Tag: Josh Barnett

Josh Barnett Eyes Strikeforce Debut in 2010 Against ‘Whoever’s Willing to Do It’

Filed under: StrikeforceWith the ink on his Strikeforce contract barely dry, former Pride and UFC heavyweight standout Josh Barnett made his career intentions very clear on Thursday’s edition of “The MMA Hour.”

“My goal is to be the absolute best in t…

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With the ink on his Strikeforce contract barely dry, former Pride and UFC heavyweight standout Josh Barnett made his career intentions very clear on Thursday’s edition of “The MMA Hour.”

“My goal is to be the absolute best in the world and to beat everybody who walks this earth,” Barnett told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani. “And you know what? There’s a lot of people out there.”

Barnett said he signed a contract with Strikeforce that is “not perfect,” but good enough to get him back in front of American audiences for the first time since a failed drug test torpedoed his hopes of getting licensed to fight Fedor Emelianenko in an Affliction event back in July of 2009.

While Barnett said he doesn’t yet have an opponent or a date planned for his Strikeforce debut, he expects to have his first fight in the organization “before the end of the year.”

Sarah Kaufman Says Fighters Need to Stand Up for What They Deserve

Filed under: StrikeforceStrikeforce 135-pound women’s champion Sarah Kaufman will get her wish when she takes on Marloes Coenen on the main card of Strikeforce’s next big Showtime event on October 9 in San Jose, and she has no regrets about what she ha…

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Strikeforce 135-pound women’s champion Sarah Kaufman will get her wish when she takes on Marloes Coenen on the main card of Strikeforce’s next big Showtime event on October 9 in San Jose, and she has no regrets about what she had to do to make it happen.

“I think it’s important for fighters to stand up for what they deserve,” Kaufman said on Friday afternoon’s Strikeforce media call, responding to questions about her post-fight remarks following a victory over Roxanne Modafferi on a Strikeforce Challengers card in July.

“You don’t want to make your organization look bad, but if your issue needs to be said, I’m happy I said what I said and I think my fight kind of backed that up,” Kaufman added. “Whether it was me talking or the fans reacting or the fight itself getting highlighted on ESPN, I think they all worked together in helping push the division and have a title [fight] on the main card.”

That title fight pits the undefeated Kaufman against a Dutch challenger who posted a loss in her last outing – a 145-pound title scrap against Strikeforce champ Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos – only don’t try telling Coenen that she doesn’t deserve back-to-back title shots in different divisions.

Bobby Lashley Says Griggs Fight Would Have Been ‘Quick Win’ If Not for Health

Filed under: StrikeforceFormer pro wrestling superstar Bobby Lashley may have had a career setback in his loss to Chad Griggs in Strikeforce last month, but his MMA career is nowhere near done, he said.

“I’m fighting again [in 2010] for sure…in Nove…

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Former pro wrestling superstar Bobby Lashley may have had a career setback in his loss to Chad Griggs in Strikeforce last month, but his MMA career is nowhere near done, he said.

“I’m fighting again [in 2010] for sure…in November at the latest,” Lashley told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s episode of “The MMA Hour.”

As for who he’d like to face in his return to action, Lashley indicated that he wants a rematch with Griggs, who beat him via referee stoppage at the end of the second round in Houston, Texas on August 21. Lashley said he’s already asked Strikeforce for the fight, and explained that due to several health issues going into the fight he wasn’t able to perform at his best.

“I already asked for a rematch, because when you have certain events like I did that sort of hindered me from being able to open up and fight, I’ve got to go back,” Lashley said. “I’d hate for them to use that fight to boost somebody’s career, saying, ‘Okay, he beat Bobby,’ because that wasn’t really the case. If I didn’t have these problems, and I’d been able to go out there and fight, I think it would have been a pretty quick win for me. But I just didn’t have anything in me.”

Josh Barnett Signs With Strikeforce

Filed under: Strikeforce, NewsJosh Barnett, who over the past 14 months has slipped from No. 2 heavyweight in mixed martial arts to barely even relevant — without even losing a fight — has signed with Strikeforce in an attempt, at age 32, to get some…

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Josh Barnett, who over the past 14 months has slipped from No. 2 heavyweight in mixed martial arts to barely even relevant — without even losing a fight — has signed with Strikeforce in an attempt, at age 32, to get some meaningful fights while he still can.

“Strikeforce is the home of the best heavyweight division in the world and I’m proud to be able to call it my home now,” Barnett said. “I’m looking forward to competing amongst the greatest fighters in the world and fighting my way to another world title.”

Strikeforce Rolls the Dice, Signs Josh Barnett to Multi-Fight Deal

(Anybody know the heimlich? Josh swallowed one of his little toys again. Photo courtesy of Sherdog.)
Despite the fact that he effectively torched Affliction’s MMA promotion by testing positive for steroids, Strikeforce has agreed to play ball with Jo…

Josh Barnett MMA Strikeforce Affliction
(Anybody know the heimlich? Josh swallowed one of his little toys again. Photo courtesy of Sherdog.)

Despite the fact that he effectively torched Affliction’s MMA promotion by testing positive for steroids, Strikeforce has agreed to play ball with Josh Barnett, signing the former UFC heavyweight champion to a multi-fight contract. Strikeforce announced the news in a press release sent out this morning, but didn’t reveal the date of Barnett’s debut or the name of his first opponent. Said the Babyface Assassin:

“Strikeforce is the home of the best heavyweight division in the world and I’m proud to be able to call it my home now. I’m looking forward to competing amongst the greatest fighters in the world and fighting my way to another world title.”

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Fedor Likely to Re-Sign With Strikeforce

(In my recurring nightmare a Brazilian spider chokes me out with his legs. He’s right behind me isn’t he?)
Despite a general consensus that Fedor Emelianenko’s days as a Strikeforce fighter are likely over after he fulfills his last fight obligation wi…


(In my recurring nightmare a Brazilian spider chokes me out with his legs. He’s right behind me isn’t he?)

Despite a general consensus that Fedor Emelianenko’s days as a Strikeforce fighter are likely over after he fulfills his last fight obligation with the organization, "The Last Emperor" says that he is happy with the California-based promotion and that he will likely sign another deal with them.

"So far I feel very comfortable fighting, very good with my fighting, and I’m planning [to fight] as long as I can physically," he said in a recent interview with M-1global.com. "As far and I’m concerned we should discuss the possibility of signing another contract for four to six fights." 

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