By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GCW: Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII
Streamed on TrillerTV+
April 17, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino
This is the fifth show of the 13-event Collective, featuring promotions from quite literally across the world. This began at 8 p.m. local time and was the third show of Thursday’s four-event lineup here. The ring canvas is clean, appears new, and has the Collective logo in the center. The lighting over the ring is really good and this is as top-notch as I’ve seen GCW look. I can see more of the crowd; it is clearly a much bigger crowd than the other shows here so far.
* If you haven’t seen Bloodsport before, it is the most authentic-looking ‘worked-shoot’ matches possible. The ropes are down. To win, you must knock out your opponent or make him or her submit, or via ref stoppage; there are no pins. These matches tend to be short and violent. I always say that I wouldn’t watch this if it was a weekly show, but it’s a fun, unique treat two or so times a year.
* The show opened with all of the competitors on tonight’s show coming to the ring; this is how every Bloodsport has opened. Karrion Kross got on the mic and said it was good to be home, and he put over Josh Barnett. Jimmy Smith and Tom Lawlor provided commentary.
1. Leyla Hirsch (0-1) vs. Jordan Blade (0-0). Blade is a Black woman who usually wears what looks like amateur-style gear; I’ve seen her probably 5-6 times before. Mat reversals and Leyla tied up the legs. She hit a German Suplex at 3:00. They got to their feet and traded slaps. Leyla hit a powerslam, and she mounted Jordan and repeatedly punched her until the ref stopped the match.
Leyla Hirsch defeated Jordan Blade at 3:32.
2. Karmen Petrovic (1-0) vs. Maika (0-0). I love the entrance for Karmen and I was really disappointed she lost so quickly on Tuesday, knowing this was coming up for her. She beat Sumie Sakai in her Bloodsport debut in November. I know Maika is a big star, but I’ve only seen her a few times. Karmen hit some quick kicks to the thighs, and they tied up on the mat. Maika picked up Karmen around the waist and slammed her to the mat. Karmen applied a chinlock on the mat at 2:30. She hit a running kick to the jaw. Maika applied a cross-armbreaker but Kamen escaped, popped to her feet and hit a series of kicks. Maika caught a leg, threw her to the mat, and applied a rear-naked choke, and Karmen tapped out.
Maika defeated Karmen Petrovic at 4:26.
* A video aired to introduce us to Shinya Aoki
3. Shinya Aoki (0-0) vs. Charlie Dempsey (2-1). They opened in a knuckle lock. They grapevine each other’s legs. Jimmy Smith pointed out Charlie’s size advantage. They got up and Aoki went for a full nelson but Dempsey blocked it; a 5:00 call was spot-on. Aoki went for a hammerlock but Charlie escaped. Aoki switched to a standing Octopus but Charlie escaped that hold. Aoki tied up the leg and applied a choke and the crowd taunted Dempsey to tap, but he escaped again. They again grapevined each other’s leg, and Charlie sat forward and hit some forearm strikes.
They got up and traded forearm strikes and European Uppercuts. Dempsey hit a back suplex, dropping Aoki on his head; the ref checked Aoki and determined he was out and called for the bell. Jimmy called it an upset.
Charlie Dempsey defeated Shinya Aoki at 9:18.
4. Karrion Kross (0-0) vs. JR Kratos (4-5). I haven’t seen NWA in a while so it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Kratos; I couldn’t say if he’s still there! Kross wore a karate jacket and pants and they had a feeling-out process to open; Kratos is much bigger. He got on top and hit some knee strikes to the ribs. Karrion applied a cross-armbreaker at 3:30. This has been more methodical than the first three matches. Kross got up and finally removed his robe top and the crowd popped. They locked up again and Kratos hit some stiff blows; Jimmy said that JR is 291 pounds.
They took turns trading chops, and Kratos hit a clothesline at 5:30, then a German Suplex, then a release powerbomb. Jimmy said he doesn’t remember Karrion being manhandled like this. Kross hit a Saito Suplex and celebrated. He hit a second one. Kratos hit a jumping knee to the chin, but Karrion tied him in a sleeper on the mat, and JR tapped out. That built nicely.
