Do It Big Dave, Accept the Bloodsport Challenge

Do It Big Dave, Accept the Bloodsport Challenge

By Tiffany Rose

Twitter: @ThatRoseTattoo

Summer 2019 can be summed up for me in one word: reignition. After three years of a self-imposed wrestling sabbatical brought on by burnout and boredom, I quickly jumped back on the wagon recently with large thanks to the independent wrestling scene and the availability of streaming services to catch several unforgettable events. I’ve been very satisfied in particular with the shows GCW have had; there’s been something for everybody to enjoy with each one. My interest began with the 4th of July Backyard Wrestling show (memorable for introducing me and many wrestling fans to the amazing Alex Zayne) and culminated with Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 2, a show that’s the complete polar opposite of the backyard style. 

Being unfamiliar with the premise of Bloodsport prior to this summer, I made sure to go back and watch the show from this year’s WrestleMania weekend back in April. What I saw was pretty damn impressive. At last here was something that featured no ropes, no turnbuckles, no pins - only submissions or knockouts could finish a match. This was something that could satisfy both fight fans and wrestling fans. The Mania weekend Bloodsport was a fantastic one; I really liked the idea of an entire shoot-style event where people could test themselves against one another. I became a fan of Chris Dickinson, Andy Williams, and Timothy Thatcher after their matches at this show and after seeing their matches on Beyond Wrestling’s Uncharted Territory as well. I really came away from it all with a deep appreciation for each of the competitors and the respect and pomp that surrounded the entire Bloodsport event.

The show I saw last night was an intense sequel to April’s event. The biggest news out of a night of solid matches was Killer Kross issuing a challenge to Batista for a match at the next Bloodsport. Kross was coming off of a submission win over Nick Gage and called out Batista after the match, saying he doesn’t think Batista is done yet in the ring. This was an out-of-the-blue moment that had fans standing in amazement. Batista in a Bloodsport match? And imagine Batista against Killer Kross, an established wrestler who’s now more ready than ever to be free to make a bigger name for himself. Could it be such a crazy idea? I can recall thinking it was wild when Batista made his first foray into MMA. If that can happen, is it really so implausible that one day we might end up seeing Big Dave in a GCW Bloodsport ring?

Killer Kross’ position right now is one that could go anywhere. His name is a popular one right now due to the controversial situation he’s involved in at the moment with IMPACT Wrestling. What he could use right now is some extra clout to keep his name fresh in everyone’s mind. Calling out a Hollywood celebrity with wrestling ties will get people talking about you, yes, but I believe Kross could be huge if given the proper opportunity. From what I saw last night in his post-match remarks, Kross is ambitious enough to reach out for those opportunities himself. It would be very interesting if Batista were to pay attention and consider shocking the wrestling world in return by accepting the challenge.

Then there’s the belief that Batista would only consider giving WWE his time and attention. If that was the case then Batista wouldn’t be mentioning indy veterans like Chuck Taylor on Twitter and giving tips about Ribera Steakhouse etiquette. Come on, Big Dave, if you can reach out and provide that helping hand to Chuckie T. then you can surely consider a Bloodsport match with Killer Kross in the future, right? It’s all about helping the boys out whether you’re tweeting or you’re shoot-fighting.

In all seriousness, this is a challenge that will have fans talking but may never come to fruition for a number of reasons. Too much money involved, or too little time, or too many backstage politics. Regardless, Killer Kross is a name that hopefully many more fans will get to know in the future. If nothing else, Kross got the attention of wrestling fans everywhere last night at Bloodsport 2 and possibly lit a fire in more than a few minds that are now inquiring “what if?”