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Josh Barnett: A Heavyweight Title Fight ‘Could’ Be In The Future

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Longtime heavyweight veteran and former UFC heavyweight champion Josh “Warmaster” Barnett got back in the win column last night with a third round submission victory over fellow former champion Andrei “Pitbull” Arlovski. At 38 years of age, Barnett is focused on taking one fight at a time, but he also isn’t ruling out another run at heavyweight gold. In fact, the “Warmaster” said he’d be willing to step in if current title challenger Alistair Overeem were to get injured ahead of his upcoming title fight with champion Stipe Miocic at September 10’s UFC 203:

“If (Alistair) Overeem got injured (prior to next week’s title fight against champ Stipe Miocic), Andrei or myself, there are some of us that can slide right in and fight in that match, and that’s completely legitimate,” Barnett said. “But the biggest thing we can control are the performances that lie in front of us, one at a time, and I’m sure a heavyweight championship fight could be in the future. But right now, all I was concerned with was fighting Andrei, taking him very seriously, and doing what I could to come out on top, and going from there.” Barnett told MMAJunkie.

As far as his fight with Arlovski goes, Barnett admits that he was never hurt, and he attributes his history of battles to his ability to endure punishment:

“I was never hurt in the fight,” he said. “That’s more due to having either an abnormally thick skull or very little brain matter to be damaged in the first place. I think if you look at the library of fights I’ve had, I’ve taken pretty much the best shots from the hardest strikers, and still stood in front of people. So taking a hard punch is not a big deal.”

While he may not have been hurt, Barnett was on the wrong side of a brutal eye poke, and Arlovski pounced in the aftermath of it, although the “Warmaster” holds no judgement towards the “Pitbull”:

“No, that’s his job,” he said. “The ref doesn’t tell you to stop, you’re not supposed to stop. (Arlovski’s) job is not to go out there and be my best friend; this isn’t the best-friend-making competition – this is the Ultimate Fighting Championship. I hold no grudges against him. He was grabbing the inside of my glove, too. Blatantly illegal. Don’t hold any grudges about it, in the least. Only disappointed I didn’t do it first.”

Who would you like to see Barnett face next?

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Josh Barnett: A Heavyweight Title Fight ‘Could’ Be In The Future

The post Josh Barnett: A Heavyweight Title Fight ‘Could’ Be In The Future appeared first on LowKick MMA.

As far as his fight with Arlovski goes, Barnett admits that he was never hurt, and he attributes his history of battles to his ability to endure punishment:

Who would you like to see Barnett face next?

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Josh Barnett vs. Andrei Arlovski Video Highlights

Heavyweight veterans Josh Barnett and Andrei Arlovski put on a rousing back-and-forth battle in the main event of today’s (Sat., September 3, 2016) UFC Fight Night 93 from the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany, where both fighters took turns rocking each other that resulted in riveting shifts of momentum. The first 30 seconds of the fight was

The post Josh Barnett vs. Andrei Arlovski Video Highlights appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Heavyweight veterans Josh Barnett and Andrei Arlovski put on a rousing back-and-forth battle in the main event of today’s (Sat., September 3, 2016) UFC Fight Night 93 from the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany, where both fighters took turns rocking each other that resulted in riveting shifts of momentum.

The first 30 seconds of the fight was especially exciting, as each man not only rocked the other with a big punch, but was also felled by a shot from the other man, causing an air of electricity to course throughout the German crowd. The bout became a grueling affair from there, with each former champion struggling for an advantage in the clinch.

It appeared Barnett would end the bout with his massive arsenal of submissions on more than one occasion, and he very nearly did so with ground and pound from the mount as well. But “The Pitbull” was also able to weather the storm to blast “The Warmaster” with a couple combos that nearly ended the match. It was there that Barnett was momentarily hurt by an inadvertent eye poke that referee Leon Edward failed to notice.

Ultimately Barnett survived and locked up the victory with a rear-naked choke in one of the best heavyweight battles in recent memory. Watch the highlights of “The Warmaster’s” big comeback win starting at the 0:57 mark of his post-fight interview below:

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UFC Fight Night 93 Predictions: Which Heavyweight Will Rebound In Germany?

Tomorrow (Sat., September 3, 2016) longtime heavyweight veterans Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett will look to rebound from recent losses in the main event of UFC Fight Night 93 from the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Former champion Arlovski is coming off of two straight knockouts to current title fight participants Stipe Miocic and Alistair

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Former champion Arlovski is coming off of two straight knockouts to current title fight participants Stipe Miocic and Alistair Overeem, while fellow former champion Barnett is coming off a submission loss to Ben Rothwell. In the co-main event, former light heavyweight title challenger Alexander ‘The Mauler’ Gustafson will seek to snap a two-fight skid against Poland’s Jan Blachowicz.

