The Tournament of Death is an annual professional wrestling tournament organized by Combat Zone Wrestling since 2002, during which a number of wrestlers compete in various deathmatches in what are mostly single-elimination tournaments similar to World Wrestling Entertainment's King of the Ring tournament. These tournaments include the typical hardcore weapons used in deathmatch wrestling such as barbed wire, nails, thumbtacks, fire, tables, ladders, and light tubes, and are known for all their large amounts of blood loss.
Notable entrants in the Tournament of Death have included Jon Moxley, Nick Gage, Eddie Kingston, Sami Callihan, Nick Mondo, Jimmy Havoc, Ian Rotten, Ruckus, Drake Younger and Mickie Knuckles (the only female entrant to date). Many of the cards have also included non-tournament matches featuring top independent wrestlers such as Drew Gulak, Sonjay Dutt, James Ellsworth, Trent Acid, and B-Boy.
Winners WinnerDateLocationTournament of DeathRunner-upWifebeaterDover, DelawareINick MondoNick MondoDover, DelawareIIIan RottenWifebeater (2)Smyrna, DelawareIIINecro ButcherNecro ButcherNew Castle, DelawareIVZandig and Nick GageNick GageSmyrna, DelawareVBrain Damage, Drake Younger, and J.C. BaileyDrake YoungerSmyrna, DelawareVIBrain DamageBrain DamageSmyrna, DelawareFast ForwardScotty Vortekz, Danny Havoc, and J.C. BaileyDanny HavocSmyrna, DelawareVIINick Gage, Scotty Vortekz, and Drake YoungerThumbtack JackTownsend, DelawareVIIIThumbtack Jack, Jon Moxley, Sami Callihan, D. J. Hyde, Brain Damage, Dysfunction, xOMGx, Drake Younger, and Scotty Vortekz1Thumbtack Jack (2)Townsend, DelawareRewindMasadaScotty VortekzTownsend, DelawareIXJ.C. BaileyNick Gage (2)Oberhausen, GermanyTournament of Death vs. GorefestMasadaMasadaTownsend, DelawareXMasashi TakedaMasada (2)Townsend, DelawareXIDrake YoungerMasada (3)Nordrhein-Westfalen, GermanyEuropeD. J. Hyde, Drake Younger, and Matt TremontDanny Havoc (2)Townsend, Delaware12Scotty VortekzJun KasaiTownsend, DelawareXIIIMasadaMatt TremontTownsend, Delaware14Conor ClaxtonRickey Shane PageTownsend, DelawareXVMatt TremontJimmy HavocTownsend, Delaware16Conor ClaxtonJimmy LloydBerlin, New Jersey17Rickey Shane PageConor ClaxtonVoorhees, New Jersey18Officer Dan O'HareBobby BeverlyTownsend, Delaware19Mickie KnucklesBig F'n JoeTownsend, DelawareXXMickie Knuckles, SHLAK, and Bobby BeverlyMickie KnucklesTownsend, DelawareXXIJudge Joe DredSHLAKTownsend, DelawareXXIIJudge Joe DredJoe Dred - Townsend, DelawareXXIIIBear BronsonJack HarropLiverpool, EnglandTournament of Death UKJoe Dred
Most victories
WrestlerTOD winsYearMasada 3 2011, 2012, 2012Danny Havoc 2 2008, 2013Nick Gage 2006, 2010Thumbtack Jack 2009, 2009Wifebeater 2002, 2004
1The finals between Thumbtack Jack and Nick Gage was ruled a no-contest due to Gage suffering an injury that required emergency surgery. Zandig won an Ultraviolent Battle Royal. After the match, Zandig awarded the win to Thumbtack Jack.
Zandig's Ultraviolent Tournament of Death August 31, 2002 saw the first annual CZW Tournament of Death. The event was billed as Zandig's Ultraviolent Tournament of Death due to a storyline of John Zandig losing ownership of CZW to Lobo, thus promoting his own deathmatch tournament. It was held in Dover, Delaware. Non-tournament matches included Green Phantom & Arsenal defeating The Hardcore Ninjaz and a tag scramble match which saw The Backseat Boyz defeat Derek Frasier & Sonjay Dutt, Jon Dahmer & Towel Boy and The New School, as well as a Three Way Dance in which Ruckus defeated Justice Pain and Nick Berk. On winning the tournament, Wifebeater became the CZW Death Match Champion, however, the title was vacated on November 9, 2002, upon his retirement.
