Matt Cardona vs. Shotzi Blackheart at GCW in Dallas, Cardona Threatens Shozi over “Indy God & Death Match King” Monikers

Matt Cardona isn’t letting Shotzi Blackheart stroll back onto the indie scene without a fight — especially when it comes to titles he believes he’s earned.

After Shotzi recently dubbed herself the “New Indy God” during her return to independent wrestling, Cardona wasted no time clapping back. The self-proclaimed “Indy God” and “Death Match King” took to social media to remind everyone — Shotzi included — that those aren’t just nicknames. They’re trademarks. Literally.

Cardona, never shy about protecting his brand, pointed out that he legally owns the rights to both “Indy God” and “Death Match King,” and even hinted that legal action could be on the table if Shotzi continues to use the moniker. He name-dropped well-known wrestling trademark attorney Mike Dockins (aka the “Gimmick Attorney”) as the man who might soon come calling.

Whether this turns into a full-on feud or just a battle of branding, one thing’s clear: Cardona isn’t ready to give up his throne without a fight.

GCW announced Battle of the Indy Gods: Matt Cardona vs. Shotzi Blackheart for their upcoming event Boss Of All Bosses in Dallas, Texas on July 11th.

Below are some post on X from Cardona and Shotzi:

Shotzi Blackheart Announces Multiple GCW Appearances, Plans To Direct Horror Flicks

Shotzi Blackheart is back—and she’s not just bringing chaos to the ring, but also plotting a future behind the camera.

The former WWE star and self-declared “Indy God” has confirmed a string of appearances for GameChanger Wrestling (GCW) in what looks to be a major independent resurgence. Shotzi will step back into the spotlight at multiple events this summer, spanning the U.S. and Japan, all set to stream live on TrillerTV.

Here’s where fans can catch Shotzi in action:

  • June 20GCW Bangin’ in Little Rock at The Hall in Little Rock, Arkansas
  • July 11GCW Boss of All Bosses in Dallas, Texas
  • July 28GCW Tokyo Event at Shinjuku Face, Kabukicho
  • July 29GCW Tokyo Event at Itabashi Green Hall, Itabashi City
  • July 30GCW Tokyo Event at Korakuen Hall, Bunkyo

Shotzi’s return kicks off with a bang—literally—as she faces off against Atticus Cogar in what’s sure to be a wild encounter at Bangin’ in Little Rock on June 20.

Fresh off her hardcore showdown at GCW Tournament of Survival X—a brutal three-way deathmatch against Matt Tremont and Jimmy Lloyd—Shotzi is once again embracing the gritty chaos that made her a standout in the indie scene before her WWE run.

But wrestling isn’t her only ambition.

During a recent appearance on Daria Berenato’s Unwrapped podcast, Shotzi revealed her dream career path once her days in the ring are over: horror movie director.

“Honestly, after wrestling, when my body just can’t take it anymore, I would love to be a horror movie director. That is the dream,” Shotzi said. “Obviously, be in them also—I just want to get my head chopped off a bunch.”

It’s not a surprising direction for the green-haired wildcard, who has always blended punk-rock attitude with spooky, horror-inspired flair. From her tank-riding entrances to her Halloween Havoc hosting duties, Shotzi has never shied away from theatrics—and it sounds like she’s ready to turn that passion into full-blown filmmaking.

For now, though, she’s got some skulls to crack and some blood to spill—figuratively and maybe literally—on the GCW circuit.

Shotzi Set to Exit WWE as Contract Nears Expiration

It looks like the wild ride is coming to an end for Shotzi in WWE.

The fan-favorite Superstar, known for her punk rock energy and fearless in-ring style, is set to part ways with WWE once her current contract expires. Though no specific date has been confirmed, multiple reports have indicated that Shotzi was informed the company will not be renewing her deal.

Rumors began swirling earlier this week when Shotzi shared an emotionally-charged video on social media titled, “Whatever happens next, I’m ready for it. Stay ballsy my friends.” That message sparked immediate speculation among fans about her future with the company. While initial reports clarified she hadn’t been released at the time, her WWE.com profile quietly shifted to the Alumni section following a wave of roster cuts on Friday—seemingly confirming her impending departure.

Addressing her exit, Shotzi expressed gratitude to fans and the WWE Universe, saying:
“I am more than grateful for the wild ride! Can’t wait to see where this crazy journey takes me next! I hope to make all my believers proud.”

Shotzi’s journey in pro wrestling began in 2014, with an early attempt to break into WWE through Tough Enough in 2015. Though that opportunity didn’t pan out, she kept grinding on the independent scene, eventually earning her spot in WWE NXT in 2019. She captured gold in 2021 alongside Ember Moon (now known as Athena in ROH), winning the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles for a 55-day reign that showcased her as a rising star in the women’s division.

After a stint on the main roster, Shotzi returned to NXT in 2023 and most recently aligned with Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin during what has now become her final run with the company.

Where she lands next is anyone’s guess, but given her charisma, unique style, and passionate fanbase, Shotzi’s story in wrestling is far from over.

Shotzi posted the following on X:

“I am about to dominate! Lets get busy! Shotzibooking@gmail.com”

Could we be seeing a Shotzi resurgence in another promotion soon? Stay tuned.

Shotzi Returned To NXT

Tuesday night’s WWE NXT delivered a surprise return as Shotzi stormed back from injury to even the odds against the dangerous duo of Fatal Influence—Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx. After months on the shelf, the former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion made an emphatic statement, standing tall alongside Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolan.


Numbers Game and a Sneaky Assist

Before the match, Tatum Paxley hinted at a surprise ally during a backstage conversation with Gigi Dolan—just before being rudely interrupted by Shawn Spears. Paxley reassured Dolan not to stress over Fatal Influence’s potential numbers advantage. However, that advantage quickly came into play.

