI

Posted on by Joseph Currier

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:

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XI (Sunday, July 28) —

  • Homicide vs. Mike Santana
  • Shayna Baszler vs. Miyu Yamashita
  • Mike Bailey vs. AKIRA
  • Josh Woods vs. Timothy Thatcher
  • Masha Slamovich vs. Jody Threat
  • Julius Creed vs. Matt Makowski
  • Brutus Creed vs. Tom Lawlor
  • Charlie Dempsey vs. Royce Isaacs
  • Brian Johnson vs. Heddi Karaoui
  • Josh Barnett vs. Bad Dude Tito

Bloodsport Bushido live results: Josh Barnett vs. Jon Moxley

Posted on by Justin Knipper

For the first time ever, Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport heads to Tokyo, Japan’s Sumo Hall with a loaded card featuring the brand’s namesake in action against reigning IWGP World Champion Jon Moxley.

It’s a rematch from 2021’s Bloodsport 6 when Barnett picked up the victory by TKO. Since then, Moxley has picked up two straight victories in the unique format.

Minoru Suzuki will return to the red mat once again as he challenges the always dangerous Timothy Thatcher.

Former UFC & PRIDE star Rampage Jackson will return to Japan and make his Bloodsport debut as he faces Hideki Sekine while the legendary Masakatsu Funaki battles Bloodsport veteran Davey Boy Smith.

Another legend — Kazushi Sakuraba — challenges Santino Marella while Konami goes one-on-one with Maya Fukada in a women’s bout.

The card is rounded out by Hikaru Sato vs. Hideki Suzuki, Takuya Nomura vs. Erik Hammer, and Fuminori Abe vs. Yu Iizuka.

Our live coverage begins at 2 AM Eastern/11 PM Pacific.

**********

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport: Bushido

The opening ceremony began with an elaborate Taiko drum performance on the mat. Since ABEMA produced this edition of Bloodsport, the overall production value for this is outstanding.  Attendance looked like it was poor, so only the floor section of Ryogoku’s Sumo Hall had proper lighting. The upper levels were tactfully blacked out for the duration of the show.

After the performance, an interview with Josh Barnett aired between past clips of Bloodsport. He explained his concepts behind Bloodsport, what it means to him and how it can affect combat sports. He also detailed why he wanted to have this special Bloodsport event in Japan today. 

Next, legendary MMA ring announcer Lenne Hardt introduced the full roster for today’s card as fighter walked to the ring to the Bloodsport theme song. The text of the names on screen and Hardt’s announcing were completely out of synch for this, unfortunately. 

If you’re not familiar with the rules already, Bloodsport victories are only the result of either a knockout or submission, not a three-count pinfall in professional wrestling. 

Fuminori Abe defeated Yu Iizuka (GLEAT) via submission

Iizuka is a very talented young wrestler from the GLEAT company and trained sambo with Volk Han in the past. Abe is a regular freelancer and actually appeared on the most recent Bloodsport event back in April. He’s one half of the tag team Astronauts; the other half being Takuya Nomura of BJW who will appear later on the show tonight.

Abe landed a dragon screw legwhip early on and contiuned to maintain an advantageous top position for a few moments. Izuka countered and locked in an an armbar before Abe had a cross facelock on Iizuka, wrenching against his mouth and nose, Snakepit style. 

Iizuka later peppered Abe with open hand strikes while he had Abe locked in a crucifix hold. 

Iizuka landed a high roundhouse kick; Abe answered with a jumping headbutt, forehead to forehead, before sinking in an achilles lock for the quick tap from the younger challenger, the 29 year old Mr. Iizuka.

Bloodsport Bushido Tournament First Round Match: Hideki Suzuki defeated Hikaru Sato via submission

Hikaru Sato wrestled the day before this—in his backyard, against Sanshiro Takagi et al. On the grass, in the sun. This is a rather different vibe. Sato sharpened his craft first with Pancrase before he became a regular freelance pro wrestler around Japan. Hideki Suzuki has been active this year in AJPW.

