Under the Microscope: Analyzing Heavyweight Greats

Eric StintonFeb 15, 2016

Josh Barnett

* Heavyweight Record: 22-8
* Opponent Winning Percentage: .725
* Longest Winning Streak: 10
* Record in Major Heavyweight Title Fights: 1-2
* Finish Percentage: 86
* Finished Percentage: 63
* Notable Victories: Dan Severn, Semmy Schilt (twice), Randy Couture, Aleksander Emelianenko, Mark Hunt, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Jeff Monson, Pedro Rizzo, Gilbert Yvel, Sergei Kharitonov, Frank Mir, Roy Nelson
* Career Accomplishments: Youngest UFC heavyweight champion in history; 2006 Pride open weight grand prix runner-up; 2012 Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix runner-up

CASE FOR: “The Warmaster” is another old-school veteran who has stayed relevant since the 1990s. Boasting a stellar record against top-shelf competition, Barnett has kept his fingerprints on the heavyweight division since he became the youngest UFC heavyweight champion ever -- a record he still comfortably holds. Perhaps his greatest accomplishments have been his three substantial winning streaks of eight, eight and 10 victories in a row, the amalgam of which clearly setting him apart from the rest of the candidates. This is not to mention the combination of finishing nearly every opponent he has beaten and being stubbornly difficult to put away before the final bell. All things considered, Barnett has had unparalleled longevity at the highest level of the sport and has done so with smug ease.

CASE AGAINST: In a fight, there are not too many holes in Barnett’s armor to exploit, but on paper, there is no shortage of them. First, the three beatings at the hands of Mirko Filipovic place him, at the very least, behind the Croatian; and there is more. For such a well-traveled veteran of the sport, Barnett has been oddly absent in title pictures in virtually every organization in which he has competed. The lone championship win he had was marred by a positive steroid test -- his second in a row, at that. Had the Nevada Athletic Commission decided to overturn his win over Couture in 2002, he would not be on this list to begin with. What trumps his 13-year championship drought, though, is the fact that he has not had a meaningful win since he narrowly defeated “Minotauro” Nogueira in 2006, a result the Brazilian decisively avenged in a rematch three months later. Overall, Barnett is a good mention but is simply too underwhelming a candidate to be considered the undisputed G.O.A.T.

Continue Reading » Mirko Filipovic