It’s our annual swing by Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport for some no-ropes shoot-style action on WrestleMania weekend…
Quick Results
Victor Benjamin defeated AKIRA via referee stoppage in 5:07 (*¾)
Nic Nemeth defeated Mike Bailey via referee stoppage in 5:07 (**¾)
Women’s Tournament Semi-Final: Lindsay Snow submitted Lady Frost in 2:15 (**)
Women’s Tournament Semi-Final: Marina Shafir submitted Janai Kai in 3:56 (***)
Charlie Dempsey submitted Matt Makowski in 6:22 (***¼)
Takuya Nomura defeated Fuminori Abe via referee stoppage in 7:38 (****)
Erik Hammer defeated Lou Nixon via referee stoppage in 3:46 (**¾)
Minoru Suzuki defeated Royce Isaacs via referee stoppage in 8:38 (**¾)
Timothy Thatcher submitted Axel Tischer in 7:53 (***½)
Shayna Baszler defeated Masha Slamovich via referee stoppage in 7:11 (***½)
Women’s Tournament Final: Marina Shafir defeated Lindsay Snow via referee stoppage in 7:44 (**)
Josh Barnett defeated Johnny Bloodsport via referee stoppage in 7:56 (**¼)
I’m picking and choosing across WrestleMania weekend again – starting with the latest from Bloodsport. We’re coming from the GCW Collective at Penns Landing Caterers in Philadelphia… but first, a music video highlighting past Bloodsports, and then it’s into the parade of entrants, including added Charlie Dempsey.
Commentary comes from… HEY LENNY LEONARD! He’s alongside Dan Barry on the headsets…
AKIRA vs. Victor Benjamin
AKIRA was meant to be facing Matt Makowski here… but we’ve a late card change.
AKIRA’s the heavy crowd favourite here, but has to deal with an on-rushing Benjamin at the bell, before front facelock takedowns had AKIRA briefly on top. Benjamin has to escape a triangle armbar attempt, lifting up AKIRA before some knees to the gut led to AKIRA coming back with a takedown.
Benjamin escapes a leglock by stacking up AKIRA before he went for a waistlock. AKIRA goes for the arm to get free as Benjamin’s rope arm wraps started to come undone. Punches to the midsection leave AKIRA down, as did a knee to the ribs, before AKIRA dared Benjamin to pepper him with kicks.
It works as AKIRA countered one into a Dragon screw, before a deadlift German suplex and a suplex had Benjamin in deep trouble. Rolling free, Benjamin cracks AKIRA with a rear spin kick, before AKIRA hit a something or other, following up with a keylock takedown before Benjamin tried to slide to the outside. Benjamin drags AKIRA to the floor with a suplex, as we’re just done with the “break on the outside” stuff, and the crowd are not happy with that… nor when the referee stopped it when AKIRA was sunk with a spinning enziguiri. I mean, this didn’t feel like Bloodsport, especially with the way they just ignored the spirit of it. *¾
Nic Nemeth vs. Mike Bailey
I’m guessing this is on second so these guys can get to the 2300 Arena…
Bailey’s feinting with kicks early on as Nemeth was trying to keep out of range. Nemeth catches a kick and tries to force Bailey out of the ring, but the ring post saves things as the ref forces a separation. Nemeth’s single leg take down takes Bailey down, as he again looked to roll Speedball out of the ring. As Victor Benjamin just showed us, this ain’t sumo rules!
A double-leg takedown finally has Bailey spilling outside. Back inside, Bailey’s kick gets caught as another double-leg takes Bailey outside, before Bailey connected with a head kick back inside. That takes Nemeth down as punches and a cross armbar almost forced the stoppage, only for Nemeth to try and roll free.