After about five minutes of high-level groundwork, it was Suzuki who caught Sato in an STF hold for the submission victory. He moves on to the next round in tonight’s tournament.

Bloodsport Bushido Tournament First Round Match: Erik Hammer defeated Takuya Nomura via TKO

Nomura is Fuminori Abe’s tag team partner in Astronauts, as mentioned earlier. Nomura is so perfect for Bloodsport and should probably be on every one he can make. Erik Hammer is a Bloodsport stalwart and Josh Barnett’s training partner.

Hammer darted at Nomura early and landed a few hard strikes. Nomura answered with a flurry of Penalty Kicks. Hammer was back in the mix moments later throwing hard knees. 

The match spilled out onto the floor. There’s a ten-count for this Bloodsport event. They would spill back onto the floor a minute or so later, rolling to the floor from 50/50 guard position as both pummeled for leglocks and footlocks. 

It felt like it was all Nomura until Hammer exploded at the end and flattened Nomura with a massive power bomb for the TKO victory. Hammer moves on to face Hideki Suzuki in tonight’s tournament.

Konami (STARDOM) defeated Maya Fukuda (GLEAT) via submission

This will be the first time a lot people will get to see Maya Fukuda. She’s a Kiyoshi Tamura project and trained her, though she has a previous martial arts experience. She’s been with GLEAT since the launch of that promotion, and has grown and improved a lot in a short amount of time. Fukuda also has more experience working this Bloodsport style in Lidet’s UWF. She fought with confidence tonight, though Konami did as well, which brought out a great match in both of them.

Fukuda’s karate background allowed her to be aggressive with her kicks early on in the match. Konami was eager to take the fight to the ground and worked over Fukuda with an armlock attempt before the younger Fukuda countered out of the hold and into Konami’s guard.

Moments later, both fought for a straight ankle lock until Konami cinched in a deeper grip, forcing Fukuda to break her hold. The two rolled to the floor while in the lock. Konami wrapped Fukuda in a single leg crab on the ground before the ten-count started.

Konami used a German suplex and kick to the face of her pink-and-white-costumed opponent, Fukuda, who answered back with a few flurries of kicks. She connected with a step-up enzuigiri kick to Konami’s head; Konami responded with an ankle lock, then rolled into kneebar variation. Konami adjusted her position and went for another German suplex but Fukuda clipped Konami with a Brazlian kick to the face.

Despite her fierce late rally towards the end, it wasn’t enough to take Konami out, and “The Submission Sniper” eventually tapped Fukuda with a kneelock hold for the win. It’s clear the idea was to get Fukuda over with the audience for trying her best. That often elicits a lot of empathy from the Japanese crowd who then go out of their way to support her over her career as she grows.

Masakatsu Funaki defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr. via submission

The MMA legend, the icon, the prodigy, the founding father of Pancrase, 55-year-old Masakatsu Funaki, took on Bloodsport regular and current AJPW guest, Davey Boy Smith Jr. It’s a special match for a number of reasons, like this being Funaki’s first-ever Bloodsport match, or Smith and his family’s legacy in Japanese pro wrestling but also as a pioneer of the current iteration of wrestling we are watching at the moment.

Funaki fought from the closed guard position. He made sure to control Smith’s wrists to make sure the 6’5″ Smith wouldn’t come down hard on him with punches or elbows.

On their feet, Funaki fought for a side waistlock, possibly looking for a back suplex, but DBS Jr. wrestled him back to the mat with a strong side headlock before smoothly transition to top guard and then to side control on the adjacent side of Funaki’s body. Smith was hunting for a double-wrist lock (we don’t call them Kimuras here, folks) but would soon move to a north-south position and letting go of the hold, returning to strong side position control. Funaki struggled to create a frame against the larger Smith, but Smith couldn’t settle into any offense either.