Find out who we picked to win below.

Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett:

Mike Drahota:

This is a closely matched affair where the winner will most likely be the man who can most effectively impose their contrasting gameplan. The higher-ranked Arlovski is actually a betting underdog at +130 according to BigOnSports.com, with Barnett coming in at as the -150 favorite.

Although he’s undergone a career resurgence in the past two years, that has faded a bit for Arlvoski in his past two fights. Barnett will obviously be looking to get the fight to the ground to implement his elite catch-wrestling skills, but I think it may be his striking that might win the day with the Belarusian’s chin falling a bit. I’m going with Barnett by first round TKO.

Rory Kernaghan:

Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett are both legends of the sport, but father time is knocking at both their doors. In this fight I believe positioning will be key, and Barnett perhaps has the bigger advantage in that respect. If they stay standing I’d bet the farm on ‘The Pitbull,’ but I don’t see ‘Warmaster’ allowing that to happen. As sad as it is to say, I feel Arlovski’s second wind has passed, and he’ll be on the losing end of this scrap. I’m calling Barnett by submission in round two.

Mike Henken:

The main event will feature a battle between two former UFC heavyweight champions, but in my opinion, both men are nearing the tail end of their careers. Arlovski has lost back-to-back fights to the likes of reigning champion Stipe Miocic and current title challenger Alistair Overeem.

It’s also important to note that both of those losses came by way of stoppage which may be an alarming sign regarding Arlovski’s chin at this point in his career. Barnett, on the other hand, has lost two of his last three including a knockout loss to Travis Browne and a submission loss to Rothwell. This fight is a toss-up for me and I could see it going either way, but I feel as if the “Pitbull” will get the job done here. Arlovski by unanimous decision.

Alexander Gustafsson vs. Jan Blachowicz:

Mike Drahota:

This fight is tough to label anything but a squash match for “The Mauler” against the unranked Blachowicz after fighting the absolute cream of the light heavyweight crop for the better part of the last four years.

Gustafsson is rightfully coming as a huge -585 favorite according to BigOnSports, and I think that might not even be enough. Gustafsson by first round knockout.

Rory Kernaghan:

Alexander Gustafsson has to be the betting favourite in this fight. Jan Blachowicz is a good fighter, but he’s never fought anyone near the calibre of ‘The Mauler.’ The Polish man is not really dangerous in terms of KO power, but he does have a solid ground game. In my mind, its a squash match. Gus needs to get back on track, and he’ll do so with dominance in this match. The Swede is far more well rounded, has better striking and defense, and has consistently faced better fighters throughout his career. I think the punches will get it done early on, look out for the uppercut, as Gustafsson KOs Blachowicz in round one.

Mike Henken:

This was an extremely easy pick for. In the most respectful way possible, I simply don’t feel as if Blachowicz belongs in the Octagon with Gustafsson. The Polish contender has solid submission skills, but he will be going up against one of the best 205-pounders in the world here. “The Mauler”, despite coming up short in his two title fights, should be able to score victory here. Gustafsson by first round knockout.

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Heavyweights! Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett Fight Breakdown

Two heavyweights are looking to rebound and get back on track in the division when Andrei Arlovski meets Josh Barnett in the main event of this weekend’s (Sat., September 3, 2016) UFC Fight Night 93 from the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany. Let’s break it down. Striking: Barnett may not be the flashiest striker in the

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Let’s break it down.

Striking:

Barnett may not be the flashiest striker in the heavyweight division, but he’s competent enough to use his skills to get the fight where he wants. Barnett’s punches may not be as stylish or vicious as Arlovski, but they are still full of power and can hurt. The best strategy for Barnett is to use his striking to close distance and get Arlovski against the fence. Then the “Warmaster” has options. He can open up a bit if he wants, continue to grind on Arlovski with short elbows and knees, or try to take him down. It is imperative that Barnett move forward and be aggressive. If he’s moving forward, it’ll be harder for Arlovski to tag him.

Andrei Arlovski’s striking arsenal is ruthless. He throws wild and looping hooks with a ton of power behind them, along with savage uppercuts. When he smells blood, the “Pitbull” closes distance quickly, not allowing his opponent a chance to recover. Arlovski has always been good at swarming and cutting the cage off while delivering a barrage of punches. Usually, one or two of them eventually get through and drop the poor guy he’s facing. Lately though, Arlovski doesn’t quite look like quite the striker he used to be. Alistair Overeem picked him apart in May and Stipe Miocic clobbered him in January. Those are the top fighters in this division, but it looks like Arlovski might be starting to decline. Luckily, he still holds the striking advantage against Josh Barnett.

