Josh Barnett Calls Out Kenny Florian
by Michael Rome on Feb 13, 2009 4:00 PM EST
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Josh Barnett was on Tapout Radio today, and covered a number of different subjects. One of the best parts was where he went nuts on Florian for criticizing his technique on MMA Live:
Kenny Florian is a punk-ass bitch. He thinks he can put on a suit, shave his stubble off, and get in front of a camera, and it makes him some sort of expert on MMA. I think it just makes him an expert on taking it up the ass, as far as I can tell...if he thinks his ability on the mat can match his mouth, and if he'd like to show me how to throw an armbar, then be my guest....I can fly out to "sit on a dong," grab him, and see what he's got to say now.
This was one of the most immature outbursts I've heard in a while. No word on whether he will call out other men who weigh close to 90 pounds less than him. Florian voiced a common opinion, that Barnett should have been able to finish Yvel sooner, and that he would have liked to have seen a better performance. He said that if he couldn't finish Yvel from the top, a lot of people will have trouble seeing him beat Fedor. I assume Barnett is mad about Florian's comment about Barnett messing up an armbar from the top. Compared to sports analysis on ESPN all the time for other sports, it was a very tame comment.
Florian's job on MMA Live is to just give his opinions. Going after him personally for it is ridiculous. The whole point of being an analyst is to put a personal spin on things.
I've also seen people criticize Florian for being a shill on MMA Live, which is classic selection bias. This week on the show, he said it was great news that Strikeforce got the deal and that all these fighters would have a place to fight. He then followed up praising Joe Lauzon, who has gone after him publicly. I also rewatched the entire post-Affliction show, where he completely discounted Roach's claim that Fedor got lucky.
-- photo via MMAWeekly.com
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See, I don’t even need to comment now. Well done.
by Derek Suboticki on Feb 13, 2009 5:28 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe after they drill the arm bar, KENFLO can show Barnett how not to get his ass beat when he’s got a guy mounted.
"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard
It is the reverse Penn.
I will play my game beneath the spin light.
by Eugene Schelfaut on Feb 13, 2009 4:08 PM EST up reply actions
I see this as a plus for florian...
It just shows that people are taking Florian seriously, something that wasn’t the case 9 months ago. He is, and will continue to be, one of the great stories in MMA. Nice job Kenny!
I'm just a dude who's trying to put it together.
by mma_dude on Feb 13, 2009 4:07 PM EST reply actions 4 recs
Good call. It didn’t even cross my mind, but now I agree with you.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Feb 13, 2009 6:46 PM EST up reply actions
Really dissapointing
I am sure everyone remembers that awkward, painful conversation between he and Alexs backstage at Affliction, where Barnett comes across as a stupid bully…. This guy does himself no favors. I also recall an interview I saw on Youtube where he claims he is still the UFC heavyweight champion because he never lost his belt… and he wonders why he doesn’t have a big American fan base.
by I don't wear mma t-shirts on Feb 13, 2009 4:14 PM EST reply actions
he does finish fights, does he not? against top guys in his own division,steroid free as well. barnett can’t quite make that same claim now can he?
Whats with the Barnett hate?
He has fought his last two times in the states and tests came back clean.
Also, he is supposed to fight the best fighter in the world next.
Hate on him for his silly remarks, not for what he has accomplished in the ring and Octagon.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Feb 13, 2009 5:32 PM EST up reply actions
Because,
- He looked like crap in his last fight
- He will be destoryed by Fedor
- He called out a guy that fight 4 weight classes under him and is about 100 pound lighter
- He is whining like a bitch because someone told him there was room for improvement (which he said right after the fight)
- he used homophobic language to do it
- He insulted a whole camp based on nothing.
- He has a huge ego that is worthy of hating because he really thinks he is awesome.
- He tested positive for steroids and still thinks he is UFC champ.
- After he beat Yvel he made excuses why he didn’t finish him sooner, i.e. he had blood in his mouth. (that is because Yvel punched you in the face a lot while he was on his back)
Do you need more?
