Welcome to Bloodsport, and before you ask…no, Jean Claude Van Damme will not be involved.

That said, the War Master, Josh Barnett, will be involved as he faces Gabe Kidd from New Japan, as well as a few members from World Wrestling Entertainment and other promotions, step into the ring.

If you have never seen this type of show from Game Changer Wrestling, it works like this:

No ropes. No turnbuckles. Only knockouts or submissions.  This show blends MMA, catch wrestling, and pro wrestling, and Bloodsport brings raw, technical combat in its purest form.

In short, no Booker Monkeys™ were involved in the making of this product.

As we go to the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, NV., they introduce the fighters involved tonight, and Karrion…

Excuse me…”Killer” Kross gets on the mic and addresses the fans when he says this:

“Las Vegas. I remember you, too. It’s good to be home.

Let me tell you, once upon a time, many years ago, I was growing up watching UFWI [UWF International, a shoot style wrestling promotion] and I knew…I knew that one day I would come back, and who better to bring it back than this man right here…”

He points to Josh Barnett as the fans cheer, and Kross continues..

“What you are watching tonight; the best strikers in the world, the best grapplers in the world, the best submission artists.  Ladies and Gentlemen, tuck your f***ing chins in, because you are about to witness Bloodsport!”

Jimmy Smith and “Filthy” Tom Lawlor have the call, and your First Match of the Night is between…

“Legit” Leyla Hirsch vs. Jordan Blade

The legit one is stepping out after letting her contract lapse with All Elite Wrestling, and hold off your “Tony Fumbled” comments.  Blade is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu specialist and looks to take it to the Hirsch.  Pretty soon, Hirsch cinches in with an armbar, but Blade picks her up and slams to the mat.  Hirsch comes back and powerslams Blade and strikes her with elbows until the ref calls her off.

Your Winner via Referee Stoppage:  “Legit” Leyla Hirsch

Next up is…

Karmen Petrovic vs. Maika

Pretrovic is the first Bosnian under the NXT brand from Ontario, CA.  Maika hails from the Stardom promotion and is the “Crimson Cannon Empress.”  Early on, Petrovic feigns kicks, but Maika grounds her educated feet.  There were some nice counters by both women, and Maika manages to get her in an armbar, but Petrovic reverses the submission.  However, Maika stages a comeback with a rear-naked choke and gives a judo-style throw to clinch in for the submission win.

Your Winner via Submission:  Maika

Petrovic raises the joshi star’s hand in a show of respect.

Next is…

Charlie Dempsey vs. Shinya Aoki

Aoki is a decorated Japanese wrestler, and he looks and fights like a slimmer version of Minoru Suzuki.  Dempsey is William Regal’s son, fighting out of Blackpool, England.

Right away, they go for a test of strength, and neither man gives an inch. There were a lot of twists and turns, until Dempsey goes for a calf slicer hold but Aoki reverses the submission.  Dempsey counters with a backdrop suplex to reverse Aoki’s rear naked choke, and as he pounds away, the ref calls it.

Your Winner Via Stoppage:  Charlie Dempsey

Now for something for the hometown crowd, it’s…

JR Kratos vs. “Killer” Kross

This is Kross’s second time participating in BloodSport, as he comes out wearing a karate-style gi to a version of The Cure’s Burn, and there is a lot of love for Kross from the Vegas crowd as they chant for “Kill-er Kross!”  Kratos is from the National Wrestling Alliance and is doing this for the first time, and according to Lawlor, he was once a former member of “Team Filthy.”

Kross keeps on his gi, whereas Kratos takes his off, and there is a lot of grappling from both men as Kratos tries to pull off Kross’s gi.  He removes it, and The People’s Executioner takes it to The Most Feared.  Kratos nails him with a clothesline and follows with a German suplex and a powerbomb, but Kross does not bow down.  He delivers a Saito suplex followed by another, but Kratos comes back with a high knee.  Kross cinches in an arm triangle, and Kratos has no choice but to tap out.

Your Winner via Submission:  “Killer” Kross

Kratos gives respect to Kross at the end, and I hope we can see this awesomeness again.

At this point, Don Frye and Tank Abbott come out to the stage and get their recognition as the combat icons of mixed martial arts.

Now we get…

Timothy Thatcher vs. Pete Dunne

This is Catch wrestling versus British Strong Style at its finest, so grit your teeth, folks.  They give some twists and turns, and it makes one wonder why the Booker Monkeys™ at WWE/NXT never could make this work with the Bruiserweight and Thatcher.

There is some joint manipulation by Thatcher, but Dunne shows how to apply it correctly.  He locks him in an arm triangle, and Thatcher reverses to an ankle lock.  Neither man gives an inch until Dunne locks in the armbar with the joint manipulation of his fingers to make Thatcher tap out.

Your Winner via Submission:  Pete Dunne

Now for something different, your next match is…

Nattie Neidhart vs. Miyu Yamashita

Yeah, there is no Natalya here, kids, as she enters to Rage Against The Machine and flips the bird at the crowd, with MMA style braided hair.

Yamashita is no shrinking violet as she is the “Pink Striker” from Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling.  Once the bell rings, you can see Neidhart is certainly the daughter of “The Anvil” against Yamashita as they go blow for blow.  The Sharpshooter gets blocked, and Yamashita goes for an ankle lock, but Nedihart manages to escape the hold.  Yamashita nails her with a roundhouse kick and then goes for another submission, but Neidhart pushes her into the ring post and locks in the Sharpshooter for the win.

