GCW Josh Barnett's Bloodsport Review

Here we go, not only my first review of WrestleMania week, but my first foray into the world of Independent Wrestling, yes I am a self-proclaimed WWE mark and I make zero apologies for that. Looking forward to this show, especially seeing how Frank Mir gets on. Let's see how it goes. I will try with a star rating, however, not having much knowledge about the guys competing, I will either have the best star rating system or the worst!

Show starts with a no roped ring and a rundown of the rules, only takes about a minute before the first match is introduced. 

The New York Badass Phil Baroni vs Dominic Garrini

Phil Baroni comes down, looking like an MMA figher, if wearing shoes where Garrini comes in his BBJ Gi and Purple Belt. It starts off a little slow and sloppy really, with Garrini playing up his BJJ by sitting down, until Baroni gets on top with strikes. It ends all of a sudden with a knockout and a 10 count for the win for Baroni. That is until the official announcement is made that reverses the decision in favour of Garrini because Baroni put his hands on the ref. It wasn't great, but still more entertaining than CM Punk vs Mike Jackson so that is something. 1 Star.

JR Kratos vs Simon Grimm

Simon Gimm is the former Simon Gotch of Vaudevillians fame. No mention of this is made by the announce team. Grimm looks a lot better here than he did in WWE in my opinion, Kratos for the record is massive. After a few minutes in Grimm's past is finally mentioned. Some nice chain wrestling in this one, and is working the "shoot" style better than the first, mixing some nice looking pro-wrestling strikes and some decent grappling, Grimm spends a lot of time in submission attempts from Kratos, including a rear naked choke, Kimura and Head and Arm triangle, Grimm escapes by slamming Kratos straight to the mat and rolls into an Arm-Bar, Kratos escapes this with is own slam and then knocks Grimm out and the ref stops it. I did quite like that match up vast improvement from the first. 2.5 Stars.

Killer Kross vs Davey Boy Smith Jr

Should be interesting, not the biggest fan of Smith Jr but still a decent name in the wrestling, Kross has been making a name for himself in Impact, and that is the most I know about him! Smith is popular in the White Eagle tonight! Think it needs stating that the matches are quickfire with very little pomp, it makes for a good show. This one starts off like a Muay Thai Kickboxing match up, until it hits the ground where it ends in a stalemate, back into the kickboxing stance. Some more back and forth grappling, until Smith gains control with a mount and some ground and pound, Cross rolls him and ends in his Guard, a rollover allows Smith to go for a Sharpshooter but they roll out of the ring. Some really good exchanges in this one, an entertaining matchup which worked the style well. Smith picked up the win via Submission with a Crossface, would like to see this go at it in a more pro-wrestling environment think they could produce something great. Davey Boy has improved a lot since I last saw him. 3.5 Stars.

Jon Gresham vs Masashi Takeda

For some reason, a time limit of 20 minutes is announced for this matchup. This has the quickest opening of any of the bouts so far, some good grappling and a great takedown by Takeda , who is scarred to fuck who after a quick Google search I find out why, currently a deathmatch champion. A slap-fest on the floor on the outside is lots of fun, Takeda gets the advantage and goes for a chair which the ref stops, back in the ring/mat Gresham regains control, it needs mentioning that Takeda is busted open, a flying armbar attempt by Takeda is great, but Gresham reverses into some ground and pound, back to a slap fest warranting an ECW chant from the crowd, another good striking exchange leads to Takeda hitting the knock-out blow and the win. A very good sprint, going about 6 minutes of the 20, but the fast exchanges and good grappling made it, with that being said, another few minutes could have taken this match to the next level. 3 Stars.

Andy Williams vs Chris Dickinson

Andy Williams is from the band Every Time I Die (source Ian Marshall, cheers pipe) and the man is fucking massive! Another 20-minute time limit is announced. Dickinson has the most pro-wrestling entrance so far. A brawl breaks out, if this goes longer than 5 minutes I will be shocked. Williams hits a big powerbomb to gain control. Some more big shots and a change in control, until Williams takes Dickinson's back, deadlifts the guy and hots a big Suplex, however, Dickinson manages to take Williams back and win with the Rear Naked Choke. Another fun sprint, and two big men, unlike the last match, this went the perfect amount of time for me. 3.5 stars. Just as a side note, I don't care what anyone says Andy Williams moustache is 5 stars.