Kicks form Bailey keep Nemeth on the defensive… before the moonsault knees missed. Nemeth dives in with a rear naked choke, but Bailey reaches the ring post which apparently is a break? A Zig Zag takes Bailey down out of the corner, before a rear naked choke forced the stoppage. Again, a little too pro-wrestling for my taste, but at least it was Bailey switching it up that cost him. **¾
Women’s Tournament Semi-Final: Lindsay Snow vs. Lady Frost
Insert “is it a little chilly here?” pun…
Lots of feinted kicks start us off, as Snow went for a single leg takedown… Frost is quickly up for a kick, but ends up getting rolled down. Frost rolls through and swings with a kick that sent Snow outside for respite. Snow’s quickly back inside, but a cartwheel into a rear naked choke has Frost back ahead, only for Snow to get free and throw some shots from above, before a kneebar forced Snow to tap quickly. **
Women’s Tournament Semi-Final: Janai Kai vs. Marina Shafir
Obviously, the winner has Snow in the final…
Shafir goes in for a waistlock to start, looking to stifle Kai’s kicks. Kai tries to throw one, but Shafir pulls it aside before an armdrag from Shafir had Kai down on the mat. Another takedown has Shafir on top, looking for a leg, but Kai pushes free and gets back to her feet.
Kai finally scores with some kicks, taking Shafir down… Kai pounces with some knee strikes, before another kick caught out Shafir. They don’t stop this, as Kai pulls Shafir back up into a front facelock as Shafir weathered another storm.
Back to their feet, Shafir dares Kai to unload on her, but Shafir checks some kicks before catching one… then took Kai down into a head-and-arm choke for the submission. Some of the decisions around not stopping the match on those kicks to Shafir looked dodgy, but this was fun. ***
Matt Makowski vs. Charlie Dempsey
…and this is why the opener was changed!
Makowski looks to push on early as Dan Barry got in a coded message… Dempsey’s floatover Fisherman suplex has him ahead. Makowski rolls into the mount for some strikes from above, but Dempsey gets free and grabs a double wristlock, only for Makowski to escape with headsicssors.
Dempsey eventually rolls free and grabs an ankle lock, then switched up into a Fujiwara armbar. Makowski gets free and hits a leaping rear spin kick, before a butterfly suplex into a cross armbar looked to have Dempsey in trouble for a moment. Dempsey goes back to the ankle though, then drove Makowski’s arm down to the mat before going back to the double wristlock… and we’ve another escape.
Knees from Dempsey set up for a butterfly suplex that’s rolled over into another armbar, this time with a short arm scissors. Makowski strikes his way free, but he’s again caught with an ankle lock. Escaping, Makowski’s able to take the back with a rear naked choke, but again Dempsey escapes into a cravat, which he took down Makowski with.
Another cross armbreaker from Makowski gets him free, but Dempsey’s on top with some strikes from above before we reset. A spinning back elbow from Makowski drops Dempsey, who’s forced to cover up on some strikes as he’s met with an enziguiri… Makowski doesn’t follow-up though, instead waiting for Dempsey to get up, only to get met with an uppercut. From there, Dempsey’s German suplex and double wristlock gets the submission as Makowski was made to pay for his hesitation. This was pretty damn good – Makowski’s hesitation towards the end was a weird move, and in the end cost him dear. ***¼
Fuminori Abe vs. Takuya Nomura
Their match last October at Kakuto Tanteidan was one of my favourites last year…
Abe takes things to the mat early, where he trapped Nomura in headscissors… only for Nomura to roll free. Faking out a knuckle lock, Abe throws a headbutt at Nomura, who replies with a slap as the pair began to leather each other. Heading back to the mat with a snapmare, Abe looked to choke out his tag partner, before Nomura came back with a snapmare of his own, leading to some vile kicks.
A heel hook from Nomura is broken when Abe just balled his fist and punched him in the head. A second attempt’s stopped with a flurry of strikes, but Abe’s Dragon screw sinks Nomura, who’s bleeding from that headbutt. More kicks from Abe force Nomura to throw him down with a suplex, before a full nelson and a Cobra Twist kept Nomura ahead.
Abe escapes, countering into a manjigatame, which Nomura slips out of before he was met with a dropkick. Nomura slaps away an Irabu punch, but couldn’t avoid it at the second turn… so he comes back with a headbutt, only for Abe to charge right back with a headbutt of his own. The pair trade elbows, with Nomura seemingly pulling ahead… so Abe levels him with a head kick.