Your Winner via Submission:  Nattie Neidhart

Neidhart offers her hand, and Yamashita gives the bird, and she makes her tap again before saying to the Pink Striker she is number one with the middle finger.

Hey…Ichiban, bitches.

As she exits to the back, Neidhart encounters the NWA Women’s Champion, Kenzie Paige.  She flipped her off, and there was a scuffle before security got in the middle and pulled them off.

(Author’s Note:  I know Neidhart will be featured at The Crockett Cup for the NWA on May 17th.  I wonder if that will play a factor next month?)

Let’s head back to the ring for…

Royce Isaacs vs. Tavion Heights

Isaacs was once one-half of The Wild Cards with Thom Latimer and an NWA World Tag Team Champion.  Heights is stepping in from  NXT, representing the No Quarter Catch Crew.

After grappling, they trade bombs until a cradle suplex by Heights knocks Isaacs down, but he can’t capitalize.  There’s a powerbomb by Isaacs into elbow strikes, and then he transitions to an ankle lock, but Heights kicks him away.  They spill out of the ring and Heights targets the back and throws him back in the ring, where he delivers head butts to Isaacs and the ref calls it.

Your Winner via Referee Stoppage: Tavion Heights

Now for something we know you’ll really like, it’s…

Shayna Baszler vs. Konami

Baszler is doing this for the second time, and is seconded by Michin, who comes out with her to the ring.  Konami is from Stardom out of the H.A.T.E. stable.

Early on, Baszler cranks on her ankle, and Konami goes to the post and manages to get out of the hold.  She kicks Baszler out of the ring, and the Queen of Spades takes a breather to rethink her strategy.  Once she re-enters, there is a thrust kick by Konami to the ring post and then a suplex, but Baszler comes back and stomps her head until the ref calls it.

Your Winner via Referee Stoppage:  Shayna Baszler

As good as that match was, this next one is bound to be a doozy between…

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Jonathan Gresham

I say these things in the name of your lord and savior, Deadpool:  “Get out your special sock, wrestling nerds.” 

For fans, this is a grapple-fest as neither man gives an inch.  Sabre pushes Gresham out of the ring, and the Octopus takes a breather before rethinking his strategy.  As you would hope from the former Ring of Honor champion and the current New Japan star, they go counter for counter, and Lawlor lives up to his “Filthy” nickname, stating these moves come out of the Kama Sutra.

Hey, better him than Pat McAfee or (shudder) Michael Cole.

Sabre is in control for most of the match until Gresham boots him out for a taste of his own medicine.  He comes back in, and they go to town as the match goes to a time limit draw.  The fans aren’t happy until the ring announcer says we will get an extra five minutes. With that, the combatants pick up where they left off, and we finally see a decisive win when Sabre punts at Gresham’s head and stomps away as the ref calls it.

Your Winner via Referee Stoppage:  Zack Sabre, Jr.

Both men left it all in the ring, and they deserved the standing ovation.

As for the Main Event, it’s time for…

Josh Barnett vs. Gabe Kidd

It’s the War Master versus the War Ready New Japan star.  Right away, Kidd sends Barnett out of the ring, and he dives out. Once things settle in the ring, Barnett attempts a heel hook until Kidd reverses into an armbar, but the War Master manages to stop the submission.  They trade blows, but it’s Kidd with a suplex, and then he hits a spike piledriver, and the ref calls the match.

Your Winner via Referee Stoppage:  Gabe Kidd

Once he gets the mic, Kidd acknowledges a “youngster” getting drunk and gives him a piece of his mind before acknowledging the other wrestlers in the show as well as putting himself over and his opponent in Barnett.

As for the War Master himself…I’ll let him speak:

“To see what we have all assembled; to show the strongest, the rawest, the most pure version of Professor wrestling that we can. To build a ring that can house anybody from anywhere, as long as you got the guts and the willingness to be here, a place for wrestlers to wrestle, first and foremost, had a place where dreams and stories coexist, just like ours.

I’ve been training this Kidd for a long time. I’ve seen him on the come-up. I seen him when he was hungry, bringing the name, putting him through the rounds, putting him in there with all the rest of the [New Japan L.A.] dojo boys being there, and seeing him going through his dark night of the soul, his darkest times, and answering his calls and trying to give whatever I could, and seeing him come out of this stronger, better, wiser, and to see this arrogant little s*** in front of you who has shown me how much he’s grown.  How strong he is, and he’s showing everybody in the world tonight.

I’m so proud of you, Gabe. I’m proud to have you here, and hey, he got one on me. Maybe we’ll run another one back. Maybe we’ll do it together against somebody else. I don’t care what the ring is meant for you and me. I’m f***ing glad to have all you here to see it.

So thank you so much. Give it up for the rest of the rest of us this weekend on every f***ing show.  If you go to Wrestlemania, you give your absolute f***ing all and you be here to show exactly what it means to be a professional wrestling fan.”

 

Top Photo:  Josh Barnett (left) and Gabe Kidd square off at CGW: Bloodsport XIII. Courtesy of GCW.

GCW: Bloodsport XIII - 04/17/2025
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Final Thoughts:

 

No notes.  Just what Barnett said; this was wrestling at its purest.

We’ll see ya here for Wrestlemania weekend.