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JON MOXLEY VS. DAVEY BOY SMITH JR., JEFF COBB VS. TOM LAWLOR & MORE: GCW JOSH BARNETT'S BLOODSPORT 5 REPORT

By Adam Cardoza on 2021-02-20 21:44:00

GCW “Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 5”

2/20/21 - iPPV at Bloodsport.watch

GCW’s popular MMA-style Bloodsport show is completes its 2-part journey this month on iPPV. Max Bretos & Josh Barnett are on commentary. The presentation around the show is very TV-style MMA done inside a warmly-lit smokey warehouse. No fans, no ropes, bare posts, all combat on the ring platform. Tonight features some matchups remixed from last show’s winners and losers, the arrival of Rocky Romero to the Bloodsport platform, and the return of Jon Moxley in the main event!

Match 1: Bad Dude Tito vs “The Highlander” Calder McColl

Can McColl make it 2 wins in two weeks? Tito was part of one of the more entertaining fights from last week so looking forward to this opener. Tito with a hip toss and McColl is defending the leg kicks before getting wrapped into an ankle hold. Ref brings them to their feet. Double leg from McColl and takes the back. Tito tries to roll free. McColl tries an arm bar. Tito to his feet, cartwheels through the guard into a north/south. Back to the feet, Tito has a waistlock and lands a huge german. Tito landing shots and grabs the leg lock again. McColl kicks free and slips into a front facelock. Tito reverses it and we’re up again. Trading kicks, McColl crumples Tito with a kick to the body. McColl locks in a rear naked choke. Tito pops out and throwing wild shots from the top. McColl weathers the storm and pulls him into full mount.  Tito gets back up but McColl locks up the arm from the bottom. Tito slides up into a head and arm choke. McColl escapes again. Back to the feet. Tito lands a big overhand fist to drop McColl. McColl pops back up with a flying knee. McColl locks in another rear naked choke. Tito struggles but is forced to tap. Lot of action that pushed the pace. I enjoyed this!

Winner: Calder McColl

Match 2: Calvin Tankman vs Nolan Edward

This show keeps adding a “s” onto Nolan’s name. Either way, I’m looking forward to this. Love both these dudes. Tankman aggressive in the standup. Nolan eating shot after shot. Edward trying to chop him down with kicks, picks the ankle, rains shots and tries to lock up Calvin’s ankle. Tankman powers to the top and drops shots. Nolan trying to defend and laughs off Tankman’s dropping strikes. Back to the feet, this is more back and forth. Cal catches a leg kick and buries Edward with a shot. Edward staggers Calvin with an upkick. Nolan with a flying knee and right into a front choke when Cal goes down. Tankman picks him up and powerslams him down. Tankman raining shots and the ref pulls him off for the TKO. Good entertaining sprint of a contest. I wanna see this run back in PPW under UFWI rules....or anywhere, really.  

Match 3: Kal Jack vs Superbeast

Superbeast was the breakout surprise of Bloodsport 4 for a lot of people. Kal Jack threw Nolan Edward into the brick wall last week. They circle, Superbeat stagers him with a knee to the body. Kal charges a takeout out of desperation. Kal wrenching the shoulder of the Superbeast. Gutwrench suplex from Kal Jack. Superbeast with a series of kicks and a spinning heel kicks. Kal picks him up and slams again. Superbeast has a wrist lock. Kal with a slam and a belly to belly suplex. Superbeast dodges another gutwrench. Kal catches a kick into catch slam. Kal Jack wraps up the chest and neck of Superbeast, who suddenly passes out. This was a clash of the titans. Good stuff. I’m sad Superbeast couldn’t get one back for Nolan Edward on that wall-thrower. 

