Josh Barnett has revealed several “guests of honor” for this week’s Bloodsport XII event in Las Vegas.
Former fighters Mark Kerr, David “Tank” Abbott, Don Frye, Dan Severn, and Eric “Butterbean” Esch will attend the card at The Pearl at The Palm this Thursday night.
The five are being advertised as a part of former wrestling promoter Rick Bassman’s “The Combat Icons”.
Kerr is the subject of the 2002 documentary “The Smashing Machine”, which will be released as a feature-length film this year with Dwayne Johnson playing the former UFC & PRIDE star.
Frye won the UFC 8 tournament in 1996 and the Ultimate Ultimate tournament later that year. He was part of one of the most legendary fights in MMA history when he competed against Yoshihiro Takayama at PRIDE 21 in June 2002.
Butterbean was an attraction-based boxer with a record of 77-10-4. His popularity led to crossover fights in MMA and K-1 as well as a memorable appearance at WrestleMania 15, where he knocked out Bart Gunn in a Brawl for All contest.
Severn was a Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestler who transitioned to MMA and competed at UFC 4, losing to Royce Gracie in the final, but returned to win the tournament at UFC 5. His MMA record surpassed one hundred fights with his final fight occurring in 2012. He had a brief run with the WWF from 1998-99.
Abbott was one of the first attractions the UFC marketed when he debuted at UFC 6 in July 1995 and became a fixture in the promotion. After leaving the UFC in 1998, he signed with WCW before returning to MMA with a surprise return announcement made at UFC 40 in November 2002. His last significant fight was a 43-second loss to Kimbo Slice for Elite XC in February 2008.
Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XIII streams on TrillerTV+ on Thursday, April 17 at 11 p.m., ET.