Karrion Kross defeated JR Kratos at 7:40.
* Tank Abbott came to the stage with a mustache and glasses and on that makes him look like Col. Mustard from “Clue.” Don Frye also came to the stage. A nice ovation.
5. Pete Dunne vs. Timothy Thatcher. Thatcher has several inches on Dunne. Jimmy reminded us that “small joint manipulation” is illegal, so that takes away one of Dunne’s signature spots. Thatcher tied him up in a bow-and-arrow. Dunne stomped on the elbow at 3:00. Thatcher mounted him and hit some forearm strikes but Dunne blocked most of them. Timothy switched to a half-crab. He tied up both arms and he hit a hard knee on the elbow at 5:30. Thatcher applied a Stretch Muffler leg lock and again tied up the left leg.
Dunne locked in a Triangle choke. Thatcher escaped and re-applied a half-crab, but Dunne escaped at 8:00. Thatcher hit some knee strikes to the ribs. Dunne applied a heel hook, but Thatcher used his other leg to kick free. Thatcher again went for a cross-armbreaker at 10:00. He got up and hit a loud European Uppercut. Dunne hit an enzuigiri. He snapped the fingers, applied a cross-armbreaker, and Thatcher tapped out. That was intense and it got a “both these guys!” chant.
Pete Dunne defeated Timothy Thatcher at 11:15.
6. Miyu Yamashita vs. Nattie Neidhart. Nattie wore all-black; no pink to be seen! “Nattie is out here looking like she has something to prove,” Jimmy said. They traded quick lockups with neither able to land a move. Nattie hit a spinebuster-style tackle at 1:30 and hit some punches. Miyu hit a spinning kick to the back, then she applied a leg lock around the waist. Nattie got up and applied an ankle lock. She switched to a sleeper at 4:00. They got back on their feet and reset, and they traded slaps to the face, with Miyu hitting a stiff one that dropped Nattie.
Miyu applied a front guillotine choke and struck at Nattie’s back, but Nattie powered her way to her feet and slammed Miyu to the mat. Nattie started to go for a Sharpshooter but Miyu escaped. Miyu hit a Skull Kick! She repeatedly punched Nattie and applied an ankle lock, but Nattie did a mule kick to escape. Nattie applied a Sharpshooter and sat down on Miyu’s lower back. Ref Scarlette Donovan checked Miyu and determined she was out and called for the bell! That was really good. We got a “both these women!” chant. Miyu gave her a middle finger, so they brawled some more!
Nattie Neidhart defeated Miyu Yamashita at 7:14.
* Nattie was high-fiving fans in the front row. NWA star Kenzie Paige was standing in the front row and she gave Nattie the middle finger, so Nattie shoved her and they briefly brawled.
7. Tavion Heights (0-0) vs. Royce Isaacs (4-5). Charlie Dempsey came to ringside with Tavion. A feeling-out process to open, and Heights hit a gut-wrench suplex. They traded reversals on the mat. Royce tied up a leg at 4:30 and he switched to a sleeper on the mat. They finally got up and began trading loud forearm strikes, and Royce hit a German Suplex. Isaacs tied him in a Figure Four. Tavion escaped and hit a clothesline at 6:00. He hooked a leg and hit a suplex and he applied a modified Anaconda Vice on Royce, but Royce escaped.
They got back to their feet but Royce hit some knee strikes to the head and a standing powerbomb. He mounted Tavion and hit some forearm strikes. They fought onto the edge of the ring and fell to the floor. Tavion shoved him back into the ring and hit a belly-to-belly suplex, some forearm strikes, and he rammed Royce’s head into the mat. The ref called for the bell. Good match. They shook hands.
Tavion Heights defeated Royce Isaacs at 8:41.
