Report Last Updated - 4/02
Birthdate - n/a
6'3" 250 lbs. - Seattle, WA
Team - n/a
Style - AMC Pankration
Career Highlights
- Defeats Juha Tuhkasaari, John Marsh, and Bobby Hoffman to win the SuperBrawl 13 heavyweight tournament
- Beats Dan Severn at SuperBrawl 16 by submission
- Fights Pedro Rizzo at UFC XXX in his big break-through fight
- Defeats Semmy Schilt by submission at UFC XXXII
- Captures the UFC Heavyweight title by defeating Randy Couture
Striking - Josh Barnett is a big powerful fighter and though his strikes are not as strong as they could be, they serve their purpose. He usually throws his share of punches, but is quite cautious about exchanging them. Barnett prefers to get locked up in close, where he can use his muscle to hold his opponents in and knee away at their abdomen and head if he can.
Wrestling - Barnett is a strong guy, who is good with takedowns and solid with matwork. Even with more powerful opponents, he is able to get where he wants to be very well, whether he's managed to get on top or found himself on bottom. Positioning is very important to a grappler like Barnett, but he often uses these opening for pounding people rather han hooking them.
Hooking - A really smart submission fighter, who will work well from any position. Oddly he tends to be more of a banger than a hooker, though the latter is supposed to be his style. Barnett, much like Tito Ortiz, knows the moves, but just doesn't have to display them regularly. One could make a case that Barnett is one of the best submission fighters going, but he is yet to show that is his strongest area as it is supposed to be.
Strengthes - When you look at the progression of fighters from one to three-dimensional, people like Josh Barnett should come to mind. Barnett can really do it all and he's well-versed stylistically. We've seen him pound people standing, tear them down and finish them with a nice hold. Not only is Barnett a complete fighter, he is an entertaining one with this style as well, which some guys are not.
Weaknesses - Despite all his skill, Barnett's appearance just isn't what will make a star. The soft midsection complete with love handles hardly says that Barnett is a top notch heavyweight fighter. One could also say he gets drawn into stand up battles when he should take things to the mat, but he has managed to survive most of those battles.
Outlook - The UFC has really been a great place for someone like Barnett. It pushes him with solid opposition and has made him one of the most formidable fighters in the world. He's brought something to the company that few can - pro wrestling-isms. Aside from his exciting style, obvious progression and crowd-centric promos, Barnett brings the closest thing to storylines we see outside of Pride. He was put over in defeat, he's beaten a variety of opponents and was an underdog champion. Though many say pro wrestling's influence over MMA is bad, it is things like those the sport needs to stand out and attract fans.