Winner: Kal Jack

Match 4: Alex Coughlin vs Royce Isaacs

This goes right to the ground. Isaacs working the shoulder. They pop up and Coughlin tosses him right back down. Isaacs reverses it, works a crucifix. Coughlin pops out and we’re back up. Coughlin’s takedown is stuffed, Isaacs gets side control and lands elbows to the ribs. Isaacs grapevines the legs and works a calf crusher. Coughlin pulls Isaacs back under him, chest to chest and dropping shots. Isaacs pulls up Coughlin’s and slams out, letting him works to there’s again. Coughlin transitions to the arm bar again as Isaacs gets the back. Coughlin slides out, rolls through into a cross arm breaker. Isaacs reverses into a Texas cloverleaf. Coughlin pulls them out of the ring to break it. Back to thee mat, Coughlin with a gutwrench slam and locks in a STF. Isaacs pops out his leg, hits a saito suplex and working a north/south choke into a dragon sleeper. Coughlin taps out to save his neck. This was a high-paced technical chess match. Isaacs offers a handshake but Coughlin shoves him off and storms out. Liked this. 

Winner: Royce Isaacs

Match 5: Rocky Romero vs Simon Grimm

Romero takes Grimm down and gets the back. Grimm slides down into an ankle lock and back up to the neck. Rocky gets a head scissor to escape and pullsGrimm up by the neck with a cravat. Grimm scoop slams out of this and drops elbows and knees. Romero with a roll through into an arm bar attempt. Grimm goes for the ankle while Rocky takes the front face lock. Romero wants an octopus hold but Grimm pushes off, slams him down and tries for an anaconda vise. Romero slips out into full mount. Grimm turtles so Romero takes the back and throws knees instead. Back to the standup. Romero throwing body knees that dropped Grimm last week. Grimm picks the ankle but eats an enziguri. Romero with a suplex and tries an armbar. Grimm pulls back into a knee bar. Romero picks the knee of Grimm as well. Trading punches in the double lockup. Romero pulls out and they’re back to the feet. Romero takes Grimm down and gets into mount. Grimm flips into half guard and throws elbows. Romero pulls him up with the cravat again. Grimm tries to slam out again but Romero rolls through and holds on. Romero throwing knees but Grimm catches it for a pair of suplexes. Grimm tries a piledriver, kicks the spit out of Romero’s mouth. Romero slips a fireman’s carry into the octopus hold. Grimm fights out but gets rolled into a cross arm breaker. Grimm taps!  This told a nice story in movement, building from failed moves and reversals. 

Match 6: JR Kratos vs Chris Dickinson

I have my fingers crossed for the Dirty Daddy in this one, having dropped 3 straight main event fights in Bloodsport. He needs a win....and Kratos spears him out of the gate. Clubbing shots. Big suplex. Dickinson is staggered but on his feet. Collar and elbow lock, Chris pulls Kratos into side control. Dickinson wants the leg but JR ain’t moving those tree trunks yet. Kratos flips control and works a head and arm choke, he settles on putting his big frame across Chris’ stomach and chest, cutting off his wind. Dickinson slips to top and jumps to a knee bar. Kratos tries a toe hold but Dickinson kicks him in the face to get to their feet. Trading shots, Dickinson stuns with a high kick and lands several kicks to the side and legs. Kratos wants a powerbomb? Oh yeah...he hit that good. Kratos in Daddy’s guard. Dickinson gets to the back and strains a german suplex. Kratos looks to launch Dickinson out of the ring but he falls back into a rear naked choke. Kratos taps! Loved the intensity here. 