Smith stood up after conceding side control and invited Funaki to restart the fight on their feet. Funaki landed a few of his signature kicks to DBS Jr.’s body before Smith caught one of them mid-air. Smith then spun Funaki around and drilled him with a bridging back suplex. Since pinfalls aren’t an option in Bloodsport, Smith released his hold and went in to finish Funaki off with the Sharpshooter, but it was Funaki who would counter the submission attempt and lock in a kneebar of his own to score the victory. The fact that Funaki is 55 and looks and wrestles the way he does is amazing. He doesn’t look too different from how he was 30 years ago.

There was a brief in-ring ceremony between matches that featured guests Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Akira Maeda and Kota Ibushi. Fujiwara accepted an award and the three then posed on the Bloodsport mat together. Fujiwara, 75 years old, will appear on two upcoming shows for Pro Wrestling NOAH and will team with Kaito Kiyomiya & KENOH. A brief intermission followed.

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson defeated Hideki “Shrek” Sekine via TKO

PRIDE & UFC legend, MMA pioneer, Quniton “Rampage” Jackson. If you’re of a certain age and remember Rampage’s unreal PRIDE fights back in the day, you’ll probably feel nostalgic like I am now as I type this. He’s the reason we now see the triangle choke power bomb spot so regularly in today’s pro wrestling. I believe he was the first person to TKO someone with a power bomb. Shrek is a burly grappling specialist and can be seen frequently working for AJPW. Sekine also has MMA experience in the past, just without the same success someone line Rampage Jackson experienced.

Sekine launched Jackson with a back suplex. Moments later, somehow, Sekine was on his back and Jackson landed a hard, flat stomp to the middle of Shrek’s chest.

The finish saw Rampage hammer the barrell-chested Sekine to the mat with a huge bodyslam and followed up with a series of punches and stomps. Shrek wouldn’t give in, but after a relatively long while, the referee did and called it: Rampage Jackson is your winner via TKO after a beating that went on slightly too long—just like an old PRIDE fight would.

Both Rampage and Barnett did special collaboration t-shirts with Baki the Grappler, an animation series that’s on Netflix in the US. He put on his shirt, put his signature silver chain around his neck and then thanked Japan and Josh Barnett for the opportunity. He shared a nice moment with Lenne Hardt at ringside, as well. Two very important pieces of the PRIDE story and to the story of Japanese MMA in general.

Kazushi Sakuraba defeated Santino Marella via submission

It was all business with Santino Marella tonight before his fight against another PRIDE and MMA legend, Kazushi Sakuraba.

Marella has actually competed for Bloodsport in the past, but for those who aren’t aware, Marella has a deep background in judo and is an important figure in the judo community even to this day. He also lived in Japan years ago where he trained with Yuki Ishikawa at the BattlARTS dojo. He sometimes shows up on commentary at big judo events as well, too.

For those who aren’t already aware, Kazushi Sakuraba’s theme song is actually a remix of the Speed 2 theme song. Saku’s a Jason Patric guy. Who knew?

This went to the ground almost immediately. Neither could gain an advantage because each fighter had an answer to the other’s offensive attacks. Marella used a fireman’s carry drop to slam Sakuraba to the mat, where Marella would attempt a few submission attacks from the north-south position before rolling into a kneebar that he couldn’t fully lock.

Marella then used a very tight baseball choke on Sakuraba.Later, Marella locked in another deep submission, a flattened arm triangle with his body fully extended and pressed to the mat, squeezing the blood flow to Saku’s head.

Sakuraba would punch through the choke try sticking Marella in a rear naked choke of his own.

Sakuraba teased the Cobra at Marella while the were stalemated on their feet. Marella would eventually slide himself into an RNC of his own but from a side angle, more against the side of Sakuraba’s body. This wasn’t successful, either.

It was more nonstop back-and-forth on the ground, lots of pummeling for leg locks and arm locks until, finally, in true Snakepit fashion, Saku cinched in his signature double wristlock for the quick tap.

The two hugged afterwards. Sakuraba got on the mic and told the crowd Marella was super strong and that he’d like to deliver more and more fights to the fans. I think this might have been the best of the night so far. I want more Bloodsport Santino Marella.