Competitors
John Zandig Nate Hatred Wifebeater Necro Butcher The Messiah "Sick" Nick Mondo Nick Gage Toby Klein Adam Flash Homeless Jimmy
Round one Zandig vs. Nate Hatred went to a no contest - Barbed Wire Boards† The Messiah def. Adam Flash Wifebeater def. Necro Butcher - Staple Gun & Mousetraps & Falls Count Anywhere Nick Gage def. Toby Klein - Barbed Wire Boards & Wooden Strips with Nails Sick Nick Mondo def. Homeless Jimmy - Falls Count Anywhere
Semi finals Wifebeater def. Nick Gage - Panes of Glass Deathmatch Nick Mondo def. The Messiah - Fans Bring The Weapons
Final Wifebeater def. Nick Mondo - 200 Light Tubes and Barbed Wire Ropes Deathmatch
Note † - Both men were attacked by Lobo, Rockin Rebel, Z-Barr, Adam Flash, & Danny Rose. Lobo then entered Flash into the tournament and challenged anyone in the locker room. The Messiah returned and defeated Flash with Carlito's Way
Ultraviolent Tournament of Death II July 26, 2003 saw the second CZW Tournament of Death, again held in Dover, Delaware. Non-tournament matches included Trent Acid pinning Z-Barr, Johnny Kashmere pinning Nick Berk, and a tag match in which B-Boy & Messiah defeated Sonjay Dutt & Ruckus. Although Nick Mondo won the tournament, due to the injuries he sustained he had to vacate his CZW Iron Man Championship afterwards. This event would also be the last he wrestled in.
Competitors
Zandig "Sick" Nick Mondo JC Bailey Nate Webb Necro Butcher Corporal Robinson Ian Rotten Nick Gage
Round one Zandig def. Nate Webb - Panes of Glass Match Nick Mondo def. JC Bailey - Light Tubes & Ladders Match Necro Butcher def. Corporal Robinson - 4 Corners of Pain Match Ian Rotten def. Nick Gage - Barbed Wire Boards & Light Tube Table Match
Semi finals Ian Rotten def. Necro Butcher - Fans Bring The Weapons Match Nick Mondo def. Zandig - 2/3 Light Tube Log Cabins Match
Final "Sick" Nick Mondo def. Ian Rotten - Barbed Wire Ropes, 200 Light Tubes Match
Ultraviolent Tournament of Death III: Banned... My Ass On July 24, 2004, the third CZW Tournament of Death (subtitled Banned... My Ass) was held in Smyrna, Delaware. This year there were no non-tournament matches held, however, the number of entrants rose from eight to twelve (including representatives of Canada's International Wrestling Syndicate).
Competitors
Arsenal Evil Ninja #2 Nick Gage Ruckus↑ Wifebeater Mad Man Pondo SeXXXy Eddy Ian Knoxx Necro Butcher The Green Phantom JC Bailey Chri$ Ca$h
↑ Ruckus entered as a substitute for John Zandig
Round one Arsenal def. Evil Ninja #2 - 2/3 Light Tube Log Cabins Match Nick Gage def. Ruckus - Barbed Wire Boards Match Wifebeater def. Mad Man Pondo - Fans Bring the Weapons Match SeXXXy Eddy def. Ian Knoxx - Thumbtacks, Carpet Strips & Carpet Strip Board Match Necro Butcher def. The Green Phantom - Fans Bring the Weapons Match JC Bailey def. Chri$ Ca$h - Light Tubes & Ladders Match
Semi finals SeXXXy Eddy def. Arsenal - Light Tube Ropes & Light Tube Corners Match‡ Wifebeater def. JC Bailey - Fans Bring the Weapons Match Necro Butcher def. Nick Gage - Panes of Glass Match
Final Wifebeater def. Necro Butcher - Barbed Wire Ropes, 200 Light Tubes, Fans Bring The Weapons, Light Tube Cage Part, Barbed Wire Cage Part, and Falls Count Anywhere Double Hell Death Match (Tons of all weapons, barbed wire ropes, cage parts covered in light tubes, cage parts covered in barbed wire, and lots more) ‡ SeXXXy Eddy was taken to hospital following the match after suffering a wound to the arm, and so could not compete in the final
Tournament of Death IV: Explicit Content On July 30, 2005, the fourth CZW Tournament of Death took place in New Castle, Delaware. This year's show included a non-tournament Ultraviolent Student Battle Royal, won by WHACKS. As well as featuring Gypsy Joe as special guest referee for the tournament final. After the final, as Necro Butcher had won the finals, he was awarded the CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship.