So he has character and a BJ Penn like personality.
Thats fine, you can hate on him for those reason’s all you want, he is still one of the best HWs.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Feb 13, 2009 5:48 PM EST up reply actions
You know, I immediately drew the comparison with BJ myself.
The difference here is that BJ says inflammatory things while promoting a match. But what’s the end game of threatening KENFLO? They obviously won’t be having a match, and they aren’t so much as in the same organization. It was pointless, cowardly, and immature, regardless of his ability in the ring/cage.
To be clear, the cowardice and immaturity could work had there been a point to his rant. Some of the biggest matches in history have been built around cowardice and immaturity of one fighter. They usually involved Tito Ortiz. But again, those displays led to millions of dollars being earned. As Barnett’s rant will lead to no such return, his attitude is not justified and rather embarrassing.
"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard
by Brett Jones on Feb 13, 2009 11:11 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
That about sums it up.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Feb 13, 2009 6:47 PM EST up reply actions
Hahaha
Barnett’s tirade really is rather amusing IMO.
He said he couldn’t finish Yvel because he had blood in his mouth and throat, or something along those lines, which is why it took him so long to get the victory. Either way, he really did have his way with Yvel the entire fight.
I actually like Florian’s analysis, and think he’s usually spot on with his commentary.
He’s really good on the show, and it’ll be a shame if this shit results in him quitting it or toning down his opinions.
by Michael Rome on Feb 13, 2009 4:23 PM EST up reply actions
If his skin is this thin he needs to quit. He’s good at what his does both on and off the mat so I hope it isn’t. If your a journalist/reporter you better be hated by a good portion of people or you aren’t doing your job right.
On the other hand if your a fighter and you don’t have a little fire every now and then well you probably aren’t doing your job very well either.
Of course my hard and fast rules are proved wrong by Freaks like Fedor and a lessor extent Bas (I don’t like Bas anymore myself as a commentator, but I still seem to be in the minority).
Rome’s point is correct: it’s not just that Florian’s analysis was perfectly reasonable and polite, it’s that in other sports this sort of thing is common (if not far more abrasive). Players in other sports on ESPN are absolutely micro-analyzed where the slightest miscalculation is magnified to the Nth degree. For Barnett to be upset over this and then to launch an absurd tirade is absolutely abhorrent.
He owes Kenny and Sityodtong an apology. I expect far more from such an accomplished fighter.
by Luke Thomas on Feb 13, 2009 4:24 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
it’s that in other sports this sort of thing is common (if not far more abrasive). Players in other sports on ESPN are absolutely micro-analyzed where the slightest miscalculation is magnified to the Nth degree.
I would say the difference here is that the analyst in question is a fellow professional who is still currently active. I’ll admit to not having seen a great deal of American sports coverage, but in the UK (and football in particular), there is a real issue whereby players (current or former) who appear on shows are rarely, if ever, critical of their peers. Its can almost be perceived as an old boys club. The BBC is shocking at this (yes Shearer, I’m looking at you), to the point where its a running joke amongst most viewers. Independant analysts will always be more likely to offer subjective analysis.
Typically the analysts are retired players or journalists, but MMA doesn’t have that luxury. The sport doesn’t have many experienced, well-known high level fighters who’ve retired from active competition and made their way into broadcasting. Those days are likely coming, but until Couture leaves we have very slim pickings.
And does anyone recall Barnett actually being critical of his own performance immediately after the fight? If we allow that it wasn’t Barnett’s best example of his ability and that he didn’t fight perfectly with Florian’s very fair and even-handed analysis, Barnett’s response is outrageous in every way possible.
I’d like to add that, part of the ridiculousness of this, is that Florian and Barnett are nowhere near the same size. They couldn’t even meet in a catchweight fight. Florian might as well be retired as far as Josh is concerned because they simply will not encounter each other in their “professional” (fighter) capacity.
"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."
Josh has a great sense of humor that sometimes goes over the top. He would have been an awesome pro wrestler, I take these comments as half serious half bullshit get a rise type stuff.
No biggie.
He would have been an awesome pro wrestler
He is a pro wrestler, which is why I wouldn’t get too worked up over this. I’m sure Florian isn’t.
by Chris Nelson on Feb 13, 2009 4:32 PM EST up reply actions
Again, the end game of a promo in pro wrestling is to promote a match in order to make more money. There’s no match to promote here. So while it’s typically wise to take what Barnett says with a grain of salt, in this case he is either sincere in his petulance or he’s utterly foolish about the potential return from his rant.
"BJ on the BE" - Kierkegaard
by Brett Jones on Feb 13, 2009 11:16 PM EST up reply actions
Uhm, a comedian isn’t just funny when he’s only at a paying jig. A pro wrestler doesn’t only cares about promoting their next match. A pro wrestlers end game is to make money primarily by promoting THEMSELVES. Shoot, that’s every bodies endgame whether they are a CFO or a athlete. Being the shill in Pro wrestler even without an upcoming match is a tried and true method. Vince Mcmahon or Curt Angle will likely be amused with your arguement.
That being said I do think their is a good bit of his opinion in his arguement/tirade.
Barnett needs to first fight a credible heavyweight before calling out 155lbers…
Ive never seen someone look so beat up while being the one in mount position the entire fight.
by mmalogic on Feb 13, 2009 4:25 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Pretty douchey comments but...
“Sit On A Dong” is actually pretty fucking hilarious.
"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"
I can attest personally....
several years back, when Josh fought Jimmy Ambriz I made a post on the sherdog.net forums saying the fight looked like a work. (if you haven’t seen the fight, try to youtube it; to this day it looks fishy to me but it’s not something that keeps me up at nights) I kept it very respectful, said what I saw, and plenty of people on the forums agreed with me.
Barnett was on the forums and went ballistic. Literally threw a tantrum and got into a pissing matchup w/ tons of keyboard warriors. I steered clear of the back-and-forth. He needs some kind of emotional tuning or something.
I happen to find Kenny’s analysis great and take his strongly into account when learning more about MMA, how to assess fights, etc. He should keep up the great work.
by perchdogg on Feb 13, 2009 4:33 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Sorry...
Jimmy Ambriz does really just suck that badly.
I don’t mean to “fighter bash” but seriously the guy is a ‘fighter’ because he’s a big strong powerlifter (props for stepping into the cage) – it might have worked for KOTC and other regional shows, but once he fights guys who either (a) have actual mma games and can neutralize his size advantage or (b) are bigger guys (skill level still plays a factor) – he’s essentially a “can” on the bigger stages.
In sum, he should not be on cards for (inter)national level mma promotions b/c he will get tooled like he did against Barnett and get beat so effortlessly that it looks like a work.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
I made a thread about how the yoshida fight was a work too and he had it deleted. Guy has insecurities. Most roiders do.
by pumaman on Feb 13, 2009 9:41 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah he is hyping his future catchweight fight with Florian. I like how being a pro wrestler is an excuse for dropping homophobic bullshit over the radio.
by Michael Rome on Feb 13, 2009 4:45 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Maybe Florian emailed Yvel about Barnett greasing?
by Tim Burke on Feb 13, 2009 4:48 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Hmm…another reason to dislike the flabby and crabby assassin… :(
by RollinOnShabbos on Feb 13, 2009 4:48 PM EST reply actions
awww... poor Barnett...
You can always hug your big Fedor blow up doll and feel better.
by cauliflower_ears on Feb 13, 2009 4:54 PM EST reply actions
I'm a Barnett fan ...
… but Michael hit it on the head: immature. Sums up that entire thing.
Although detractors decry (MMA) as a brutal, bloody form of human cockfighting, aficionados know it is a brutal, bloody, totally fucking awesome form of human cockfighting. -The Onion
by The Kittitas Kid on Feb 13, 2009 5:20 PM EST reply actions
Huh?
Josh wouldn’t say a single bad word about Yvel, a man he was scheduled to fight in real life , but this kind of talk, directed toward a 155er in another org, is heel mentality? Major LOLZ at that one. Barnett has been a puppy dog lately.
by Blackout612 on Feb 13, 2009 7:11 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
After the whole ‘Mr. Blue’ debacle on the Sherdog forums many years ago, was there any doubt Josh Barnett was an immature baby? He can’t take criticism, that much is clear.
“Mr. Blue”? Say what?
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Feb 13, 2009 6:49 PM EST up reply actions
I dont like Florian so I lol'd.
barnett is definitely a character.
im not impressed with your performance
I also don't like Florian
so I thought it was funny. I really don’t see the big deal with the shit talk and am seriously confused why everyone is crying about it. He fights people in a cage (ring) to make money, so a little busting of balls is definitely not as big of a deal as most of you are making it seem. Maybe he just doesn’t like him. I feel that way about multiple fighters: Jardine, Evans, Lesnar, I could go on all day.
Here you go
Josh can go on an all stevia diet to shed weight, get down to a manageable catch weight so he and Kenflo can go at it….hahaha
Roid rage, obviously. Roid rage combined with a middle school obsession with homosexuality.
by pumaman on Feb 13, 2009 9:39 PM EST reply actions
People who articulately tell the truth seem to always get reaction from small minded people who just don’t seem to get it. This is a good example of that. If you’re Florian, the only thing to pay attention to is thoughtful commentary from people that don’t get emotional. Poor Barnett. I think he was waiting in line for free hot dogs when they were handing out the frontal lobes.
Nail on the Head
This is exactly it – funniest part of all of this is that Kenny is one of the most intelligent, insightful fighters; he does a great job on ESPN and as a color commentator, and you can tell both through his performances there and his in-ring performances and strategies that he’s truly a thinking man’s fighter. One of the more intelligent guys in the sport, imo.
Just for kicks, thought I’d throw a few more Barnett tantrums on here. Here he is bashing Anthony Johnson after a training session, bragging that he suplexed and submitted the young welterweight in training (at least that time he was picking on a WW and not a LW).
Here, he bashes Randy Couture and claims to still be the UFC HW champ.
Must be fun being delusional. I also think it’s worth reiterating, as many have already mentioned, how terribly inappropriate the homophobic remarks are.
by perchdogg on Feb 13, 2009 11:18 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Not a fan anyway....
This is a perfect example of why I can careless about Barnett. He has that Barry Bonds greater-than-all attitude. Unlike Bonds, he’s not in the position that he acts like he’s in. I’m sure when/if given the chance, Fedor will humble him.
Does blood running into your throat reduce performance in the ring?
Josh said himself right after his match with Yvel, “I have a nose that likes to bleed if you even look at it funny”. I believe this is a valid reason for him gassing at the end of the first round.
After taking mount in the first round, Josh Barnett seemed to punch himself out in trying to finish his Dutch opponent. I remember watching the fight, hoping he wouldn’t gas and lose in a horrible upset. Yet, according to Josh he had trouble finishing his opponent that night because he had trouble breathing due to a bloody nose.
Take what his claim as you will, but until you suffer these conditions yourself I think it’s safe to say we don’t know what we’re talking about.
pretty sad, Barnett
Especially coming from a man who was just beaten up from inside his mount by an unranked scrub.
Barnett is by the most over-ranked fighter in the sport. It’s ridiculous that the Meta-Rankings find him at #2. I can’t justify putting anywhere near the Top 10. I hope Fedor crushes him so he can fade in the rankings and in the minds of the pro-wrestling fanboys.
Not only is Florian an intelligent and entertaining analyst of the sport, he is also a better fighter than Barnett. Pound for pound, Florian FTW!
Wahh! Catch wrestling roxxors! Waahh!
It figures that Barnett, being the immense fanboi of his lost art that he is, would refuse to take critique of his ground game from a BJJ black belt lying down. And that includes personal insults and stupid threats not out of place in the WWE.
Hey Barnett, how about instead of bitching, work on your damn top game? That’s supposed to be the only position catch wrasslers are good at anyway, right?
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