Tag: josh barnett’s bloodsport xv

Nattie vs. Shayna Baszler added to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV

Posted on by Bryan Rose

A new match is official for the next Bloodsport card.

It was confirmed on Friday that Nattie would face former WWE wrestler Shayna Baszler on April 17. On social media, Nattie asked Baszler to bring the version of herself that was feared in the WWE locker room.

“I want you to bring me the killing machine Shayna,” Nattie wrote. “Bring me the most feared woman ever in the WWE locker room. Bring me the MMA pioneer who men and women knew to avoid. I know I’m on borrowed time, if I don’t deliver, then back comes the sparkles, back comes the Bimbo. I’m marching into your match, in your world, Shayna. And I’m coming to f*** you up.”

Nattie previously competed at last year’s Bloodsport that took place during WrestleMania weekend, where she defeated Miyu Yamashita. 

Baszler was released from her WWE contract last year, but continues to make appearances on their television and has worked at the WWE Performance Center. Most recently, she was seen training Kelani Jordan in her match against Lola Vice that took place at NXT Vengeance Day earlier this month.

Zack Sabre Jr. match set for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The card for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV is now up to six confirmed bouts.

NJPW star Zack Sabre Jr. battling indie wrestler Ray Jaz is the latest matchup announced for the April 17 show in Las Vegas. Promoted by Barnett and Game Changer Wrestling, Bloodsport is taking place on the Friday of WrestleMania week and will air live on Triller TV+.

Barnett hyped up the Sabre vs. Jaz match:

  • Two grapplers, who have forged their destinies on the mats, not above them. One a submission master, who can take anything you GIVE to them, and TAKE everything away from YOU. The other, a hard-nosed, east coast born and bred, collegiate wrestler with a mean streak, and the kind of viciousness you find more on the streets than on the mats. Only one will stand victorious, the other will be left picking up the pieces of their body. Zack Sabre Jr. vs Ray Jaz at Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport XV.

Sabre is also scheduled for GCW’s Big Gay Brunch event in Vegas on April 18, where he will be taking on Effy.

In NJPW, Sabre and his TMDK partner Ryohei Oiwa are challenging OSKAR & Yuto-Ice for the IWGP Tag Team titles at Sakura Genesis on April 4.

The start time for Bloodsport will be 3 p.m. Pacific/6 p.m. Eastern. Here is the currently announced lineup:

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV (Friday, April 17) —

  • Pete Dunne vs. Masashi Takeda
  • Charlie Dempsey vs. Timothy Thatcher
  • Ulka Sasaki vs. Joe Dashou
  • Angel Verduzco vs. Matt Mako
  • Royce Isaacs vs. Shane Mercer
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ray Jaz
  • Also set to compete: Josh Barnett, Nattie, Yuji Nagata, Shayna Baszler, Erick Stevens, Fuminori Abe, Miyu Yamashita

Two matches added to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The card for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV is starting to take shape with a couple of new matches added.

Barnett revealed two new additions to the lineup today, announcing that Ulka Sasaki vs. Joe Dashou and Angel Verduzco vs. Matt Mako will take place at the WrestleMania week indie show. It’s set for April 17 and will be broadcast live on TrillerTV+ with a start time of 3 p.m. Pacific/6 p.m. Eastern.

Sasaki — a NOAH wrestler and former MMA fighter — is currently on excursion to the United States and training at the WWE Performance Center. Along with that training, he’s wrestled at some NXT house shows. This will be his Bloodsport debut.

Dashou and Verduzco both have experience competing in and coaching amateur-style wrestling. In pro wrestling, Dashou is a graduate of the NJPW dojo.

The Bloodsport card now has four officially announced matches:

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV (Friday, April 17) —

  • Pete Dunne vs. Masashi Takeda
  • Charlie Dempsey vs. Timothy Thatcher
  • Ulka Sasaki vs. Joe Dashou
  • Angel Verduzco vs. Matt Mako
  • Also set to compete: Josh Barnett, Nattie, Zack Sabre Jr., Yuji Nagata, Shayna Baszler, Erick Stevens, Fuminori Abe, Ray Jaz, Royce Isaacs, Miyu Yamashita

Pete Dunne match set for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Pete Dunne’s opponent for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV has now been revealed.

