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[Cat--Smasher]

Barnett Doubts Strikeforce Opponent Guelmino Will Stand Out from Rest

Ahead of the fight, Barnett joined the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show to discuss the matchup and more.

On Guelmino: “I know that he’s got the perfect look for a Hollywood bad guy. I don’t know why he’s bothering with this fighting crap. It seems like a total waste of time. He should be doing auditions and getting all his looks down and practicing his stunt fighting because it’s probably going to be more effective for him.”

On fighting scary opponents: “He’s not like a total idiot when it comes to fighting. He’s got some skill. He seems like he’s got athleticism. I do imagine he’s probably fairly strong … but I just know with everything I’ve done in this world, all the fights I’ve had, all the training I’ve had, all the people I’ve come across in my adventures, that this is just another one that isn’t necessarily going to stand out from the rest. You treat him like he’s a world champ, train hard and come after him 100 percent, and he goes down like the rest.”

On whether he would have rather fought a UFC heavyweight: “Who cares. Whoever was willing to fight. I don’t know. Maybe they asked some UFC heavies? Maybe they didn’t? I wasn’t a part of any of this process. I just know that they came to me and they go, ‘You’ve got a fight and this guy said he’s going to kick your ass.’ That’s as much motivation as I need for anything.”

On whether he thinks he could fight in the UFC again for Dana White: “I just do my job. To be honest, he’s somewhat the boss of the place I’m working right now. I don’t really know even how much direct contact I would have, even if I was in the UFC, with Dana necessarily. They have a whole slew of employees working for them. I don’t really think about that sort of thing. I just think about being a more efficient and brutal killing machine, and everything else should be just fine.”

On whether he’d be satisfied with his career if he retired now: “No. No, not enough. And even at the end of the day, I’m sure all that I can do from here on out, it will never be enough. That’s the only way that I can imagine that you can possibly strive to the top of the mountain.”

On the fight he would make happen or what he would do differently in his career if he could: “Mainly the Affliction one, that last fight with Fedor. That’s the one. That’s about it other than I think about what I could have done to try and be better prepared for the [Strikeforce grand prix] finals. That’s a pretty big one right there. That supersedes probably all of it, honestly. But the way things worked out are the way they worked out. I had whatever physical s--t I had to go through for that and still showed up and still fought.”

Josh Barnett Doubts Strikeforce Opponent Guelmino Will Stand Out from Rest

[KevoOnTheRadio]

If it wasn't for the failed PED tests, he'd probably be one of my favorite fighters.

[Cat--Smasher]

Originally Posted by KevoOnTheRadio

If it wasn't for the failed PED tests, he'd probably be one of my favorite fighters.

I agree. Barnett is entertaining as hell.

Kevo, did you check out either of the JRE Podcasts with Josh on them. The most recent one from a couple weeks back is jam packed with mma topics.

[Bork_Lazer]

really hope to see him in the UFC fighting some top competition. Great fighter

[1inthechamber]

Love him or hate him, he's still a bad dude and could pose a lot of problems for the ufc's heavyweight division.

[Fe1]

I especially like the fights where he tackles the ref after he wins

[joeodd2]

He's one hell of a catch wrestler, decent striking. I want to see him fight Frank Mir that would be an entertaining free tv main event with lots of shit talking....hell it would make an entertaining season of TUF too.....

[The8thPlague]

Originally Posted by KevoOnTheRadio

If it wasn't for the failed PED tests, he'd probably be one of my favorite fighters.

100% agreed.
He's entertaining in interviews, Loves metal, and has good fights.
But I cannot respect 3 failed tests, one of which brought down a whole organization and cost a bunch of people their jobs.

[Cat--Smasher]

Spoiler...







Barnett wants to 'wreck shop' in the UFC - Mixed Martial Arts News

Ronin. The Japanese term came to define a samurai with no lord or master. The word literally means “wave man” or a wanderer; someone who is adrift, socially speaking. For the past 16 years, perennial top 10 heavyweight Josh Barnett has been a fighter for hire with no specific ties to any one organization or even a particular region of the world. With no anchor in place and Strikeforce setting sail to the great beyond, MMA’s global fanbase is huddled together eager to see where “The Warmaster” will battle next.

In particular, will the well-traveled submission specialist return to the UFC’s Octagon?

“I think it would be fantastic,” affirms Barnett. “It would be a great place to fight and put myself up against these heavyweights, some of which are considered to be the best in the world. I would like to test that theory out because I don't think some of the praise that is put on these guys is not just inherited by the organization that they fight in. For me to go over there and wreck shop and rampage all over these guys would be a lot of fun for me personally and professionally. But that's not something that's entirely in my ability to make happen, so we'll see how things turn out. We'll see if the UFC wants the services of a mercenary like myself.”

Strikeforce Results: Josh Barnett Wins And Tells Heavyweight “Cowards” to Run and Hide
http://www.mmaweekly.com/strikeforce...o-run-and-hide

“You don’t sit around, bitching and complaining and throwing excuses around. You get in there and either you die like a man or you leave your opponent dead, and you stand victorious,” said Barnett.

Well, Barnett’s post fight speech may have lasted longer than his fight because he just walked through Guelmino in the brief time they spent together in the cage.

Barnett charged across the cage and took Guelmino to the ground, but actually missed on his first submission attempt when he went for an ankle lock in the opening moments.

Obviously Barnett wasn’t deterred because just seconds later he had Guelmino back on the mat again, this time in the mount and it didn’t long for the “Warmaster” to go to work.

“I fight to entertain the crowd. I bring death so you guys can all cheer. Are you not entertained?” Barnett shouted after picking up the quick submission win.

The more interesting part of the fight came afterwards when Barnett was posed with the million-dollar question of the evening – will he end up in the UFC after tonight?

“So you’re asking me if I’m going to go over to the UFC like every other schmuck-jabroni reporter has been asking me this whole time. Am I going to go to the UFC? I have no idea where I’m going to end up at this point. But you know what there are a lot of heavyweights out there in the world, sacked away in their little organizations, and all I’ve got to say to them is run cowards!” said Barnett.

“You can hide behind any fence you want, any ring in the world, but eventually I will find you, and I will take your head.”

Barnett would be a good addition to the UFC heavyweight division, but it remains to be seen if he will end up there or in another promotion after Strikeforce shutters its doors.

[joeodd2]

Barnett is one talented and tough SOB, styles make fights and I'd be hard to count him out of any contest in the UFC, even if he rematched Comier. His submission game does fighters like Sakuraba proud. I'd love to see him coach a season of TUF, this guy is pure gold on the mic, might cause some issues on network TV talking about leaving his opponents dead. He speaks figuratively, anyone with a brain can tell, but network execs and nanny organizations like that stupid Culinary Union, can't seem to tell the difference. So it should be interesting if they try to muzzle him should he fight in the UFC....