Tag: Josh Barnett

Now That the UFC Has Their Mexican Heavyweight Champ, What Else Do They Need?

(You like it? I’m having this airbrushed onto the hood of my Impala.)
As you’re all aware by now, Cain Velasquez became The First Mexican Heavyweight Champion in Fighting History™ on Saturday when he destroyed Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. The …

Cain Velasquez Mexico Mexican flag UFC
(You like it? I’m having this airbrushed onto the hood of my Impala.)

As you’re all aware by now, Cain Velasquez became The First Mexican Heavyweight Champion in Fighting History™ on Saturday when he destroyed Brock Lesnar at UFC 121. The crowning of Velasquez should hopefully usher in a new wave of interest in the UFC from the Latino community — but the promotion still has a long way to go until it appeals to all demographics. If the UFC wants to achieve true mass appeal, they should work as hard as possible to check these categories off their list as well…

An African-American Lightweight Champion
Over the years, the UFC has awarded title belts to Maurice Smith and Kevin Randleman in the heavyweight division, and Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans at 205. And even though former welterweight champ Carlos Newton and middleweight king Anderson Silva aren’t American, they would certainly be described by my mother as "people of soul." But the history of the UFC’s lightweight division has been that of white dudes (see: Pulver, Sherk, Edgar) and a fiery Hawaiian warrior (come on, son.) What the division needs is an athletic and explosive champion at 155, who can serve as a role model for kids who are too short to make the basketball team. Do I have to spell it out for you? Okay, fine: A-N-T-O-N-I-O M-c-K-E-E, P-L-A-Y-E-R.

read more

Josh Barnett and Hector Lombard Won’t Be Hanging Out Together Any Time Soon

(Video courtesy YouTube/FightHubTV)
At last week’s Bellator show, middleweight Hector Lombard raised a few eyebrows when he said he wanted to face recently-signed Strikeforce heavyweight Josh Barnett in his next bout.
It turns out that the pair ha…

(Video courtesy YouTube/FightHubTV)

At last week’s Bellator show, middleweight Hector Lombard raised a few eyebrows when he said he wanted to face recently-signed Strikeforce heavyweight Josh Barnett in his next bout.

It turns out that the pair have a beef between them that can be traced back to a particular sparring session in 2008.

According to Lombard’s former and Barnett’s current trainer from Combat Submission Wrestling, Erik Paulson, a day or two after a bloody 30-minute boxing match between the duo at the gym, "The Babyfaced Assassin" dragged Lombard into the cage and used his weight advantage to hold him on the canvas and humiliate the Cuban judoka in front of his teammates.

Paulson revealed that the incident was the reason Lombard walked away from the gym to join American Top Team and said he’s surprised that he’s still upset over it.

read more

Strikeforce Heavyweights Take a Back Seat to Brocktober

Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce

In case you haven’t heard, BROCKTOBER! has started in earnest, with Wednesday night marking the debut of UFC Primetime, the Spike TV show hyping the upcoming Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez fight at UFC 121.

I’m not a bi…

Filed under: ,

In case you haven’t heard, BROCKTOBER! has started in earnest, with Wednesday night marking the debut of UFC Primetime, the Spike TV show hyping the upcoming Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez fight at UFC 121.

I’m not a big fan of the whole Brocktober thing — I’m actually more excited about Lyotovember, when I assume the UFC will offer fans hours of programming featuring detailed analysis of how Machida’s precision striking will make him a difficult opponent for Rampage Jackson at UFC 123 — but I am excited about the Lesnar-Velasquez fight.

That’s really what we want as MMA fans: The promoters to give us fights that we’re excited about. And that’s what I was getting at a few weeks ago, when I questioned Josh Barnett for saying after he signed with Strikeforce that “Strikeforce is the home of the best heavyweight division in the world.” Whether Strikeforce or the UFC has the better heavyweight fighters is less important than whether Strikeforce or the UFC has the better heavyweight fights. And on that score it’s not even close.

Werdum Aiming For March Strikeforce Return; Wants Fedor or Overeem and Not Barnett

 (Barnett? Yeah, right. You saw what he did to Affliction, didn’t you?)
Fabricio Werdum revealed to Sherdog today that he is targeting March for his return to the  Hexagontm, but says newly-signed Strikeforce heavyweight Josh Barnett isn’t on…

 
(Barnett? Yeah, right. You saw what he did to Affliction, didn’t you?)

Fabricio Werdum revealed to Sherdog today that he is targeting March for his return to the  Hexagontm, but says newly-signed Strikeforce heavyweight Josh Barnett isn’t on his radar for his first or second fight back.

"The surgery was such a success and I’ve been working so hard with the physical therapy that I’ve already made some movement on the ground a few days ago using 70 percent of my power…I believe that by March, I’ll be back to the ring…My goal now is either a rematch with Fedor or (one) with Overeem for the belt," he said. "But actually the most important thing for me is not who they will choose, but that my body is 100 percent recovered, so I can show to the ones who thought I was lucky that I was actually ready and pretty well-trained to fight Fedor.”

According to Werdum, it’s not that he thinks "The Babyfaced Assassin" is any less of an opponent than "The Last Emperor" or "The Demolition Man," it’s that he hasn’t thought about fighting him at all.

"I thought it was a great acquisition to the event," Werdum explained. "Barnett is a really tough heavyweight. I haven’t thought about facing him yet."

Translation: "I’m waiting to see if Strikeforce is still around after I fight both of those guys and if I get an invite to return to the UFC before I commit to a fight with Josh."

Harbinger of Doom Alert: Barnett Still Talking About Fighting Fedor

(C’mon, what’s the worst that could happen? PicProps: MMA Gear Guide)
If you’re Strikeforce, this ought to make you pretty nervous. I mean, the last time Josh Barnett started angling toward a fight with Fedor Emelianenko it spelled the beginning …


(C’mon, what’s the worst that could happen? PicProps: MMA Gear Guide)

If you’re Strikeforce, this ought to make you pretty nervous. I mean, the last time Josh Barnett started angling toward a fight with Fedor Emelianenko it spelled the beginning of the end for the previous group of jokers who tried to take on the UFC. Nonetheless, the heavyweight fighter the fans love to hate went on MMA Weekly radio this week and said he still intends to make a fight with Emelianenko come to fruition, assumedly inside the Strikeforce cage.

"I’m sure it will happen at some point,” Barnett said during the on-air appearance. “And it will be just as amazing, at least for me anyways, as it would have been."

read more

The MMA Hour Live With Vitor Belfort, Josh Barnett, Nate Marquardt, Cole Miller

Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC, Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive, VideosThe MMA Hour now airs twice a week on MMA Fighting, and we’ll be talking to two of the biggest names in the sport on our first Thursday show.

* “The New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni wil…

Filed under: , , , ,

The MMA Hour now airs twice a week on MMA Fighting, and we’ll be talking to two of the biggest names in the sport on our first Thursday show.

* “The New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni will join us in studio to discuss UFN 22 and the state of his career.

* Vitor Belfort will stop by to discuss his UFC 122 fight against Yushin Okami and having to work his way back to another title shot.

* Josh Barnett, the newest member of the Strikeforce heavyweight division, will discuss his new contract and his fighting future.

* Cole Miller, who defeated Ross Pearson in very impressive fashion at UFN 22, will look back on his win and discuss what’s next for him.

* And finally, Nate Marquardt, fresh off his win Wednesday night over Rousimar Palhares, will join the show again to look back on his big victory.

And of course, we’ll be taking your calls. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193 or 212-254-0237.

Download this show and previous episodes of The MMA Hour on iTunes here.

The MMA Hour begins below beginning at 1 PM ET.