Frank Mir vs Dan Severn

I am really looking forward to this, I would have enjoyed this fight with both in their day. In case you don't know, Frank Mir is the man who tapped Brock Lesnar out in his MMA debut and Dan "The Beast" Severn is as synonymous with early UFC as Royce Gracie. Dan Severn is 60 years old and still looks like he did in WWE during the attitude era. For some reason Phil Baroni is at ringside, sure it will play into an angle at the end. As I expected, this didn't go long, with Mir picking up the win with a kneebar submission, it was good, considering Mir as very little experience, and The Beast is 60. I enjoyed it. Mir cut a promo after which I couldn't really hear, I think Brock Lesnar's name was mentioned but not sure. 2.5 Stars

Timothy Thatcher vs Hideki Suzuki

Some great pro-wrestling style lockups and chains start this one off, with Thatcher ending up on top. The time limits seem to be in and out and nobody seems sure what is going on with them, personally, make them all 20 minutes or none it is a little distracting. It seems there is a time limit to this one, as we get a five minute's gone call. A lot of back and forth grappling goes on for the first 6 minutes with no man really taking control for a prolonged period, it is very good mind. A headbutt exchange is fun. The grappling is abandoned in favour of some still looking strikes and kicks. At the halfway point it is all still pretty even, a delayed gutwrench suplex from Thatcher is great. Suzuki finally gets the win at about 14 minutes, when the ref stops it after a massive throw, Thatcher sells as if he has been dropped from the sky. I really enjoyed that, and if you enjoy great chain wrestling and Catch as Catch Can then I recommend you watch this matchup. 4 Stars.

Josh Barnett vs Minoru Suzuki

The crowd is pumped for this one, Suzuki I have under good authority, is great, and I found out today, actually beat an in his prime Ken Shamrock in an MMA fight, and if you haven't seen an in his prime Ken Shamrock fight, then do he was a beast. Barnett himself is no slouch in the MMA world, having 43 fights and winning 35, beating along the way Roy Nelson, Andrei Arlovski, Mark Hunt and Frank Mir. Both are submission fighters so it should make for some great exchanges in this match. I can't say what they are like as wrestlers, never seen either perform. It starts much the same as the rest with no one man really dominating and reversal after reversal. The level of grappling is really high, and the first five minutes fly by. Suzuki sinks in a deep kneebar style submission which puts him on top, following that up with some strong stiff strikes. But Barnett is up and hitting his own strikes, hitting a suplex type move, 10 minutes in and this is perfectly paced. Suzuki hits a knee to Barnett's forehead, and looks like he is going for a cradle piledriver, which Barnett manages to block and reverse into a half Boston crab, into an STF, Suzuki is close to tapping, the ref checks on him and we get the two arm drop routine, which if I am honest, I loved! He manages to escape and hits a suplex, and rolls to the outside. Suzuki grabs a chair, which is quickly taken off him to play into the sport aspect of the event. Back in the ring, Barnett hits some nice leg kicks and gets taken to the outside. Suzuki pushes the ref which should bring the DQ but doesn't, Suzuki hits Barnett with a chair, which causes Barnett to lose his shit. 15 minutes into this one now and it is flying by. Bit of confusion because of the ref bump, we have zero refs in this one, no replacement is sent down. Barnett is top into the closing stretch. Both men are on their knees with three minutes remaining, and they are just blasting each other with forearms, they fight back to their feet. The bit where they are just punching each other is great they are taking turns with the crowd shushing people to hear the strikes connect. 60 seconds left and it is still strike for strike, slaps now into 30 seconds left this match is loads of fun, with 10 seconds left they both stumble around. the crowd chant one more minute, Suzuki shushes the crowd, and shouts out five more minutes. It is wrestling showmanship at its best. Barnett locks in a rear naked choke, which Suziki bites him to escape, he then locks in an ankle lock and bites Barnett's foot it is great. No rules in this one. Suzuki stands Barnett up, and shouts at him, Barnett replies in what sounds like Japanese, brilliant. One minute left and the crowd start chanting for one more hour! 5 minute overtime and still no winner. Both men finish with an Ankle Lock on each other. It is announced as a time limit draw, the crowd don't like the decision, but applaud both men. It finishes with both men paying each other respect. I loved that, I thought it was great, may not be everyone's cup of tea, but for me it was wicked. 5 stars.

OVERALL

Going into this not knowing much about the wrestling careers of most of the competitors I am pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed this show. It was a compelety different concept and the worked shoot style matches for the most part worked, the main event was so much fun and I recommended you watch that if nothing else. The semi-main is also fantastic. I am also pleased that Davey Boy Smith Jr seems to have improved and if his match here is anything to go by then he should be marked as one to watch once again. Watch this show, it is different and fun, also any show where Dan Severn doesn't have the strongest moustache game is a show I am glad to have seen.. 4 Stars.