Minoru Suzuki defeated Timothy Thatcher via TKO

Thatcher has been a regular in Japan for a few years now for Pro Wrestling NOAH. He and Saxon Huxley recently had a run as GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.

About Suzuki: If you’re still reading at this point, I am going to go out on a limb and assume you are pretty familiar with Minoru Suzuki.

These two are integral to Bloodsport. Suzuki had the much-talked about 30-minute draw against Barnett at Barnett’s first edition of Bloodsport. Thatcher was on the same show and defeated J-MMA legend Minowaman.

As they grappled on their feet, Thatcher would fight for a standing double wrist lock, but Suzuki defended against it well. Their struggle would take them to the corner of the ring, and then out onto the floor with Thatcher still locked onto Suzuki at the arm. When Suzuki was out of the hold, he dashed across behind the guardrail and grabbed a chair from the audience. Thatcher went to the opposite side and did the same. They threatened a duel but thought against it, tossed the chairs to the floor and went back inside the ring.

The two had a long, violent battle of European uppercuts and forearm shots until Thatcher used an ankle-pick on Suzuki, taking him to the ground where he’d look for a straight ankle lock submission. Suzuki countered and used the hold on Thatcher before the two rolled back onto the floor again. Suzuki smashed Thatcher’s head into the Japanese commentary desk. Suzuki things.

Suzuki went for the Gotch-style piledriver, but Thatcher was able to counter that into a bow-and-arrow submission. Suzuki got out of that by ripping at Thatcher’s finger joints, wrenching it across the ring post and Suzuki’s own shoulder. This is illegal in Bloodsport and the ref demanded Suzuki break the hold.

They teased a suplex to the floor, but Thatcher was able to lock Suzuki in the modified bow-and-arrow STF but couldn’t finish it. I’m not sure when it happened, but Thatcher suffered a nasty cut or bruise across the left side of his back. It looks like from when he was slammed against a table or guardrail, or ring apron.

The fight got uglier as they traded holds on the ground. Nasty, mean grappling, nothing frilly or unnecessary. Thatcher yanked at Suzuki’s leg in a crab hold.

When Suzuki used an eye gouge, the crowd booed. Again, more classic heeling from Suzuki. Thatcher rallied back with a couple wind-up-uppercuts. Suzuki blasted Thatcher with more elbows that put Thatcher on his ass, then onto the floor.

The traded more shots before Suzuki finally able to spike Thatcher with the Gotch-style piledriver for the TKO win. “Mean” and “violent” are the two key words to use to really understand this match. Good stuff.

Afterwards, Suzuki went over to Kota Ibushi on commentary and challenged him to a match. Ibushi looked ecstatic. We also saw Suzuki and J-MMA legend Yuki Nakai exchange daps before our winner exited to the back.

Bloodsport Bushido Tournament Final Round Match: Hideki Suzuki defeated Erik Hammer

Collar and elbow tieup between the two to start. Hammer took Suzuki’s back but Suzuki easily Granby rolled out of it. The two were quick in their exchanges and upped the pace a bit compared with their earlier fights tonight. It wasn’t entertaining enough for one of the people at the Japanese announcers table, who was completely passed out while in full focus on the hard cam. This was awful. The production team finally noticed and adjusted the fixed cam position so that you couldn’t see the guy anymore. I can’t think of anything more rude to the fighters and the art. This was a horrible look.

Suzuki eventually tapped Hammer out with a toehold and they shook hands afterwards. Suzuki is the Bloodsport Bushido tournament winner.

Jon Moxley (AEW/NJPW) defeated Josh Barnett

This is their second Bloodsport main event. Barnett took the first bout in Florida a few years back. Mox is current IWGP Heavyweight champion and was wearing his NJPW warmup gear on in the opening ceremony.

Sleepy Guy was still sleepy during the main event, but he was more into playing with is phone for this one.