During their tag team showdown, Jazmyn Nyx managed to divert the referee’s attention long enough for Women’s North American Champion Fallon Henley to strike. Henley knocked Paxley off the top rope, allowing Jacy Jayne to capitalize with a brutal spinning right hand. Jayne pinned Paxley for the win, giving Fatal Influence a decisive victory.


Shotzi Returns to Save the Day

Post-match, the chaos escalated as Fatal Influence launched a beatdown on Paxley and Dolan. Just when it seemed like the pair was outnumbered, Shotzi’s iconic entrance music hit, and the crowd erupted. The fan-favorite sprinted down the ramp, steel determination in her eyes, to fend off Fatal Influence and stand strong with Paxley and Dolan.

Shotzi’s return marks the end of a lengthy recovery from an ACL injury suffered back in February during an NXT Women’s Championship match against Lyra Valkyria. Originally expected to miss around nine months, Shotzi used her time off not only to rehabilitate her knee but also to address lingering back issues. The powerhouse competitor even sought stem cell treatment in Mexico, further aiding her recovery.


What’s Next for Shotzi?

Shotzi’s return injects new energy into the NXT women’s division, and her alliance with Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolan may spell trouble for Fatal Influence moving forward. With Fallon Henley lurking in the mix as well, this budding rivalry seems far from over. Will Shotzi and her new allies get revenge, or will Fatal Influence and their underhanded tactics continue to dominate?

Stay tuned as the action unfolds on WWE NXT!

Shotzi Appears To Suffer Significant Knee Injury During WWE NXT Women’s Title Match

At last night’s taping for next week’s episode of “WWE NXT,” which is set to run in its usual timeslot (8pm EST/ 7pm CST) on the USA Network on February 20. On next week’s episode of “NXT” will see Lyra Valkyria defend her “NXT” Championship against “WWE SmackDown” star Shotzi, who returned during last night’s broadcast. Unfortunately, that title match was stopped as Shotzi reportedly suffered a significant injury.

According to Fightful Select, Shotzi hit her knee against the side of the ring during a spot that was meant to take the match into the commercial break. Unfortunately, Shotzi was unable to continue, and was immediately helped to the back, where Corey Brennan of Fightful was able to confirm she was unable to put any weight on her leg and was in an immense amount of pain when she arrived backstage. WWE officials were reportedly very concerned as she was taken for medical evaluation, which led to one source claiming Shotzi’s injury was a serious one and not a work, unlike the string of worked injuries that have taken place in “NXT” recently. However, there is reportedly no heat on Shotzi or Valkyria as the incident was described as a “freak accident.”

Following the injury, “NXT” General Manager Ava announced an open challenge for Valkyria’s title as Shotzi was unable to finish the match, with resulted in Lash Legend answering the call. Fightful says people within “NXT” commended Ava, Legend, and Valkyria for their ability to act quickly and professionally in such a difficult situation.

Following her participation in the double “NXT” taping, Shotzi was set to face Tiffany Stratton in a Women’s Elimination Chamber qualifying match on “SmackDown” this Friday. Depending on the severity of her reported injury, WWE may now have to find a replacement for Shotzi.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Ronda Rousey Thinks She Failed Shotzi At Survivor Series

WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey recently took to her latest video game stream, “The Baddest Stream On The Planet,” to offer her thoughts on her Survivor Series match with Shotzi. Rousey said a planned DDT spot she pitched didn’t go as planned, and noted she felt like she let Shotzi down with the match.

Here are the highlights:

DDT spot not going as planned:

Let me explain what happened. I actually pitched that spot because I love that she does that. We couldn’t practice in my ring because the ropes are too loose. We couldn’t practice it when we got to the arena because there are these big cages.

I’ve taken DDTs before, but I’ve never helped anybody over to the floor, so they were like, ‘Okay, you have to have your hand here on her leg, the other hand on her hip, and you’re going to guide her over.’ Everyone was so focused on ‘guide her over, guide her to the floor,’ that it was literally all that was on my mind when it happened.

When she went over it was like, ‘guide her.’ When she was down, I was like, ‘Oh fuck. Ahhh, just go to where you’re supposed to go.’ I fucked it up because I was so concerned with keeping somebody safe and a lot of time, when you see me do something for the first time, it’s the first time I ever did it.

I was really concerned with keeping Shotzi safe and I made it look bad. You know what, sorry. Apparently, I deserve to be fired or burned. It reminds me of Monty Python, ‘BURN HER!’ There weren’t calls to fire anybody when Madcap Moss and Big E were spiked on their heads. ‘BURN HER ANYWAY!’ I’m so sorry that I was so concerned with keeping someone safe that I made the bump look bad.

Feeling like she let Shotzi down:

What really bummed me out was, my favorite thing in the match was turning around a hostile crowd. We’re in Boston, of course they’re hostile because they’re angry at the fact that they live there. Right when we got them turned around with the ‘holy shit’ and the crossbody into the fans, ‘F*ck yeah, we’re turning it around, we got all the awesome shit coming up.’

Then, Shotzi rolls me in the ring, and they’re like, ‘Get out of there. Plan B, get out of there, we’re out of time. We gotta go.’ ‘What?’ She was going up and I had to run up and throw her down and throw her into the armbar and get out of there because that’s what they were telling me on the mics because I guess the match before us went over by six minutes and they were concerned about going over on time.

The match after us was a three-way, so they wouldn’t be able to communicate with each other to make the match shorter and the match after that was WarGames and they couldn’t cut that out. It was the only place they could get that time back. I was bummed though because we worked on that match for two weeks and we were really excited about it. I felt like I really failed Shotzi.

Source: EWrestlingNews