Josh Barnett & Ex-WWE Star Matt Riddle Provide Differing Takes On Bloodsport Origins

By Nishant Jayaram
Matt Riddle on the red carpet Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images
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Former WWE star Matt Riddle and former MMA fighter Josh Barnett have shared their respective versions of the origins of the Bloodsport event.

Bloodsport, which began in 2018 and was promoted by GCW, debuted under Riddle's name before being hosted under Barnett's name for 17 editions, the final of which took place earlier this year. Barnett rebutted a story about the origins of the event on X, claiming that there were no similarities between his and Riddle's shows.

"And as I have said many times before, over and over again – Matt Riddle's: Bloodsport is a singular, separate event and tangentially related at best. If I made a box set, I would not include it, especially because: Josh Barnett's: Bloodsport is a 17 event show, over 7 years," Barnett said. "Then when approached, I agreed to work together but only if I called the shots, and produced/booked/agented/whatever needed the show as it does have my name above title, and it was going to represent my vision."

Riddle then gave his version after it emerged that GCW would continue the event, possibly under a new name, following Barnett's announcement earlier this year that this year's edition would be the last. Riddle hit back at Barnett's claims, saying that Barnett didn't create Bloodsport, while he claimed to have come up with the event's rules and name. Riddle also gave the new Bloodsport his blessings.

"One thing I can say with 100% certainty is Josh Barnett did not create or even help with the original bloodsport and then tried to take it for himself, even when I saw him at wrestlemania this past year he said there wouldn't be anymore blood sports then I replied "that's not your choice, you don't own blood sport," Riddle said.

But it seems that neither of their versions is true, as wrestler and promoter Danny Demanto, who played a key role in creating Bloodsport, said that neither Riddle nor Barnett was right about their claims, adding that neither played a role in the event's creative process.

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