Barnett launched Moxley with a single-arm suplex just after the five-minute mark. He went for a north-south double-wristlock but would later transition to side control in what looked to be a head-and-arm hold with Mox’s own arm wrapped across his own neck and face. Barnett moved to attack the back next and would lock into a twister lock before Mox escaped and mounted Barnett from the top position. Moxley then locked in a head-and-arm choke but couldn’t finish a wriggly Barnett, who’d escape and move to his signature scarf hold, but still, no submission from Moxley.

Moxley has improved a lot at the Bloodsport style wrestling he did here. I really enjoy this version of Mox.

The fight kicked up the tension when it spilled out onto the floor. Barnett drilled Mox with a suplex on the floor. Mox was out on his feet but was able to summon up some burning spirit, shake it off and fight back, back and forth into the ring and out onto the floor onto Barnett. He’d wrap Barnett’s knee around the ringpost and pull on it as the ref started to count.

There sounded to be a number of either foreign fans or a small, loud cadre of Japanese Jon Moxley fans who’d sporadically break out into unfamiliar chants in support of him.

Towards the end of this, Barnett again drilled Mox, this time with a textbook vertical drop brainbuster. He’d then go in for a submission kill, but Mox went for a triangle choke. These two were soaking in sweat with five minutes left in the match, in Tokyo in July, no less.

Barnett would then use an airplane spin on Mox, whipping him headfirst into the steel ring post upon release. It looked really cool. Mox then reappeared in the ring, bloody as damn hell. Oh, Mox and your blood.

The canvas was a beautifully stained mess as the relentless Jon Moxley fought for an armbar as Barnett staved him off. I figured Sleepy Guy would be wide awake for this, but the production crew made sure that he wasn’t visible on screen. Smart.

With one minute to go, Barnett had Mox locked in a Fujiwara armbar, apropos of tonight’s affair. The visual they had in the ring looked amazing.

When the ring announcer made the 30 seconds left call, Barnett hoisted Moxley over his head for a power bomb. Mox tried punching his way out of it, but Barnett eventually smashed him into the mat, but it wasn’t enough and the time limit expired. Early in the show, they explained that overtime would come into play if there was not a winner by the end of certain bouts. So, we quickly moved into overtime.

Overtime: Mox came out of the corner running and caught Barnett with a flying knee that laid Barnett out. Mox was frantic in pace because he needed to finish overtime as soon as possible; he threw a German suplex. Barnett tried locking a single leg crab but Mox escaped. Mox continued landing knees to an exhausted Barnett. Mox spiked Barnett with a Death Rider. He’d follow up with a huge tiger driver, a jumping double stomp to Barnett’s chest, then unloaded strikes on Barnett until the referee called for the bell. Jon Moxley is your winner of this bloodbath.

Mox screamed into the ringside camera afterwards, shouting “I told you! I told you I could beat him! I’m not crazy!”

Barnett went up to Moxley and the two shook hands. Moxley flashed three fingers to imply a possible third match, a rubber match.

Moxley thanked the fans and called them the best fans in the world. “What you saw tonight is professional wrestling in its realest, rawest form. No bullsh**.” He asked the fans if they wanted to bring Bloodsport back to Japan. It was a spirited call to action for “the greatest sport in the goddamn world.” His words.

Final Thoughts: Go out of your way to check out tonight’s main event, which was a bloody good time. And make sure to watch until the end for Moxley’s promo, too. It left me with a good feeling. Hopefully they can bring this back to Japan again in the future.

Jon Moxley vs. Josh Barnett headlines Bloodsport Bushido lineup

Posted on by Ian Carey

The lineup for Bloodsport Bushido has been announced. 

The event is scheduled for June 22 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.

Josh Barnett vs. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley has been announced for the show. Barnett defeated Moxley via referee’s decision at Bloodsport 6 in 2021. 

Other matches announced today include Minoru Suzuki vs. Timothy Thatcher, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Hideki “Shrek” Sekine, and Pancrase co-founder Masakatsu Funaki vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. 

