Josh Barnett says the Grand Prix will still determine best Heavyweight in the World
Posted on September 2, 2011, 07:26 PM by Joey Santosus
"It isn’t Alistair Overeem, its plain and simple, but it doesn’t mean that this tournament doesn’t have significance and I think its going to make a big impact still in the heavyweight rankings worldwide...I hope the belt gets put on the line, since its vacant right now for the championship. Why not? We should crown a new champion right now since our champion is no longer in the company, regardless of what the circumstances are." - For more from Josh Barnett, visit SportsTownChicago
When the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix was initially announced, the general consensus was that the winner of the eight-man Tournament would emerge as the number-one ranked competitor in the division. However, in the time since a lot has changed. Fedor Emelianenko, who was an early favorite to win it all, fell victim to Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva in the opening-round of match-ups, while Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem eliminated Fabricio Werdum in June, only to be released by the promotion a short time later.
For many, the loss of star-power, coupled with lengthy delays in between rounds, has been enough to change their outlook on the once glorified bracket. Josh Barnett, however, disagrees with this sentiment. According to "The Warmaster," not only does the Grand Prix Champion have a legitimate claim to being the best Heavyweight in the world, but feels they should also be awarded the now vacant division title. So what do you think LowKick'ers? If Barnett is able to dispatch of both Sergei Kharitonov on September 10th and the winner of Antonio Silva vs. Daniel Cormier in the final, has he done enough to be crowned Heavyweight King? Or does that honor belong to another man?
Further Reading: "The Warmaster" Josh Barnett looks back at victory over Brett Rogers
Photo: Josh Barnett celebrates his victory over Pedro Rizzo at Affliction's "Banned", a mixed martial arts fight at the Honda Center on July 19, 2008 in Anaheim, California. Francis Specker
Comments
I think that the winner of this tourni has as legit a claim as the winner of Cain VS Dos Santos. The only wild card in the rankings is Overeem.
Is their another HW GP that I dont know about?
I think would be in the top five and think any top five has a chance to fight
for a belt because of the schedule and the timing and have the skills to be a great fight
by the time they actually finish this tournament (2012) they'll be irrelevant to the current HW rankings. Even if Josh wins he has to beat Sergei & Antonio which isnt a good argument for the #1 spot imho
the one that me and my friends hold every year in my friend's backyard inside the moonbounce.
how do I join?....and is there free beer for after the fight...
the winner has a claim to #2 (unless cormier somehow wins it, then he has a claim to maybe top5 at a push), but yea they should ofcourse get the vacant belt
No way the winner is number 2, Cain and JDS will still be number 2 regardless who wins.
let me get this right... according to your logic : IF someone other than cormier wins, they are #2, but if cormier wins, he's only top 5? HAhaha are u kidding? so cormier beating them all makes him 5, but them beating cormier makes them 2? Do you not see the problem here? Thank god you're not an official in mma
Why? Who have Cain and JDS fought that puts them decisively ahead of BFS, Barnett or Kharitonove? If Cormier beats those guys he is ahead of those guys. The winner of this tourni has a claim equal to the UFC HW Champ to the #1 spot.
IMO I saw Silva or Overeem winning this either way. Neither of those 2 guys would I classify as the #1 or #2 HW in the world.
I think the Winner of this tournament is in the top 5, with a lot of speculation between the HW's in the UFC. Time will tell who the #1 HW is. These guys will all be coming to the UFC sooner or later.
thing is is Josh "****face" Barnett is an azz and is lucky to even be fighting
you have guys who were fined suspended and couldnt work for lil over
a year lost sponsors when tested barley over regulations and others
tell the commission and have doctors talk to them then there is Josh
who just flat out cheated dont care helped Affliction lose tons of money
in Afflictions last card that didnt happen that cost them millions just in breach of contract and attorney ....ect.....
Exactly
exactly.. same will be said whenever AS loses... cause as everyone knows, mma math doesnt work, it's only every now and then that some crazy new advancement in science happen, and u can consider those to be the gsps AS aldos (still much to prove but i think he will be for sure) etc
this tournament lost its significance when UFC came in and released Reem. if ufc continues like this we will never find out the best HW because fighters like Reem are not allowed to fight. and take a look a the guys record, its crazy...
reems record is NOT crazy, its mediocre at best, he lost to a lot of smaller guys in his career, and beat a lot of lesser names as well.. any big name he lost to, shogun twice, arona, lidell, wedum 1st time, the list goes on, his record is actually kind of bad, and im sorry but the k1 thing was fishy, i do think hes a good fighter but he couldnt hang with top hw in ufc, hed had trouble wih carwin even and mir, let alone cain and jds, i think brock would even put him on his back and finish him quick with donkey kong punches. allistairs chin is not that wonderful ladies, cant wait for this to be proven
UFC didn't just "come in and release Reem" without reason.
Golden Glory didn't agree to Zuffa terms, and they were smart enough business people to show them the door until they're willing to play by Zuffa's rules.
you have to look at his recent record, not 10 years ago...
everybody evolves and his a WAY better fighter than he was the pride days... he would be the gp champion for sure if the ufc wouldnt have messed that up...
Okay, let's look at his last fight. Recent enough for you? He looked AWFUL. He would be destroyed by Cain and JDS.
I think I want some of what Josh has been smoking.