Barnett entertaining offers from five promotions
Josh Barnett: “It feels as if the proof of the success of the program is by how many and how hard they can hammer people, and that to me seems like a very dangerous environment to deal with.”
A very great deal of attention is paid when fighters have a test flagged by USADA; it’s further proof that mixed martial arts continues to have a PED problem. However, less attention is paid when USADA’s testing process fails, and a fighter is out for a year or more, over a triviality. As invaluable as USADA is, sometimes MMA has a USADA problem.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett meticulously recorded what supplements he takes, and the source of his test failure last year was readily identified. However, USADA still wanted to suspend him, for four years. Unlike most fighters, Barnett had the financial resources to pay for arbitration, and eventually, he was publicly reprimanded, with a suspension of no days whatsoever.
In the meantime, Barnett had effectively served a 15-month suspension. His experience with USADA was that they were concerned with trophies, not justice. He is no longer comfortable with USADA, and was granted a release from his UFC contract.
“If I was to stay in the UFC there is a massive red flag for me with dealing with USADA because that process was so unnecessary in terms of how it all unfolded,” said Barnett during a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show, as transcribed by Helwani for ESPN. “I’m not against clean sport, or testing, or any of the sort of things that — on paper — a group like USADA is there to uphold and to institute, but when it came to it, it’s like there is no ability for nuance or context.
“For them, it feels as if the proof of the success of the program is by how many and how hard they can hammer people, and that to me seems like a very dangerous environment to deal with, and I dealt with it specifically.”
In positive news, Barnett’s manager Leland Lebarre told Helwani that the five different promotions are seeking to sign the fighter.
“I was confident there would be some interest, but we are blown away by the response to his availability,” said Lebarre. “It’s great to see the health of the MMA business outside the UFC is doing so well.”
“We’re taking a minute to evaluate everything based on the highly competitive bids we’ve received.”
Lebarre declined to name the companies, but if they don’t include Bellator and RIZIN, there is something wrong with this planet.