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[Cat--Smasher]

Strikeforce's Josh Barnett believes return to UFC would silence some critics

"All my friends are like, 'Nandor … is he an ork? Is he from Mordor?'" Barnett told MMAjunkie.com (MMAjunkie.com). "I don't know about that, but either way, he's going to try and mess me up."

And Barnett, who in May broke his hand against Daniel Cormier in the finals of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, is tasked with taking the fight seriously – even if the bulk of serious MMA fans may not.

Despite a seven-fight win streak, Guelmino instantly was derided as a subpar opponent for Barnett, whose resume includes a UFC heavyweight championship and laundry list of top-tier competition.

"I think the biggest danger is that he's an unknown quantity, and of all things, I don't beat him spectacularly, regardless of how good he really is, the perception could be that I'm slipping or I'm not as good as people thought," Barnett said. "All the onus lands on me."

Barnett knows next to nothing about Guelmino, other than his Hobbit-like name and penchant for wearing dragon-emblazoned pants in competition, but plans to become an expert in the coming weeks.

The study comes at an uncertain time in his career and for those fighting at the Jan. 12 event, which is expected to be the last in Strikeforce's six-year run in MMA promotion.

"Unfortunately, it's really terrible, because I've now set foot in so many different organizations that all up and folded shop," Barnett said. "It stinks. I hate being in that position. But I'm here to fight and to crush skulls and step over broken bodies. There's always an opportunity for that, somewhere, someplace.

"In the UFC, I know there's plenty of guys over there that would be happy if I never set foot in that octagon. But if it's not there, I know there will be other places. There's always people itching for a fight. That's where I come in."

Landing in the UFC or in another upstart promotion isn't of major concern to Barnett, but he said there are journalists and fans he'd like to prove wrong by returning to the octagon.

"I would love to see the look on some folks' faces ... being someplace where, one, I've already been, even though people may not know it, and two, a place that a lot of folks never thought they'd see me again," he said.

Barnett fought five times in the UFC and took the heavyweight title from Randy Couture at UFC 36. He was later stripped of the belt after testing positive for steroids. He went on to win the open-weight title in the Japanese promotion Pancrase and became a star in PRIDE, which was acquired by UFC parent company Zuffa in 2007.

Barnett globe-hopped for the next few years, fighting on three different continents before signing with Strikeforce in 2011. Prior to his setback against Cormier, which was widely praised by MMA fans, he had won eight straight fights.

News of Strikeforce's imminent shuttering didn't surprise Barnett, who has seen four previous promotional homes go belly up, but the recent decision to allow women's fights in the UFC did. He gave credit to former women's MMA star Gina Carano for breaking down barriers in the world's biggest fight promotion and said rivalry between Ronda Rousey and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos came at a fortuitous time in the sport.

Whether beating Guelmino is Barnett's lucky ticket remains to be seen.

"I'm not the one that finds the opponents," he said. "I'm just a guy who goes out there and beats the crap out of them.

"Now that I've got a face and a name, no matter how tacky their pants, I've got something to focus on."

MMAjunkie.com

[NAL987]

Love all of Joshs fights, he always brings it. Hopefully he gets a contract with the UFC after SF is done. (Wasn't he talking to Dana after a UFC not to long ago?)
Plus, he's into Metal/Hardcore music which is always a plus!

[Cat--Smasher]

Strikeforce's Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier can walk right into the UFC and win the title

Strikeforce's Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier can walk right into the UFC and win the title - MMAmania.com

On his recent appearance on "The MMA Hour," when Barnett was asked if he thought Cormier was better than he thought he would be, he stated, no, he knew exactly the type of dangerous fighter he was going up against in Cormier, long before the media and other fighters recognized the former Olympian's skill:

"I expected the best out of him (Cormier). In fact, I think, I was one of the people that saw his abilities entirely and knew exactly how good he was versus the rest of the populous, press included. I think most people did not give him the credit he was due and deserved. I still think they don't understand how good he really is. I say, besides myself, he's the only other person that can just walk right into the UFC and win the title."

Though not guaranteed he will land inside the Octagon, Barnett said he thinks it's ‘pretty likely' he will, unless, of course, people don't want him to shake things up and disturb the rankings:

"I think it's pretty likely. I think it's a good fit for a person like me. I mean, unless you don't want me to go in there and beat all those dudes up and completely throw your rankings out of whack and change the whole perception of who the best heavyweights in the world are. If you don't want that, then definitely don't bring me over. But, if you just want to have the biggest and best collection of heavyweights in the world, then, you gotta have me there. I want to go where the opportunity is best. I like the idea of that full roster over their being at my disposal to dispose of."

Josh Barnett vs. Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem or Frank Mir, anyone? The options are definitely endless should "The Warmaster" make the eventual jump.

[KevoOnTheRadio]

Barnett/Mir sounds amazing.

[rivethead]

OK, so regarding the title...the biggest criticism I have of Josh is that he's a fucking unrepentant multiple-offense juicer and he killed Affliction. So a return to the octagon is supposed to change history so that never happened?

Unfortunately, it's really terrible, because I've now set foot in so many different organizations that all up and folded shop," Barnett said. "It stinks. I hate being in that position.

Yeah...you know what stinks? That you destroyed Affliction. It didn't just "up and folded shop" Josh; you juiced and destroyed it. You hate being in that position? Personally, I hate that you chose to be in that position.


I think Cormier has a better chance of winning a UFC title, but I don't think either of them are walking in and winning anything easily.


Oh, and fuck MMAjunkie for misspelling orc.

rh

[Fedorlei Gomipierre]

Originally Posted by KevoOnTheRadio

Barnett/Mir sounds amazing.

I think that'd definately be the fight to make if they bring in Barnett....however they'd need a much larger octagon to hold both of those two massive egos.

I'd also really dig seeing Barnett/Werdum or Big Nog/Barnett III.

[lwbrewer]

I'll 2nd that Kevo. I didn't know much about his last opponet so the loss seemed even greater, but today realize he was tough than breaking his hand makes it tough to win. So Mir would be a good measuring stick for me on Barnett.

[Sakara=Excitement]

I'd love to see Josh back in the UFC.

Only time will tell if he has fully burned his bridge with them.