Nomura’s on his knees as Abe threw a knee lift… before a lariat countered another Irabu punch. German suplexes follow from Nomura, who then followed up with a half crab. Abe rolls through into a heel hook, but this time Nomura’s looking to slap his way free, only for a headbutt from Nomura to work as he almost forced a stoppage with strikes from above.
The ref doesn’t call it, to Nomura goes for a rear naked choke, lifting up Abe into a hanging choke until the ref finally called it. As great as you’d expect, and with a hotter crowd it’d have been fantastic. ****
Erik Hammer vs. Lou Nixon
Nixon’s usually a deathmatch guy, but I do wonder what a Geordie Judas is. Is he a Mackem now?
Feinted kicks led to Hammer taking down Nixon… who returned the favour before he went to club way on Hammer. Taking Nixon down, Hammer looks to take the sting out of things before he rolled away as Nixon looked to grab a leg. Returning with an armdrag takedown, Hammer looks for a head and arm choke, but Nixon breaks free and applies one of his own.
Hammer rolls free, but Nixon has the mount for some shots from above, only for Hammer to go out and grab a leg lock. Nixon throws rights to break free, with Hammer returning the favour ahead of a deadlift German suplex and a snapping double wristlock that forced the stoppage. **¾
Royce Isaacs vs. Minoru Suzuki
These two have met once before – albeit not in a Bloodsport setting…
Isaacs tried to take Suzuki down early with a waistlock, but Suzuki grabs the arm, only to get taken down as Isaacs went into side control. Suzuki escapes with a cross armbar, but Isaacs gets free and steps back… only for Suzuki to mockingly call Isaacs back towards him.
Back on the mat, Isaacs gets baited into a triangle armbar as Suzuki had scooted towards the edge of the ring, using that for a hanging armbar. Hey, if Victor Benjamin’s not gotten in trouble for that, Suzuki sure as hell won’t. Suzuki rolls in and out of the ring to wind up Isaacs.
Suzuki’s forced to defend a Sharpshooter attempt back inside, rolling through with Isaacs, who turned it into a leg lock. After the break, Isaacs is baited into trading strikes with Suzuki, which led to the CLONKING elbow. Isaacs pops up and hits the Hush Money elevated German suplex, before a cross armbar led to a powerbomb attempt from Isaacs.
Suzuki escapes the powerbomb and slips into a rear naked choke… before the Gotch piledriver led to the ref stoppage. Mostly your typical Suzuki match, just without ropes! **¾
Axel Tischer vs. Timothy Thatcher
Their only prior singles match was the final of wXw’s AMBITION 3 back in 2012 – which the Axeman won.
Thatcher’s taken to the mat as Tischer looked to work over Thatcher’s taped-up knee. Going to close quarters, the pair trade slaps, with Thatcher adding a headbutt as he looked to grab Tischer’s leg. Eventually Tischer’s able to back out and get to his feet, but his waistlock takedown’s stuffed as Tischer instead elbowed Thatcher in the nose.
Punches from above force Thatcher to roll aside, before he punted Tischer between the shoulder blades. A butterfly suplex attempt from Thatcher’s blocked, so he rolls Tischer down, only for the Axeman to get back on top as he threw some elbows to the side of the neck. That’s a wake-up call for Thatcher, who gets free into a half crab, then a leg grapevine as he bow-and-arrow’d Tischer.
Tischer rolls free and peppers Thatcher with strikes as he looked to take the back, but Thatcher again stuffs it as he ended up grabbing Tischer’s ankle. Breaking free, Axeman hits some German suplexes before an uppercut to the back… then the front forced a reply as the pair traded those Euros. Timo’s slap only earns him a brainbuster in reply, before Thatcher snapped back with a Fujiwara armbar to force a rapid submission from Tischer. Understated, but a lovely scrap as the Axeman’s dream of another win over Thatcher blew up in his face. ***½
Masha Slamovich vs. Shayna Baszler
The WWE connection continued here, with Baszler having Zoey Stark in her corner…
Baszler slapped Slamovich before the bell, as if she wasn’t welcome here to begin with, and we get going with the pair scrambling on the mat. Duelling leg locks end with the pair rolling away, before kicks from Baszler had Slamovich down briefly.
