Recent Strikeforce heavyweight acquisition Josh Barnett has long been known to be a close friend of Fedor Emelianenko, and both were slated at one time to fight each other under the ill-fated Affliction promotion. With Barnett testing positive for banned substances the fight, and the promotion went poof but Barnett is still thought of as one of the best heavyweight fighters out there. Currently riding a 6 fight win streak, Barnett still wants to fight Fedor and thinks that despite Fedor’s recent loss that the fight would be very compelling. Here’s the quote, via MMAWeekly Radio:
“At some point me and Fedor, I said to him, I go, ‘look, the only people that can beat you. I can beat you and you can beat me. If we actually have to lose, if there’s any reason we have to lose to anyone,’ and I preferred it be like that, but this is fighting and things happen. Fedor was careless with his offense and his movements and he got caught in a very bad spot by a guy who one of his specialties is the triangle off his back. When you put yourself in that kind of position with a guy like Werdum, it’s not by chance that you get put in a triangle or an armbar. People lose, and it doesn’t diminish anything in my eyes about Fedor or the importance of a fight between the two of us. I’m sure it will happen at some point, and it will be just as amazing, at least for me anyways, as it would have been.”
There’s still no word on who Barnett will face first, but a matchup with Fedor would be amazing to say the least. The MMA News will bring you the word as it comes down.