It was announced today that Dunne vs. Masashi Takeda will take place at the April 17 event in Las Vegas. Takeda is a Japanese wrestler and MMA fighter who has specialized in death matches. During his career, he’s competed for promotions like Big Japan, All Japan, FREEDOMS, and GCW.

This is the first match officially booked for the Bloodsport card, which will stream live on TrillerTV+ with a start time of 6 p.m. Eastern/3 p.m. Pacific on the Friday of WrestleMania week.

Since WWE started to allow some of its talent to compete at Bloodsport, Dunne has worked two shows with a 2-0 record. Both of those matches took place in 2025 with him defeating Jonathan Gresham and Timothy Thatcher.

Dunne currently plays the character Rayo Americano in WWE but will be wrestling as himself at Bloodsport. In WWE, he’s part of a faction with El Grande Americano (Ludwig Kaiser) and Bravo Americano (Tyler Bate).

Takeda’s last Bloodsport appearance was a 2019 victory over Gresham.

Here is the list of announced talent for the April 17 show:

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV participants —

  • Josh Barnett
  • Yuji Nagata
  • Ulka Sasaki
  • Timothy Thatcher
  • Pete Dunne
  • Shayna Baszler
  • Erick Stevens
  • Fuminori Abe
  • Ray Jaz
  • Angel Verduzco
  • Joe Dashou
  • Masashi Takeda
  • Matt Mako
  • Royce Isaacs
  • Miyu Yamashita

NJPW legend to make Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport debut

Posted on by Joseph Currier

An NJPW legend is set to make his Bloodsport debut during WrestleMania week in Las Vegas.

Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata will be competing at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV on Friday, April 17. His addition to the lineup was announced by Josh Barnett today, though an opponent was not named.

The 57-year-old Nagata was one of NJPW’s top stars of the 2000s and still competes to this day, including challenging for the IWGP title in 2025 during Hirooki Goto’s reign with the belt. Nagata and Barnett have a history that includes main eventing the Tokyo Dome against each other in 2003.

Bloodsport XV is being held at Horshoe Las Vegas as part of Game Changer Wrestling’s slate of events during Mania week. While no matchups are officially on the books yet, there are now more than a dozen names confirmed. The show will air live on Triller TV+ with a start time of 6 p.m. Eastern/3 p.m. Pacific.

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV participants —

  • Yuji Nagata
  • Ulka Sasaki
  • Timothy Thatcher
  • Pete Dunne
  • Shayna Baszler
  • Erick Stevens
  • Fuminori Abe
  • Ray Jaz
  • Angel Verduzco
  • Joe Dashou
  • Masashi Takeda
  • Matt Mako
  • Royce Isaacs
  • Miyu Yamashita

Timothy Thatcher booked for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Timothy Thatcher is headed to Bloodsport.

Josh Barnett announced on Sunday that the current WWE ID trainer has been added to Bloodsport XV, which takes place on April 17 as part of this year’s Collective event.

“If it’s Bloodsport, then you know this man will be there to showcase his Catch-as-Catch-can prowess,” he wrote. “A day-1 of Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport, you’ll not find a wrestler more ready for combat. Timothy Thatcher is returning to Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport 4/17, Wrestlemania Week.”

Thatcher was released by WWE in 2022 but was brought back a few years later as a trainer for WWE ID prospects. He has continued to wrestle on the independent scene wrestling ID talent but has also been seen on Evolve competing against the likes of Charlie Dempsey and Keanu Carver.

Pete Dunne, who is currently on Raw as part of Los Americanos, has already been announced for the WrestleMania weekend event. Other talent announced include Shayna Baszler, Erick Stevens, Fuminori Abe, Masashi Takeda, Miyu Yamashita, Matt Mako, Ray Jaz, Royce Isaacs, Angel Verduzco, and Joe Dashou.