Masha returns with kicks and a backfist, before Baszler caught her with a back suplex that floated through into a heel hook. Slamovich tries for an ankle lock to free herself, which works as she ends up taking Baszler’s back. Escaping, Baszler throws some shots to the kidneys as she has Masha’s back, before she got caught with a rolling cross armbreaker.
Baszler clings on to avoid the arm going straight, then countered with almost a stretch muffler. That’s transitioned into a cross armbar, which Masha strikes free from, only to get taken down with a front suplex. A Northern Lights from Masha turns it around, but the follow-up cross armbreaker’s escaped and turned into a rear naked choke by Baszler. Masha powers up and rolls free, returning with a rear naked choke of her own, but Baszler breaks the grip… only to get caught with a pumphandle Regal plex… another rear naked choke follows, but there’s no ref stoppage as Baszler escaped and grabbed a knee bar, switching up into an ankle lock, which Slamovich kicks away.
Baszler comes right back with stomps to the head… and there’s the ref stoppage, and the expected shower of boos. A questionable call given that suplex/choke seconds earlier, but this was a hell of a finish. ***½
Women’s Tournament Final: Marina Shafir vs. Lindsay Snow
Snow’s looking to repeat – having won the first iteration of this tournament in October 2020…
Snow looked to go for Shafir early on, but got taken down with a hiptoss… which led to the pair going for the other’s legs. Snow kicks her way free, then caught Shafir in a triangle armbar… only for Shafir to try and lift her way free. Eventually pulling free, Shafir’s cross armbreaker is quickly escaped by Snow.
Shafir remains on the defensive as Snow went for the leg and ankle, but Shafir again is able to break free of the grip. Repeatedly going for the leg could prove to backfire for Snow, but again she keeps up and rolls Shafir down. Clubbing blows don’t help as Shafir got back to her feet, but again she’s pushed down as Snow took the back.
Shafir gets free again, but Snow’s back on the leg… Shafir counters out before Snow switched up tactics… and ended up in the mount, where she threw shots from above. One of those shots miss, so Snow goes back to the heel hook, clinging on as Shafir once more looked to get free. When Shafir did get free, she takes things down with a slam, then went for a head-and-arm choke… Snow slips free, and gets slammed again, before a kick knocked Snow to the outside for the instant ref stoppage. I wasn’t keen on the ring-out finish, but it is what it is… **
Johnny Bloodsport vs. Josh Barnett
I’d probably not have picked this as the main event, but we’re twelve matches deep and this is the end of the tunnel…
There’s some almost comically large elbow pads being sported by Johnny Lotsanames, as we start with some feinting as Barnett got caught with a series of kicks from Johnny, taking him down to the mat in a front chancery. Getting free, Barnett took the mount, but Johnny escapes, only to get caught as Barnett went for the arm, only for Johnny to go for a half-straitjacket choke.
Barnett gets free and traps Johnny’s leg looking for an ankle lock… but Johnny gets free, and tries for a single leg takedown. It’s stuffed as Barnett ended up rolling free. Barnett kicks the leg out of Johnny’s leg, taking him down in search of a half crab, but let go as Johnny threatened to roll the pair down to the floor.
Resuming, Johnny tries to pick the leg, but Barnett’s wise to it and goes for a cross armbreaker, only for Johnny to float free and sting Barnett with kicks. Back to their feet, Barnett takes down Johnny with kicks, only for Johnny to Capeoira in for a clothesline, following up with a rear naked choke. A Saito suplex followed from Barnett, hen before a spinning heel kick to the face cracked Johnny, who’s pulled up for what was damn near a gutwrench piledriver… and that’s your lot. Johnny’s injury didn’t help things, but this was a clash of styles that didn’t quite work out. **¼
A pretty good show to kick off my pick ‘n’ mix Mania weekend watching – although twelve matches is way too many for a show like this. If you’re cherry picking, go out of your way for Abe/Nomura, Baszler/Slamovich and Thatcher/Tischer, but try not to lament how much Bloodsport’s drifted towards pro-wrestling – and definitely don’t ref-watch to see how many possible finishes weren’t called as if they could have been…