Advantage: 65/35 Arlovski

Wrestling:

This is the best skill in Barnett’s toolbox. Starting from a clinch position, Barnett does a great job of positioning himself and making his opponent carry all of his weight. As evidenced in his fight with Roy Nelson, that can tire an opponent out easily. The “Warmaster’s” hand-fighting is also top-notch, and allows him to control others easier than most other heavyweights. After he gets the clinch, Barnett has the better takedown game and employs trips and throws more often than power double legs. Once he gets to the ground, Barnett employs a grapple-heavy style of catch-wrestling that is less dependent on posturing up and throwing strikes, and more dependent on passing guard and advancing positions. He always stays busy and Arlovski should have a tough time getting up.

Arlovski uses his wrestling backwards. Similar to a fighter like Chuck Liddell, Arlovski is best at defending takedowns and keeping the fight on the feet as much as possible. He maintains excellent takedown defense at 83 percent, and that will come into play as Barnett will likely attempt more than a few during their fight. When Barnett is trying to take Arlovski down, the “Pitbull” will have to employ his excellent balance to avoid going down and losing the round. It’s quite unlikely that Arlovski will out-wrestle Barnett, so Arlovski’s best bet is to disengage quickly and avoid grappling.

Advantage: 75/25 Barnett

Submissions:

This is the main area where Barnett holds a decided advantage. All of that work he puts in on taking top-level opposition down and grinding away their will has resulted in 20 submission wins. Whether its arm triangle chokes, kimuras, Americanas, or rear-naked chokes, Barnett has one of the best submission games in MMA history. He’s always looking for the right time to slip an arm under his opponent’s neck. Arlovski is going to have to be extremely careful if this fight goes to the ground. Again, Barnett is always active and always busy.

However, Arlovski has never been submitted in 38 MMA bouts. That’s quite an accomplishment. Yet he’s going to have to be at the top of his game in order to keep his record without any submission blemishes. Arlovski is no slouch when it comes to offensively tapping his foes out, as he does have three submission wins on his resume, but his last one was against Tim Sylvia in 2005. Barnett is an entirely different monster than the opponents Arlovski has faced since his return to the UFC. Other than Frank Mir, Arlovski has never fought anyone so well-versed in submissions.

Advantage: 70/30 Barnett

In summation, both competitors have their ways to win and they seem fairly obvious. Arlovski has to keep moving and do his best to stay on his feet, while Barnett needs to drag Arlovski down and keep him there. I think Barnett will be the aggressor and win out over Arlovski’s striking.

Prediction: Barnett by third round submission

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Josh Barnett: Andrei Arlovski Is ‘Not Going To Be Good Enough’

Two former UFC heavyweight champions are set to do battle in the main event of this weekend’s (September 3, 2016) UFC Fight Night 93 from Hamburg, Germany as No. 6-ranked Andrei “Pitbull” Arlovski will take on No. 9-ranked Josh “Warmaster” Barnett. Both men have struggled as of late, but Barnett appears to be quite confident

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Despite the “Pitbull’s” previous accomplishments, the “Warmaster” simply feels as if Arlovski won’t be ‘good enough’ to beat him this weekend on FOX Sports 1:

“He’s done so much over so long of a career and everybody has witnessed his talent time and again. But, I’d like to think that whatever he possess now is not going to be good enough. And to say that whatever he had then was never going to be good enough. But, I have to go out there and implement my will upon him.” Barnett said on The MMA Hour earlier this week.

Although his confidence is sky high, Barnett isn’t over looking Arlovski, who has suffered back-to-back losses in his last two bouts. In fact, the “Warmaster” labeled his Belarusian opponent as a ‘cornered animal’:

“But, knowing how tough Andrei Arlovski is meant that I had to train incredibly hard, I had to keep a lot of things in mind while I was training to perfect my approach for this fight. He is not someone to take lightly and he isn’t somebody to underestimate. I have ultimate faith in who I am and in what I possess to go into that cage. Knowing that, it doesn’t diminish the fact of how dangerous of an opponent of how Andrei Arlovski is. He’s coming off of two loses, but like people always say, it’s like a cornered animal.”

Barnett is also coming off of a loss to Ben Rothwell meaning both men will be looking to bounce back when the Octagon door closes in Hamburg.

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