Santino Marella has also been booked for the show. He’ll face “The Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba. This will be Marella’s first show in Japan since doing a couple of dates with DDT in 2019. 

Konami, who just recently announced she’s returning to Stardom full-time, will wrestle GLEAT’s Maya Fukuda on the show as well. 

Olympic wrestler Davit Modzmanashvili had previously been advertised for the event. However, it was revealed in today’s announcement that he is no longer participating in the show.  

Bloodsport Bushido lineup for June 22, 2024 —

  • Jon Moxley vs. Josh Barnett
  • Minoru Suzuki vs. Timothy Thatcher
  • Quinton Jackson vs. Hideki Sekine
  • Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Santino Marella
  • Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs. Masakatsu Funaki
  • Eric Hammer vs. Mike O’Hearn
  • Konami vs. Maya Fukuda
  • Tournament Finals
  • Tournament first round: Mitsuru Sato vs. Hideki Suzuki
  • Tournament first round: Takuya Nomura vs. Todd Duffee
  • Yu Iizuka vs. Fuminori Abe

JNPO: Josh Barnett talks Bloodsport X, Baszler, bourbon & burgers

Posted on by Josh Nason

It’s WrestleMania week in Philadelphia and that includes a slew of non-WWE related events like The Lapsed Fan’s Bozos, Biceps & Bullsh*t Brunch that we talked about last week.

This week, we go in a different direction, that being Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X as part of GCW’s Collective series of events this weekend.

For the first time since 2019 before the first-ever Bloodsport to carry his name, Josh Barnett makes his return to this very podcast to talk about a lot of topics, many of which start with the letter ‘b.’

We delved into this Thursday’s tenth event (available on Triller), why he chose his fight against Johnny (Morrison) Bloodsport, what makes the show different, and some background on the process of securing his protege and current WWE star Shayna Baszler for the event.

Also, will there be other WWE talents there as previously reported? Find out.

We looked ahead to June’s Bloodsport Bushido in Tokyo, Japan. You’ll learn when he first thought about bringing Bloodsport to that country, some of the names already lined up, and much more.

Finally, we explore one of his passion projects — Warbringer bourbon — and how he got so heavily involved. That discussion also branches off into beer, shower burgers, and the new Road House movie. Yes, yes it does.

Click Here to Listen (no sub needed)

Rampage Jackson, Sakuraba, more set for Bloodsport Bushido

Posted on by Ian Carey

More names have been confirmed for Bloodsport Bushido. 

Josh Barnett and Minoru Suzuki announced last month that they will bring the shoot-style event to the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on June 22. Both Pancrase veterans will be on the card that night as well. 

Sports Illustrated was the first to report that the following names are also scheduled for the show:

  • Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
  • Davey Boy Smith Jr.
  • Kazushi Sakuraba
  • Mike “The Titan” O’Hearn
  • David Mozimanashavili
  • Masakatsu Funaki

Jackson, the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, hasn’t fought in MMA since his loss to Fedor Emelianenko in late 2019, although he took part in a Fight Circus event in Thailand in April 2023. In January, Jackson announced he’d signed to fight 52-year-old Shannon Briggs in a boxing match in Qatar. 

Masakatsu Funaki co-founded Pancrase along with Minoru Suzuki. The 55-year-old keeps an active freelance schedule in Japan. He had a “Martial Arts Rules” match with Barnett on a NOAH show last September. 

Davey Boy Smith Jr. has a 6-1 record in Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport events. His only loss was to Jon Moxley in 2021.

52-year-old MMA pioneer Sakuraba has been wrestling primarily in NOAH in recent years. “The Gracie Hunter” hasn’t fought in MMA since 2015. He created and runs the five-on-five submission grappling promotion, Quintet. He developed the concept for the promotion along with Barnett. 

O’Hearn is a bodybuilder and actor. He was “Titan” on the American Gladiators revival show in 2008. 

Mozimanashavili is an amateur wrestler from Georgia. He was stripped of a silver medal in the 2012 Olympics and banned for six years after testing positive for a banned substance.