Aleksander Emelianenko to Fight Josh Barnett
By Mike MacLeod • Jan 26th, 2008 • Category: NewsAleksander Emelianenko has posted on his official website (in Russian) that he will be fighting for M-1 Gobal on April 11 in Chicago. He says they are still negotiating his opponent, but most likely it will be Josh Barnett.
Barnett is not currently signed with any organization and was last seen in a decision loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on New Year’s Eve 2006. The former UFC heavyweight champion was stripped of his title after testing positive for steroids following UFC 36. He then joined PRIDE in 2004 where he remained until it was purchased by Zuffa last year.
Barnett is still viewed as a highly-ranked heavyweight and is often suggested as an option to help the UFC improve their version of the division. However, UFC president Dana White has not been warm to the idea as he and Barnett still appear to have personal issues to resolve.
Aleksander Emelianenko, the younger brother of the famed Fedor, is a highly ranked heavyweight himself. He competed three times in 2007, winning all of them before the first round ended.
While Barnett may not have been an option to White, this news is disheartening to fans of the UFC heavyweight division. As outlined earlier on Bad Man Sports, the organizations big men are in need of some top talent.
Mike MacLeod is an MMA journalist and freelance writer. In addition to his role as Editor at BadManSports.com, Mike is a contributing writer for FiveOuncesOfPain.com
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all i can say is if this fight goes off is a big ric flair: WHOA!
Hi Clark,
Thinking back to my earlier years when I followed the Nature Boy, I think it’s WOOOOO.
But either way, this should be a great fight. And I’d really like to see how Barnett would do against Fedor too. But it seems Fedor is only fighting men that are in excess of 7 feet and 300 pounds.
the people around fedor might be a bit busy because of the all mighty dollar but if he cracks those hands up he might be threw-
a man his size is just not built to hit people like that.first zulu and now the korean! barnett/fedor would kick butt but fedor might make it look easy! you never know! thanks for the ric flair tip!