Josh Barnett to UFC

[Fat Cat]

What are your thoughts on his prospects?

[Shapecharge]

Mak I'm not as dialed in as I used to be but I've always had a fondness for Josh. I'm wondering though if he's staying up on things. I would like to see him do well.

[baffled]

I think he'll shake things up, but I tend to think he's a little too far past it to be a real threat to the belt.

That said, I don't think anyone dominates him if he's healthy and focused.

[Kazuya Mishima]

Alas, he will get killed.

First off, I'm a fan of Barnett...he's smart, does great interviews, has lived in the weird limbo between MMA and Japanese Pro Wrestling, he's a bit of a nerd when it comes to the Warhammer and Jap culture stuff, and he's just a great showman.

His recent career success has consisted of taking apart guys who are largely strikers who can't deal with his superb grappling (read grappling, not wrestling). He fancies himself as the modern day Frank Gotch, but Daniel Cormier exposed that nonsense. He doesn't have the pure wrestling chops to control the close range against Cormier or Cain. And he certainly can't stand and trade with either of those guys, so he is fucked.

He will be an interesting match against Kongo or Overeem, where his strong grappling will nullify their largely unproven ground games. A matchup with Mir would also be interesting since they are the two best heavyweights in the world from a submission standpoint, but neither one of them can wrestle for shit.

Dos Santos would kill him...Bigfoot would kill him...Overeem can probably kill him, but Josh can beat him if he weathers the early storm...Big Country would outwrestle and outgas him...Josh doesn't have a formula to beat either Cain or Cormier. Mark Hunt is too strong to get thrown around by Josh, and Hunt would bomb his noggin'.

I think the best he can hope for is gatekeeper status, or get in some big money freak fights if Lesner ever decides to come back.

I could write all day on this one, but that's my initial impression.

[Fat Cat]

I agree. I think he was added to the roster for texture, and so that Dana could finally shut Josh up by throwing him to the sharks. The problem with the heavyweight roster right now is that it is BORING. Ever since Lesnar left, due to horrible management, it’s just been a shitfest. When Giant Silva is your most likeable prospect, you got problems.

[Blaidd Drwg]

I like Josh. He's a rare level headed guy in MMA who really seems to know and appreciate the wrestling roots of his sport. Plus the Mo incident...

One of my training partners, coached him at Ballard Highschool. Ron goes about 308 most of the time and has competed in PL and SM for years, he is legit strong. His take is that, although he has always been very strong, Josh is actually one of the most deceptively quick fighters in his class but had pretty much used up his knees and back by the time he got to Pro Wrestling. There was a time, I'd have guessed Josh could compete with anybody in his division but he's been moving slow like a much older guy since he lost to Nogueira in 06.

[TerryB]

There's room on the HW roster for a guy who wars and can give some guys a run for their money.

Will he win the belt? No, but that doesn't matter much, especially at HW.

[Fat Cat]

I like Josh. He's a rare level headed guy in MMA who really seems to know and appreciate the wrestling roots of his sport. Plus the Mo incident...

Actually my biggest problem with Josh Barnett is that he reps wrestling but sucks at it. He was never a wrestler, he's a grappler; he's been outwrestled by both BJJ guys like Nog and wrestlers like Cormier.

[Kazuya Mishima]

I agree. I think he was added to the roster for texture, and so that Dana could finally shut Josh up by throwing him to the sharks. The problem with the heavyweight roster right now is that it is BORING. Ever since Lesnar left, due to horrible management, it’s just been a shitfest. When Giant Silva is your most likeable prospect, you got problems.

You're dead on. He's a name that they can build on...Dana just probably hopes that he doesn't self-destruct like the CroCop debacle, and makes a few interesting fights before one of the heavy hitters sends him to the duck farm.

[Turdacious]

Unless Sonnen and Diaz get meaningful fights again, Barnett may be the only top line promo guy in the UFC. My guess is that Dana will recognize this, and build him up. $$$'s trump grudges.

[Testiclaw]

There's room on the HW roster for a guy who wars and can give some guys a run for their money.

Will he win the belt? No, but that doesn't matter much, especially at HW.

I agree with Proto, here.

And I agree with FC on the HW class being fucking boring. Lesnar was fun to watch because he was a freakshow. I didn't really dig him too much, but was fun to watch him scrap.