Josh Barnett's Bloodsport has become a staple of major GCW event weekends. The event is a hybrid of MMA and wrestling with matches taking place in a no roped ring and with no pinfalls, only knockouts, submissions, or decisions.
The first Bloodsport was under Matt Riddle's name in April 2018. After Riddle joined WWE, Barnett took over the enterprise and has held three events since April 2019.
Speaking with Renee Paquette on Oral Sessions, Barnett discussed Bloodsport and how other companies have tried biting the look and style.
"There's so much 'fluffy' wrestling, so, to have something that's not that, that is stripped down and raw, it stands out. It becomes something that is unique. Also, what makes it even more unique, is when people try to steal the gimmick, bite it, rip it off. The one major one isn't really the first, either, not at all. I understand why they want to do it but it only helps us at the end of the day. I've seen other organizations try and rip the idea off. It's fine. What it does show is, people, think, 'I'll just do MMA moves in a match. I'll just take the ropes down.' No, that's not it. You can try and look like the packaging all you want, but you will not be the product. We are even on an evolution with what we are doing because it's been so long since wrestlers were trained to wrestle this way or put together shows like this. It's of a past that has been neglected or doesn't exist. It's from the ground up, which a lot of people don't realize," he said.
Many compared Raw Underground to Bloodsport when it first debuted, noting the similar look and style.
Renee's husband Jon Moxley was set to face Barnett at Bloodsport on multiple occasions but Moxley suffered a staph infection in August 2019, canceling their Bloodsport bout in September and COVID canceled their rematch set for April 2020.
When asked about the bout against Moxley, Barnett said, "There is a plan for early next year to make the reality come true."
Moxley did make his Bloodsport debut in October 2020, defeating Chris Dickinson in the main event.
Barnett did not compete on the show due to an upcoming bare-knuckle boxing fight against Marcin Rozalski, which was scheduled for October 23. Barnett won the fight via doctor stoppage.
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