Josh Barnett on Booking of Shayna Baszler for GCW’s Bloodsport Event & Talks with Malakai Black and CM Punk for a Bloodsport Event

As noted before, WWE talent Shayna Baszler will be making an appearance for Game Changer Wrestling at their Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X event next month in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A recent episode of the Under The Ring podcast featured Josh Barnett as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Barnett’s thoughts about the process that led to Baszler’s booking for his upcoming Bloodsport event.

“I guess the easiest way to describe it is just through my relationships with people there [WWE]. That’s really what it comes down to. And with anybody, when speaking of a promotion, you’re always going to want, If you’re going to do anything outside of it, you want a certain level of trust and consideration given to you. And it’s hard to lend your toys out when there’s so much money put into them and the product itself.

In general, of course, we see cross-promotion happening out there in the world of wrestling, but it’s really a big deal when you think about all the different things involved with it and the value of some of the athletes that are going back and forth. But fortunately, through relationships I’ve cultivated over the years, something like having Shayna Baszler at GCW Bloodsport is – it’s a reality now. And I’m just super happy and honored to be able to do it. And I know that Shayna’s going to do fantastic. I should know, I’ve been training her [for] her entire career.”

On the topic of who else from another company would he like to see work at his upcoming event and his goal for his Bloodsport brand, Barnett stated:

“There’s a lot. There are plenty. Although, who would be available from these companies to come and work the show is a different story. Hopefully, in time, more of these sorts of things can happen. I’m not sure people are aware of how many New Japan pro wrestlers have been on Bloodsport shows. That’s from my relationship with New Japan going back to 2002. I try to create this show as a neutral body, as something that stands alone and apart from all of the rest of pro wrestling’s politics and ratings wars. We’re not out there thinking about competing with anyone else but ourselves and being capable of making the absolute best shows in the spirit of how I am trying to build Bloodsport to be, that’s it. We’re focusing on that. It helps to keep your eyes forward, but also demonstrate that whether you’re New Japan, AEW, WWE, I’m not here to get into any competition with them. I’m not here to do anything but to build a place to where wrestlers, wrestlers first and foremost, can shine above all. The more they have confidence and trust in me maintaining that environment, the more these type of things will happen. I love giving people opportunities, and that’s a huge reason to do this.”

Barnett also revealed that he had talks with AEW’s Malakai Black and WWE’s CM Punk to gauge their interest in potentially working at a Bloodsport event.

“If given the chance to bring other guys in, of course, I’ve spoken with Malakai Black a few times about coming into Bloodsport. I’ve spoken to CM Punk. It would be great to have Chad Gable or Bron Breakker or any number of people with amateur backgrounds. Charlie Dempsey is out there showing catch-as-catch-can. He spent the time abroad training for quite some time and I’ve worked with him over distance for some years prior, just sending videos, going over techniques, and having conversations. The kid is doing all his own work because he really wants to be the type of wrestler that you think he is, it’s important to him. I can see it. There is a whole wealth of talent out there that could be great. Miro, from AEW, maybe someone like him would be a good fit. There is plenty of talent. At the end of the day, it’s not just what I would want or who I could get. Bill Goldberg is like family to me. Maybe he’ll want to get into Bloodsport, who knows. Whoever it is, they have to see this ring for what it is and what we’ve created and say, ‘That’s something I’ve got to do. That’s me. I want to show myself and shine myself in a place like this.’ When you put those two things together, who knows what can happen.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com, Fightful.com