Jonathan Gresham Reflects On First Deathmatch, ‘There Is A Deathmatch Wrestler Living Inside Of Me’

Jonathan Gresham competed in his first deathmatch at GCW Tournament of Survival 11 on Saturday, losing to Masashi Takeda in the first round.

Known of his technical wrestling, seeing Gresham in a death match setting was shocking to many fan. Though he didn’t win, he had the stand out spot of the match, hitting a shooting star press onto light tubes.

On his blog, Gresham wrote a lengthy article reflecting on his experience.

“The deathmatch community wasn’t interested in handing me anything because of what I’ve done elsewhere. They weren’t going to let me walk in and take something I hadn’t earned.

“I respected that.

“Truthfully, I think I needed it.

“Feeling that energy from the fans and wrestlers around me gave me an edge I didn’t know I was missing. It reminded me that growth only happens when you’re willing to become a student again.

“And then there’s Masashi Takeda.

“By complete coincidence, he ended up being my roommate for the weekend, which still makes me laugh.

“Takeda is one of my favorite opponents, but more importantly, he’s one of my favorite human beings in professional wrestling.

“Watching him compete this weekend was a masterclass.

“Most people obviously see the violence first.

“The glass.

“The blood.

‘The scars.

“What I saw was art.

“No matter how brutal things became, Takeda never lost the art. Every movement had purpose. Every decision meant something. Every moment of suffering told part of the story.

“There was beauty hidden inside the chaos.

I”’ve always respected deathmatch wrestling.

I”’ve defended it.

“I’ve tried to understood it better.

“But this weekend was different.

“This weekend I felt it.

“Somewhere between the uncertainty, the pain, the excitement, the lessons, the friendships, and the roar of the crowd, I discovered something about myself.

“There’s a deathmatch wrestler living inside me.

“He’s been there for a long time.

“And after this weekend, I think he wants out!

“Not because he loves violence.

“Not because he has something to prove.

“But because he sees another canvas.

“Another language.

“Another way to tell stories through professional wrestling.

“For the first time, I feel ready to explore it.”

Fans can find results from GCW Tournament of Survival here.