Competitors in the Ultraviolent Student Battle Royal
Scrawny Shawny Andy Sumner WHACKS Danny Havoc Blood Ravage Heretic Rick Feinburg Hellaware Assassin Shawn Bishop D. J. Hyde
Competitors
JC Bailey SeXXXy Eddy Toby Klein Mad Man Pondo Nick Gage Nate Webb Zandig Robbie Mireno & Eddie Kingston↑ Beef Wellington Brain Damage Necro Butcher Ian Rotten
↑ Robbie Mireno and Eddie Kingston entered as one, losing to Zandig in a first round handicap match Joker came out and help Zandig
Round one JC Bailey def. SeXXXy Eddy - Barbed Wire Madness Match Toby Klein def. Mad Man Pondo - Light Tube Ropes & Light Tube Corners Match Brain Damage def. Beef Wellighton - 2/3 Ultraviolent Tables Match Necro Butcher def. Ian Rotten - Home Run Derby Deathmatch Nick Gage def. Nate Webb - Ladders And Light Tubes Match Zandig def. Robbie Mireno and Eddie Kingston - Fans Bring The Weapons Match*
Semi finals Necro Butcher def. Brain Damage - Fans Bring The Weapons Match Zandig def. Toby Klein - 2 Out of 3 Light Tube Log Cabins Match Nick Gage def. JC Bailey - Panes Of Glass Match
Final Necro Butcher def. Zandig and Nick Gage - Ultraviolent Boxes, Barbed Wire Canvas, Light Tubes, Squared Circle Of Fear, & Whatever The Fuck Is Left Elimination Death Match
Tournament of Death V The fifth CZW Tournament of Death was held in Smyrna, Delaware on July 29, 2006. The format changed slightly for this show, with the first round matches being three-way elimination matches, the second round matches being 4-way double elimination matches, and the final being a single elimination 4-way match. Non-tournament matches included The Blackout (Ruckus & Robbie Mireno) defeating Drew Gulak & Jimmy Dream, and Kylie defeating former ECW star Chad Austin.
Competitors
Brandon Prophet Nick Gage Andy Sumner JC Bailey Drake Younger Lobo Brain Damage Necro Butcher Toby Klein Danny Havoc D. J. Hyde Zandig
Round one Brandon Prophet and Nick Gage elim. Andy Sumner - Barbed Wire Ropes & Light Tubes Match JC Bailey and Drake Younger elim. Lobo - Light Tubes & Barbed Wire Spider Webs Match Brain Damage and Necro Butcher elim. Toby Klein - Barbed Wire Ropes, Fans Bring The Weapons Match Danny Havoc and D. J. Hyde elim. John Zandig - Barbed Wire Ropes, Barbed Wire Boards & Panes Of Glass Match
Semi finals Nick Gage and Brain Damage elim. Brandon Prophet and Necro Butcher - Fans Bring The Weapons Match Drake Younger and JC Bailey elim. D. J. Hyde and Danny Havoc - Light Tubes, Ladders & Lemons Match
Final Nick Gage def. Brain Damage, Drake Younger and JC Bailey - Light Tubes, Panes of Glass & Fans Bring The Weapons Match
Tournament of Death VI Tournament of Death VI returned to Smyrna, Delaware on June 9, 2007. This was a 12-man tournament, with non-tournament matches including Team AnDrew (Andy Sumner & Drew Gulak) defeating the then CZW World Tag Team Champions The Blackout (Ruckus & Sabian) in a non-title match.
Competitors
Danny Havoc Scotty Vortekz Insane Lane Freakshow D. J. Hyde Mad Man Pondo Brain Damage Toby Klein Drake Younger Diehard Dustin Lee Necro Butcher Zandig
Round one Danny Havoc def. Scotty Vortekz - Light Tubes, Ladders, & Light Tube Log Cabin Match Insane Lane def. Freakshow - Home Run Derby Match D. J. Hyde (with Maven Bentley) def. Mad Man Pondo - Shattered Dreams Match Brain Damage (with Maven Bentley) def. Toby Klein (with Billy Graham) - Barbed Wire Boards, Fans Bring the Weapons Match Drake Younger def. Diehard Dustin Lee - Light Tubes & Light Tube Table Match Necro Butcher def. John Zandig† - No Rope Barbed Wire, Barbed Wire Boards, Panes of Glass & Barbed Wire Spider Web Match
† Necro Butcher was originally scheduled to face Mitch Ryder but he could not make it due to travel issues
Semi finals Drake Younger def. Danny Havoc and D. J. Hyde - 3-Way Weedwhackers Elimination Match Brain Damage def. Insane Lane and Necro Butcher - Fans Bring the Weapons Match
Final Drake Younger def. Brain Damage - Divide & Conquer 200 Light Tubes and Lumberjacks Deathmatch
Tournament of Death: Fast Forward Tournament of Death: Fast Forward took place September 15, 2007. It was a mini-TOD for the vacant Ultraviolent Underground title.
Competitors
Brain Damage Hellaware Assassin Scotty Vortekz Danny Demanto Danny Havoc Drake Younger