Gosh Josh, is the UFC Next?
Josh Barnett has been around longer than Madonna, it seems at times, and last weekend he came one step closer to what likely is his eventual goal: another shot at the UFC championship. Any real fan of the UFC HW division knows Barnett would be an intriguing addition. His not-so-nice catch-as-catch-can submission wrestling, as well as his unorthodox physique, keeps fans and opponents guessing. One more win in the SF Grand Prix, and we could see him one day in the UFC, controversy and all.
His first official fight was in January of 1997, in the UFCF. His first UFC fight was a TKO defeat of Gan Mcgee in November, 2000. Subsequently, Barnett won the UFC HW title from Couture, in March, 2002, before getting punted for failing his drug test. Hello controversy. His other notable disgrace was changing his nickname from Baby-Faced Assassin to The Warmaster.
Barnett’s record is 35-5, respectable enough in spite of his sometimes less than competitive opponents, like Mark Hunt ( a great striker but less than stellar mixed martial artist), and Yuki Kondo (who tips the Toledo’s at a mere 170 lbs). Still, his failed-drug-test-induced feud with Dana White notwithstanding, Barnett would eventually be welcome to the big show should he win the GP, and fans and fighters alike know he is no joke. He's far from it.
The more I ponder the thought; I can’t rightly claim Barnett would be dominated by anyone in the UFC's top 5, any more than I could guarantee he’d win. He has a unique style of aggressive submission wrestling, a strong stand-up game, an array of take-downs in his tool shed, and gas in the tank. It’s hard to imagine The Warmaster (argh, I hate saying that) getting and keeping either Cain or Junior down, though.
Barnett has a physique somewhere between Velasquez and Roy Nelson, one that may have opponents and fans underestimating him, especially those who haven’t seen much of him. But all of this may be premature. Barnett still has one fight left, against Daniel Cormier (9-0), who just defeated Antonio Silva. Although Cormier is essentially a nobody at this point, Silva is no tomato can, and the punch that took him out garners respect.
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I’m not a fan of Strikeforce, and you’ll never get me to admit anyone in the GP tournament could run the UFC gauntlet, or even come close. However, if anyone in the SF GP can disrupt the UFC HW rankings, it’s Barnett, whether he beats Cormier or not.
Despite being a bit like Tim Silvia on the charisma-o-meter, Barnett has matured as a self-promoter (his Warmaster moniker aside), and could be good at promoting the UFC as it is today. It is this, potential PPV buys, and whether or not Dana feels he can trust Barnett that will tell the tale of this tape. I for one am all for giving the man another crack.
To see Renko’s hard-boiled thriller, Char Broiled, starring mixed martial artist and Afghan war vet Char Sadao, go to Xystermma.com
By Renko Styranka
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer