Barnett: UFC champ will have to come face me
Since the purchase of Strikeforce this past March by UFC parent company Zuffa LLC, a good handful of the participants…
Since the purchase of Strikeforce this past March by UFC parent company Zuffa LLC, a good handful of the participants in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix have Heavyweight iconoclast Josh Barnett told MMAjunkie.com Radio that he has a different philosophy about what he hopes to achieve with his time in Strikeforce, and it’s not necessarily a chance to fight in the UFC.
Unlike those who hope that winning the tournament guarantees a shot at champ Cain Velasquez (or Junior Dos Santos, if he prevails at their meeting in November), Barnett is happy where he is.
“I want to win the Strikeforce heavyweight title,” he said. “That’s what I came out here to do, and the way I see things, that’s the logical conclusion to all this, and create a good example with it. Carry the belt high, and take on all challengers.”
“Eventually, if the opportunity comes to fight in the UFC against Cain (Velasquez) or whoever the champion may be at the time, that would be an amazing opportunity, as well,” Barnett said. “But the thing is, you go chasing after these things, or you need this to validate what you’re doing, chances are you’re going to make it that much harder for you to get ahold of it.
“I don’t need to go out and face them. I’m going to make it where they’re going to have to come out and face me. That’s the way I’m going to do it.”