Summary

Josh Barnett's Bloodsport XV has a new fight confirmed for the April 17 card. Miyu Yamashita and Janai Kai have been officially booked to compete, with Barnett making the announcement via social media.

Both competitors carry losing records at Bloodsport heading into the match. Yamashita is 0-2 at the event, while Kai stands at 1-3. Yamashita is one of joshi wrestling's most decorated active performers, having spent the better part of the last decade as the cornerstone of Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling. Kai has made a name for herself in the indie circuit with a hard-hitting, striker-first style that fits Bloodsport's grappling-heavy format well.

Bloodsport XV Card (April 17)

The current lineup for the event:

  • Masashi Takeda vs. Pete Dunne
  • Timothy Thatcher vs. Charlie Dempsey
  • Erick Stevens vs. Fuminori Abe
  • Joe Dashou vs. Ulka Sasaki
  • Matt Mako vs. Angel Verduzco
  • Miyu Yamashita vs. Janai Kai
  • Ray Jaz vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Royce Isaacs vs. Shane Mercer
  • Shayna Baszler vs. Nattie
  • Yuji Nagata

What Yamashita and Kai Bring to Bloodsport XV

Yamashita walks in looking to break a winless streak at Bloodsport. A submission or knockout finish for her here would carry real weight given her reputation outside the event, and a win would finally put her on the board. For Kai, the record sits at .250 and a victory over a name as prominent as Yamashita would be the most significant Bloodsport scalp on her resume.

The match also adds a clean women's division storyline to what is otherwise a heavily male-dominated card, continuing Bloodsport's ongoing effort to broaden the scope of its competition.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.