MVP Gets Choked Out During Debut Match at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XII went down at the White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, New Jersey. The card featured many names from major pro wrestling companies, as Josh Barnett’s event has been known for in recent outings, and that included Barnett’s own match against MVP.

The former WWE United States Champion started off on the mat, and then Josh Barnett returned the favor, but neither man took the bait. They finally got started with this main event match, which had a twenty-minute time limit.

After a back-and-forth contest, one that included a lot of mat work as both men eyed an advantage, Josh Barnett locked on a hold that MVP couldn’t get out of. This forced MVP to tap out to a chokehold. MVP also didn’t realize the match was over, and he tried to attack the referee after the match was over, which only added to the realism. After the fight, the two hugged it out in the center of the ring. Then MVP cut a promo to put Barnett over.

MVP had just gotten his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a few months ago, and he wanted to show off those skills. He was also not done in the ring at all, which was something he needed to prove.

This match was set during Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XI, when MVP got in the ring with Barnett and announced that he wasn’t going back to WWE. His contract hadn’t run up at the time, but he wanted to secure a Bloodsport match, something that Barnett was happy to oblige.

MVP was just at AEW Full Gear 2024. He was alongside Bobby Lashley as he defeated Swerve Strickland in his AEW pay-per-view debut. That was a strong outing, and MVP wanted to repeat the All Mighty’s success. MVP wasn’t the only AEW star who showed up after performing at Full Gear, as Jon Moxley also showed up to stand behind Marina Shafir in her victory.

The Bloodsport events started in 2018 under Matt Riddle’s name, but then Josh Barnett took over the title in 2019, and he’s been spearheading the show since then. The worked shoot style of pro wrestling matches really grew a following over the years, and recent events have featured talent from all over the pro wrestling world, even contracted wrestlers.

What’s your take on MVP’s match at Bloodsport? Let us know what you think in the comments section!