Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Bellator 235: “Barnett vs. Markes” takes place this weekend (Fri., Dec. 20, 2019) at Neil S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii, streaming live online via DAZN (watch it) at 9 p.m. ET. The “USO Presents: Salute the Troops” main event will see former UFC Heavyweight champion and “Warmaster” Josh Barnett (35-8) return to action for the first time in three years against Ronny Markes (19-7).
Barnett’s long and public feud with United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) led to him being unable to compete inside the cage, but after an arbitrator ruled in his favor earlier this year, Bellator MMA offered him this main event and a chance to show that his war-like blades hadn’t rusted during a long hiatus away from competition.
Markes, meanwhile, will be coming in sharp. The 31-year-old fighter went on an impressive 14-1 run at the start of his career, but knockout losses to Yoel Romero and Thiago Santos led to his UFC release and changed the trajectory of his career. He’s 5-6 in the 11-fight span since, but he’s been over .500 in his Professional Fight League (PFL) stint and now aims to show even more in Bellator.
Markes recently spoke with MMAmania.com about the Heavyweight main event being offered to him by Scott Coker in his Bellator MMA debut.
“I feel great. I feel blessed for the opportunity. I think he (Barnett) is a great opponent, you know? He’s a legend. He’s a great fighter. I think it’s a great opportunity for me.”
Both men have earned the title “veteran” in the sport, with Markes’ career dating back to 2007 and Barnett’s running back to 1997. How does he assess Barnett’s career and skill?
“He is a great fighter, you know? Man, he fights for more than 20 years, he has a lot of skills, but I really believe in my skills.”
Markes also believes Barnett’s skills are still finely honed despite his three-year layoff.
“I think the time he don’t fight, this is no problem for him, because he’s an experienced guy. He has more than 40 fights, I think this is no problem for him, 100 percent. This time he stay off (fighting) inside the cage, but he still trains. I don’t see (any) problem about his taking a long time outside the cage.”
Muscle memory alone may be enough for “Warmaster” with or without active training, but Markes still aims to show he’s a danger to Barnett … and perhaps even Cheick Kongo.
“Man, I’ve seen before that Scott Coker said, ‘For Josh (to) make the title shot, he needs one win.’ But after my win, I don’t believe I have the title shot, because Cheick Kongo is the No. 1 contender. I see Ryan Bader, he’s busy with his Light Heavyweight belt, too. I’d really like to fight Kongo maybe for (the) interim belt you know?”
There are unresolved issues between Bader and Kongo because of their title fight ending in a “No Contest,” but Markes may be onto something given it’s hard for Bader to defend two belts.
“It’s not fair for the (Heavyweight) division to stop and wait for Ryan Bader, you know? The division needs to keep going. The day he comes back he fights for the title again. He puts his Heavyweight (title) on the line.”
The funny thing is that Markes doesn’t believe the Bader vs. Kongo fight should have been stopped in the first place. He’s not convinced the accidental foul did enough damage.
“In the last fight, I watched the fight (between) Bader and Kongo (and) I don’t see Bader do nothing wrong. I think Kongo’s a little cheater.”
At 6’6” and 240+ pounds, one of the things Kongo is not is “little,” but he has lost points during rounds before for illegal tactics. “Cheater” is clearly the word of emphasis here.
“Yeah, I watched the video too many times and I don’t see Ryan Bader put his fingers in the eye, you know? I think he … I don’t know, man. I can’t talk, I don’t know but, I don’t see Ryan Bader do nothing wrong in the fight.”
Let’s roll that footage one more time so you can decide what Bader did for yourself.
Getting back to Bellator 235, though, Markes indicated he had no relationship with Scott Coker before accepting the fight with Barnett. And surprisingly, not much of one since.
“Man, I never talked to him. I’m just coming in the company right now, but I have (a) feeling. I think after I win with Josh, I think it’s a good idea to fight for an interim belt, me and Kongo. I think the division don’t stop … don’t wait for Bader.”
It almost feels as though Markes has his eyes more on Kongo than Barnett, which is hard to see as ideal going into such a big fight. Barnett has finished 83 percent of his wins (29 of 35) by either knockout (10) or submission (19). He’s simply not a man to look past.
“I respect everyone in the division, this is what I think, but it’s not my opinion (that matters). Everything that Bellator says I’m going to do. I am contracted with Bellator, I can’t say ,‘Oh I’m going to do this’ — this is not my decision, this is Scott Coker’s decision and Bellator.”
I’m glad we got that straightened out. Given Markes is 31 and Barnett is 42, I wanted to know if Ronny could see himself fighting for as long as the “Warmaster” going forward.
“Yeah, I believe I’m still fighting a minimum of eight more years. In my mind it’s eight, nine (more) years until I’m 40 years old. I’m healthy, I don’t have any injuries, especially right now (since) I don’t need to cut any weight, you know?”
A healthy Ronny Markes may just be primed for the performance of a lifetime in the main event this Friday as Bellator MMA and USO “Salute the Troops” with a free fight card.
Complete audio of our interview is embedded above, and complete coverage of Bellator 235: “Barnett vs. Markes” resides here at MMA Mania all week long.
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