Josh Barnett Signs For StrikeForce

[Troy]

Strikeforce on Monday added considerable strength to its heavyweight pool, as the San Jose, Calif.-based promotion announced the acquisition of former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett. Terms of the multi-fight deal were not disclosed.

A catch wrestling practitioner, Barnett has secured more than half (17) of his 29 career victories by submission. The 32-year-old Seattle native posted his sixth straight win in July, when he stopped Geronimo dos Santos on first-round punches under the Impact FC banner in Brisbane, Australia. A finalist in the 2006 Pride Fighting Championships open weight grand prix, Barnett has not competed on American soil since he struck Gilbert Yvel into submission at Affliction “Day of Reckoning†in January 2009.

Victories against UFC hall of famers Dan Severn and Randy Couture, former Pride heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Olympic gold medalists Pawel Nastula and Hidehiko Yoshida anchor Barnett’s resume. He has been flagged multiple times for suspected steroid use.

“Strikeforce is the home of the best heavyweight division in the world, and I’m proud to be able to call it my home now,†said Barnett, who joins a promotional stable that includes champion Alistair Overeem, the great Fedor Emelianenko and UFC veteran Fabricio Werdum. “I’m looking forward to competing amongst the greatest fighters in the world and fighting my way to another world title.â€

Another big signing for Strikeforce although Barnett comes with a lot of baggage. Very outspoken and he has test positive for taking steroids quite a few times which means you can never know if it is a fair fight or not. I don't agree with what he says about Strikeforce being the home of the best heavyweight divsion when UFC has Lesnar, Carwin, Mir, Velasquez, Nelson, Big Nog, JDS etc.

Still it will be good to see him fighting again and I wonder who he will face first up.

 

[Slim]

Maybe he'll be able to do something in StrikeForce but... in the end it won't amount to much ya know. He'll just be another big name that goes over there... then he'll face someone like Fedor and get his face beat in. But yeah... Strikeforce def does not have the best heavyweight division... they just house possibly the best heavyweight in Fedor.

 

[Troy]

He will pick up a nice paycheck there as well since Strikeforce seem to enjoy throwing money around to draw in fighters. They are on CBS so that would bring in quite a bit of money and if Barnett actually fights then he will get himself a lot of exposure.

Talking about Fedor, any news on when he will fight next after his shock loss last fight? Would they use him right away against the new signing Barnett?