JOSH BARNETT RETURNS TO MMA ACTION AT DREAM 13

Josh Barnett has kept a low profile in the MMA world ever since his failed drug test last summer set in motion a chain of events that led to the demise of Affliction’s MMA promotional efforts.  He’s still appealing that ruling, but in the meantime has stayed out of the public eye for the most part.  Aside from a couple of pro wrestling matches in Japan for Antonio Inoki’s IGF promotion, he’s been out of action completely.  He made his long awaited return to MMA competition on Monday in Yokohama, Japan with a one sided submission victory over K-1 veteran Siala-Mou "Mighty Mo" Siligia in the semifinal match at DREAM 13.
 
Mighty Mo is a powerful striker but in many ways it was a made to order matchup for Barnett, and that was reflected in the MMA betting lines for the fight.  Barnett was a whopping -1100 favorite, with takeback on Mo +650.  Sports betting enthusiasts that laid the big price with ‘The Baby Faced Assassin’ were rewarded for their confidence and never really had any anxious moments as Barnett methodically worked for a takedown and quickly got the submission.  

Barnett is a huge star in Japan, dating back to his run as a top star for New Japan Pro Wrestling following his ill fated stint with the UFC.  He became an even bigger celebrity with his involvement in the PRIDE MMA promotion and has been a mainstay in Japan ever since both in pro wrestling and ‘shoot fighting’.  Barnett speaks fluent Japanese, and always conducts his postfight interviews in the native language.  He was warmly received by the live crowd at the Yokohama Arena for his first Japanese MMA appearance in nearly two years.

Clearly respecting Mighty Mo’s power, Barnett used his height and reach advantage to stay out of range and began peppering his opponent with strikes.  Barnett has become a very good boxer during his career, but his gameplan here was to set up the takedown which he finally got several minutes into the fight.  Once it went to the ground, it was over in a matter of seconds as Barnett locked in a kimura for a quick tapout victory.

Barnett is reportedly in negotiations with Strikeforce to bolster their heavyweight division and hopefully set up a long overdue fight with Fedor Emelianenko.  Barnett never faced the world’s best heavyweight during their tenure in PRIDE, and obviously their main event at the Affliction ‘Trilogy’ show went down the tubes with his failed drug test.  That’s something he’ll have to get resolved before he returns to action in the US, though there is some precedent that suggests he’ll be able to do so.  Former Elite XC champion Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva was stripped of his license for a failed drug test, but after an exile in Japan for a year or so he was able to return to fight in the US.  Hopefully Barnett will be able to do the same.