The fourteenth edition of Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport has delivered one of the best matches of the year.
Although Josh Barnett fought Yuji Nagata in the final match, the real main event though was Shayna Baszler versus Nattie Neidhart.
Why Nattie isn’t in the top tier of the WWE women’s division when she has reinvented herself into a killer bad ass and person is beyond my understanding. The WWE is just sitting on TV gold and Nattie should be congratulated for accepting and pivoting into change, change which has made her very relevant. To prove my point, Nattie gets a massive reception as she steps through the curtain with her husband Tyson Kidd, Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Chris Bey. Baszler comes out with her Billy Robinson’s Snake Pit pals. Baszler is undefeated in Bloodsport competition.
Speaking of relevant, why the hell isn’t Baszler still wrestling in the WWE? She is one of the best in the world and she isn’t working for Raw or Smackdown? Really, really weird that. WWE’s women’s division needs more grit and toughness that Nattie and Baszler bring in spades.
Nattie gives Baszler ‘the finger’ as she makes her way to the ring. Nattie is undefeated at Bloodsport as well. As Baszler consults with her corner peeps Nattie walks right up to her, whacking her a few times. Baszler complains to the official.
As they stare each other down the crowd chants:
F–k her up, Nattie! F–k her up!
Baszler smiles as Nattie takes her down to the mat. As they lock legs, Nattie slaps Baszler in the face. Baszler hits her back and stomps her. Nattie brings Baszler down to the mat with headlock. Baszler forces her way out and gets back to her feet. Out of respect, they stare each other down again. Baszler sits down on the mat begging Nattie to bring it. Nattie rolls through putting Baszler in an ankle lock. Baszler puts her own knee on her other knee to force Nattie down wrapping her in a neck and body scissors submission. Baszler and Nattie trade strikes.
Baszler looks like she is about to put Nattie in the Sharpshooter. Instead, she just flips her off. A furious Nattie gets in her face. They shove each other.
Nattie throws up another middle finger shouting “F–k, you!” in Baszler’s face. She then slaps her in the face.
Nattie pulls her arm, wrist away before Baszler can stomp on it but eats a knee to the face. Nattie fires back with a German Suplex. Nattie puts Baszler in the Sharpshooter. Baszler rolls out of it and puts Nattie in the Kirifuda Clutch. Nattie rolls through and out of it. She puts Baszler in a choke, sleeper from behind.
Baszler starts bleed profusely. Blood is all over her face and hands. Same with Nattie. Baszler stands up with Nattie on her back and just runs out, off of the ring to the floor.
Both women lay on the floor, dazed and confused. Baszler puts Nattie in a chokehold from behind. Nattie drives her back into the steel ring steps. Nattie climbs back into the ring but Baszler doesn’t make it in time. The crowd is not pleased.
Nattie flips off Baszler again.
The crowd chants:
Let them fight! Let them fight!
Nattie leaps onto Baszler labeling her with punch after punch. Baszler regains the advantage, hammering on Nattie. People from both of their groups dive into the ring to separate them.
As I said at the top, the official main event was Josh Barnett against Yuji Nagata. Nothing against Blue Justice or The War Master but there is no way to follow that match. Nagata put Barnett in the Nagata Lock but Barnett managed to kick through and out. Barnett catches Nagata’s leg putting him in an ankle lock. Nagata locks on the seated arm bar. Barnett clotheslines Nagata down after escaping. Barnett suplexes Nagata over. They trade forearm smashes. Barnett nails Nagata with a kick to the head knocking him out for the win.
Addressing the crowd after the match Barnett informed them that BloodSport will be going on a hiatus. It is not done forever though.
Josh Barnett said it best as he opened Bloodsport.
“This isn’t about microphones! It is about crushing and breaking bones!” he snarled as the action got underway.
GCW: Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV Results
Matt Mako versus Angel Verduczo
Mako suplexes Verduczo over, starts delivering those strikes and Verduczo cannot fight back or defend himself.
Winner: Matt Mako by referee stoppage.
Ulka Sasaki versus Joe Dashou
Dashou has Sasaki in the front face lock. Sasaki gets out nailing Dashou with some kicks. Sasaki works around Dashou putting him in a sleeper hold from behind. Dashou breaks the hold and escapes. As Dashou comes running in Sasaki hits him with a knee strike knocking him out.
Winner: Ulka Sasaki by KO.
Zack Sabre Jr. versus Ray Jaz
Oh, no. It is “Mr. Excitement” Zack Sabre Jr. Jaz lifts up ZSJ for a slam but ZSJ maneuvers behind him taking him down to the mat with a head scissors submission.
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr. by submission.
Miyu Yamashita vs Janai Kai
A suplex and two kicks from Kai stuns Yamashita. She rolls out of the ropeless ring to the floor. Yamashita has ten seconds to get back into the ring. She does but Kai greets her with a kick right to the head. Kai starts battering Yamashita with kick after kick. Yamashita takes Kai down. Yamashita misses a kick but Kai connects. Yamashita connects with a roundhouse heel kick.
Winner: Miyu Yamashita by KO.
Shane Mercer vs Royce Isaacs
Isaacs has Mercer in arm lock. Mercer lifts Isaacs off the mat, slams him down and put him in a rear naked choke. Isaacs picks up Mercer A Death Valley Driver into a Dragon Sleeper.
Winner: Royce Isaacs by submission.
Masashi Takeda vs Pete Dunne
Dunne deals five shots to Takeda’s face. Takeda sends Dunne to his knees with one straight punch knocking his mouth guard out. Dunne retaliates with a kick. Takeda just smiles missing his mouth guard. They throw hands. Dunne ends up down again. Takeda drives Dunne down with strike after strike. Dunne tries a submission. Takeda just kicks him squarely in the chest. Takeda lands strike after strike. Dunne puts Takeda in an arm lock and cracks his fingers again and again. Dunne puts Takeda in a scissor lock driving elbows in Takeda’s head. Takeda finally taps out.
Winner: Pete Dunne by submission.
Erick Stevens vs Fuminori Abe
Abe’s mouth is bleeding. Stevens, bleeding from the forehead, throws Abe over to the mat. Abe escapes stomping Stevens. Stevens takes Abe down to the mat with a headlock, choke. Abe gets back to his feet with Stevens still cranking down on him. Abe drops Stevens lands head butt after head butt knocking Stevens out.
Winner: Fuminori Abe by KO.
Timothy Thatcher vs Charlie Dempsey
British battlers Timothy Thatcher and Charlie Dempsey faced off with Thatcher giving Dempsey the one finger salute before they locked up.
Dempsey was erroneously announced as representing the No Quarter Catch Crew when he has moved on to The BirthRight faction in NXT. Thatcher took Dempsey down to the mat but Dempsey held onto his leg putting him in a leg lock. Dempsey grape-vined the leg. Thatcher wouldn’t tap out. Thatcher wrapped up Dempsey putting his knee into his back, wrapping his legs up and ripping at his face. Thatcher begins working over Dempsey’s arm.
Dempsey side-slams Thatcher. Dempsey works over Thatcher’s legs with a Dragon Screw Leg Whip and an ankle lock. A shot by Dempsey knocks Thatcher right out of the ring. Thatcher barely makes it back into the ring. They trade European Uppercuts. Dempsey takes Thatcher over with a German Suplex. He bludgeons Thatcher with elbows to the back of the head. Dempsey makes Thatcher submit.
Winner: Charlie Dempsey
Nattie Neidhart versus Shayna Baszler
Winner: Nattie Neidhart by countout.
Yuji Nagata versus Josh Barnett
Winner: Josh Barnett by KO.
