GCW Teases Return Of Former Josh Barnett Promoted Event Bloodsport

ByΒ Eric Mutter
Josh Barnett looking serious Etsuo Hara/Getty Images
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Back in April, it appeared the GCW/Josh Barnett WrestleMania weekend event Bloodsport was no more, after Barnett announced that the event was going on a long hiatus. Seven months later, GCW is strongly hinting that hiatus may not have been as long as Barnett or anyone else thought, while also raising questions regarding who's really in charge of the Bloodsport concept. Taking to X on Monday evening, the promotion announced Bloodsport Reborn, with no other details other than the concept would be "coming soon," while also hinting that Bloodsport's legacy would continue.

GCW's tease comes right after Barnett had been in the news, both for revealing that he had made an offer to buy/run New Japan Pro Wrestling's Los Angeles Dojo, and for telling Ariel Helwani that he had been attempting to shop the Bloodsport concept around to investors. Those attempts appear to be unrelated to what's going on with GCW, however, as Barnett responded to a fan on X who was surprised byΒ  Bloodsport's return by saying that he had not been consulted on it.

The return of Bloodsport without Barnett's involvement is shocking on its face, though hints already existed that the concept would continue on without him. Shortly after Barnett's announcement that Bloodsport would be going on hiatus, GCW promoter Brett Lauderdale clarified that while Barnett's incarnation of Bloodsport was over, "the legacy lives on," teasing that the concept would be returning with someone else at the helm.Β 

While Barnett is heavily associated with Bloodsport, the concept was started by GCW without him in 2018, with Matt Riddle initially serving as its face. Barnett would only take charge of the event in 2019, after Riddle departed the indie scene for WWE.

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