Match 7: Jeff Cobb vs “Filthy” Tom Lawlor

Both of these guys are riding the wave of big wins last week. Lawlor doing a good job of controlling Cobb early but gets rolled into a side headlock. Lawlor head scissors out and working an arm lock, Cobb rolls out of it but into an arm bar attempt. Lawlor to the leg but Cobb back up to the neck. Cobb drags Lawlor back to the center but gets swept and his legs get chopped out. Lawlor with a big leg kick in the standup but Cobb picks the ankle on the way down. Lawlor fighting out of a waist lock into a double wrist lock. Lawlor drags Cobb back up to kick his legs out again. Filthy with a big shot and Cobb turtles. Lawlor comes in but Cobb gets the neck and legs. Back to the feet, Cobb eating body shots and leg chops. Cobb with a judo toss! Cobb locks up the leg and neck but Lawlor slips it into a front choke. Cobb suplexes but Lawlor holds the choke. Lawlor gets to full mount from the choke. Lawlor dropping shots, Cobb rages up and hits a big german. And another. And a third? Lawlor works a wrist lock but gets suplexes. Cobb cinches a full nelson to break the wrist lock and Lawlor has no where to go. Lawlor submits! This was similar to last week’s main event, in that Cobb spent a lot of this on the defensive but after weathering the storm, those last several big moves opened the door for him to secure the victory. Good stuff. 

Winner: Jeff Cobb

Main Event: Jon Moxley vs Davey Boy Smith Jr. 

The undefeated Smith put down Calvin Tankman last week but he has a heck of a challenge in Jon Moxley, who is coming off a victory over Chris Dickinson at JBBS3. Mox taunting in the standup, trying to get into Smith’s head. Smith pulls him down, locking in a half Nelson, to a waist lock. Davey Boy pulls Mox up and just launches him out of the ring. Mox with leg kicks, Smith grabs the arm and pulls Mox into a crucifix. Moxley gets the back clubs the head. Mox goes for the throat while Smith works the ankle. Smith trying a kimura or a toe hold, Mox slips into an arm bar attempt but Smith gets to his feet and lets his opponent up. Mox rocked by a forearm. Smith gets the neck and brings Mox down into a leg lock. Moxley rolls it over and pulls Smith off into guard. This isn’t great, as Smith pops up to drop punches and elbows from full mount. Mox turning over into a choke. Mox rolls back into full mount and he is bleeding profusely from the forehead after several more punches and elbows. Mox fires up and works into full mount with several bloody headbutts. Smith rolls it over and grinds into the forehead more. Mox pops up to get the head of Smith and lands several knees and boots to the face. Moxley with a front choke. Smith suplex but he’s not out of danger. Another suplex but Mox holds on. Smith power out but Mox to his feet. Moxley trying a sharpshooter? Smith with a saito suplex! Smith licks the blood off Mox’s head. Mox fights out of another suplex and wraps headlock shake. Smith powers out and tries for a cross arm breaker. Mox back to his feet, diving stomp and lands shots from the top. Both guy’s mad now, trading headbutts. Smith with a deep ankle lock, Mox kicks free. Trading slaps and strikes. Smith comes running, eats a knee. Moxley with a double arm DDT and Davey Boy Smith Jr. goes limp. That was awesome. Hands down one of the best showings I’ve seen from DBSjr. Moxley looks like he had to work hard for that one. 

Winner: Jon Moxley

Mox pacing the ring and says he’s not in Bloodsport to moonlight. So who’s next? Maybe Barnett will make the main event from JBBS2 happen? And right after that, we get the advertisement for Bloodsport 6, which happens during The Collective showcase during Wrestlemania week in April. YES INDEED IT IS HAPPENING: Josh Barnett vs Jon Moxley. See you in April, boys!

And that’s it for Bloodsport 5! This was a tale of two shows, for me. To be honest, I was a little let down last week during Bloodsport 4. I dug the vibe of the presentation but there was an overall chemistry energy lacking in MOST of the bouts, apart from a few big spots. That was NOT the case today. This week’s offering was easily 10x better from the moment it started. The energy was WAY up from bout to bout. No snoozers here. Everyone looked like they were on their A-games, even in defeat. So yes, more of THIS please. The next Bloodsport show in April will have some fans in attendance, so will likely feel like more like the beforetimes Bloodsport shows but this week’s offering was a good example of what I’d want to see if we get more of these empty-warehouse pre-tape shows. Also, if Mox is gonna stick around doing Bloodsport after he scratches that Josh Barnett itch in April....how about putting him in with Nolan Edward for JBBS7? I uhhhh....bet that would be really good. Bloodsport 6 is in April! Until then!

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