8. Konami vs. Shayna Baszler. Konami’s HATE partner Tora came to the ring with her, while Mia Yim came to the ring with Shayna. They immediately went to the mat and grapevined each other’s leg; Konami leaned backward outside the ring to stretch Shayna’s leg. They got back to the center of the ring and traded spin kicks to the thighs. Shayna has a height and reach advantage, and she hit a back suplex at 3:30. Konami hopped on Shayna’s back and applied a rear-naked choke, but Shayna escaped. Konami dropkicked Shayna into the ring post and hit a German Suplex. Shayna hit a fisherman’s suplex and repeatedly stomped on the back of the neck, and the ref called for the bell! I like that we mixed in a short one after some longer matches.
Shayna Baszler defeated Konami at 5:59.
9. Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Jonathan Gresham. Sabre wrestled in this venue about three or so hours earlier. I’ve heard Jimmy say “Sable” twice, not “Sabre” and I don’t think it’s my imagination. They opened in a knuckle lock and Gresham wish-boned Sabre’s legs while lying on his back. (You couldn’t do that in a regular match; you could get yourself pinned!) Zack kicked Gresham right out of the ring at 2:00. Back in the ring, they tentatively locked up again. Zack tied him in an Octopus on the mat; Gresham twisted the ankles. Sabre again kicked him to the floor. They tied up again in the ring at 6:00 and Gresham overpowered him in a test of strength.
It was now Gresham’s turn to push Zack to the floor and the crowd chuckled at the gamesmanship. Sabre stomped on the elbow at 8:00. They stood chest to chest, just so Sabre could show how much taller he is; it was more than I realized. Gresham hit a suplex and twisted the fingers and wrist; the 10-minute call was spot-on. Gresham tied him in a half crab and he flexed with his free arm. They got up and Sabre dropped him with a hard punch to the chest. They began trading forearm strikes and European Uppercuts. Sabre again went for an Octopus Stretch but Gresham escaped. Gresham applied a Figure Four leg lock and ring announcer Emil Jay said we have two minutes left!
Zack tried reversing the pressure but Gresham kept the Figure Four locked in. The 14:00 call was spot on and they rolled to the floor, allowing Zack to finally escape. They got in the ring, traded slaps and it picked up in intensity but it ended in a time-limit draw at 15:00 sharp; the crowd chanted “overtime!” We have a five-minute overtime! I restarted the stopwatch with a new bell, and Zack immediately hit a spin kick to the chin; Gresham hit some chops, and they repeated those moves. Zack’s chest was turning pink. Gresham hit a dropkick on the knee. Sabre hit a hard running Penalty Kick that knocked out Gresham! That was excellent.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Jonathan Gresham at 17:35.
10. Josh Barnett (10-1-1) vs. Gabe Kidd (0-0). The commentators noted that Gabe is about 6’1″ and 230 pounds but is much smaller than Barnett. They tied up while standing and Gabe dragged him to the mat. He climbed on top and tied up Barnett’s neck. Barnett grapevined a leg on the mat. Kidd left the ring to jaw at a fan at 3:30 but returned to the ring. He shoved Barnett to the floor and dove onto him! They fought on the floor and Barnett tossed him back in and hit a double-leg takedown and we got a 5:00 call. Barnett twisted an ankle; Kidd applied a leg lock around the waist, then switched to a cross-armbreaker. Barnett applied a chinlock; Gabe hit a back suplex to escape at 8:30.
Gabe hit another suplex and applied a front guillotine choke, and he hit a piledriver and a couple quick forearm strikes! The ref checked and called for the bell! “The final boss has been defeated!” Jimmy said.
Gabe Kidd defeated Josh Barnett at 9:32.
* Gabe got on the mic and berated the kid in the crowd who taunted him earlier and everyone laughed. He got serious and noted all the different promotions represented tonight. He then put Barnett over for helping save him when “he was going crazy” (Kidd has been quite open about his bouts with depression.) Barnett got on the mic and put over Kidd and said maybe they’ll run it back someday.
Final Thoughts: A really strong event that satisfied the crowd; they got what they came to see. Zabre-Gresham was really good and my pick for best match. I enjoyed Nattie-Miyu for second and Tavion-Isaacs took third.
One of the reasons this show works so well is it feels so authentic. The commentators treated it seriously and like a genuine competition and sport. No outlandish or cartoonish characters. Those characters have a place in pro wrestling, but not here in Bloodsport.
1,446 was the attendance