it’s a superfight sunday this week

At Midday, The USWA continues to battle the evil forces of the WWF, Vince McMahon has taken it uppon himself to be in the corner of referee Paul “fuckin'” Neighbours in his match with Jerry Lawler. what could possibly go wrong?

then about half past 1, one of the highlights of the wrestlemania weekend brought to you by NOT wwe, but they’ve got their fingers in it somehow. It’s Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport. the concept:

back in 1997, some arse backstage at wwf had this idea of having a legitimate fight competition between wrestlers. depending on who you listen to, it was either to a) compete with the UFC, b) to bring some overinflated egos in check, or c) to elevate a particular wrestler they were bringing in fresh off a run in japan where everything looked more like a fight at the time thanks to Inoki-ism/Kings Road style stuff.

what actually happened was that a) nobody in wwf knew how to structure an actual fight competition, so it looked like a fucking shambles, b) it inflated other egos while also causing the writers a massive headache because people in the middle of storylines were getting legitimately injured in legitimate fights, and c) the bloke they brought in from japan got knocked out by a little gremlin who actually knew how to throw a punch they’d hidden in the mid card tag team division. it was a complete fucking disaster. the final nail was put in the coffin two years later when the little gremlin was brought back in to WWE following a tour in japan. They had big plans for him, and they started by reminding everyone who he was and how he was a big deal in an actual fight. Wrestlemania 15, the last ever “brawl for all” and Bart “The Hammer” Gunn went up against… Butterbean. who promptly knocked Gunn out in about 15 seconds. that was that.

roll forward to recent times, and for the last few years, when wrestlemania is on in a city, everyone else and their uncle hire out every venue and put a show on. former MMA fighter Matt Riddle hosts a show called “bloodsport” – the roped are removed from the ring, and apart from eye-gouging, low blows and biting, anything goes. and it’s all independent wrestlers from around the world. It’s well run, well planned, and the wrestlers involved all have a background in a legitimate combat sport that isn’t fighting in a pub after a show.

This is the latest iteration of that.

Some competitors of note:
Charlie Dempsey – Steve (or william) Regal’s son
Nic Nemeth (the former dolph ziggler)
Shayna Bayszler (under contract to WWE)
Masha Slamovic (currently under contract to TNA wrestling)
Lou Nixon – my hometown lad
Johnny “Bloodsport” – formerly John Morrison from WWE)
Minoru Suzuki – affectionately referred to as “murder grandpa”

and loads more.

it’s a hell of a show – hope you enjoy!