I_Heart_Guidos - orcus - Victor Parlati - Josh lost the second Nog fight because he got dominated by Nog's standup - which set up Nog's ground game (not that Nog subbed him - but he did what he had to do to get the decision)...
but since that fight Barnett's striking game has gotten MUCH better.
Put that together with his chin and his catch wrestling skills...and yeah - he'll probabaly beat anybody in the UFC heavyweight division at this point.
I don't remember the second fight spending any time on the ground. Josh couldn't take Nog down and couldn't beat him standing.
How do you know Josh's striking has gotten "MUCH better" since then? Other than a shot Rizzo, who has he stood with for more than 5 seconds since that fight?
Couldn't take down Nog, couldn't take down Crocop...but he's going to take down Cain and Carwin and JDS etc?
Cool2010's assessment up there is accurate, but I don't see Josh being good enough at wrestling or standup or off his back to beat the best in the UFC.
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There is zero proof joshs striking has improved. Maybe it has maybe it hasn't. Cormier will find out for us. He is turning into a good striker, as evidenced by his fight progression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iglmUG7TpK8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
LOL @ YOU! 
I_Heart_Guidos - Jake88 - I_Heart_Guidos - orcus - Victor Parlati - Josh lost the second Nog fight because he got dominated by Nog's standup - which set up Nog's ground game (not that Nog subbed him - but he did what he had to do to get the decision)...
but since that fight Barnett's striking game has gotten MUCH better.
Put that together with his chin and his catch wrestling skills...and yeah - he'll probabaly beat anybody in the UFC heavyweight division at this point.
I don't remember the second fight spending any time on the ground. Josh couldn't take Nog down and couldn't beat him standing.
How do you know Josh's striking has gotten "MUCH better" since then? Other than a shot Rizzo, who has he stood with for more than 5 seconds since that fight?
Couldn't take down Nog, couldn't take down Crocop...but he's going to take down Cain and Carwin and JDS etc?
Cool2010's assessment up there is accurate, but I don't see Josh being good enough at wrestling or standup or off his back to beat the best in the UFC.
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There is zero proof joshs striking has improved. Maybe it has maybe it hasn't. Cormier will find out for us. He is turning into a good striker, as evidenced by his fight progression.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iglmUG7TpK8&feature=youtube_gdata_player<br><br>LOL @ YOU! <img src="/images/phone/droid.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
Pedro is a shell of his former self. Honestly not that impressive.
Bigfoot>>>rizzo
2008 rizzo is 10 times the striker any bigfoot is. Hell, any rizzo is 10 times the striker bigfoot is.
Bigfoot has terrible speed, footwork, head movement, and is very chinny. No way does outstriking him make you a better boxer than Barnett.
Man, Barnett was never considered the best heavyweight in the world, was considered very good but not that fast, greatly athletic, not the best wrestling, and good striking but not great. Suddenly he beats a few guys who aren't that great to be honest, and now he's expected to win the UFC heavyweight title? You guys are crazy.
I_Heart_Guidos - Jake88 - Bigfoot has terrible speed, footwork, head movement, and is very chinny. No way does outstriking him make you a better boxer than Barnett. <img src="/images/phone/droid.png" alt="Phone Post" border="0" style="vertical-align:middle;"/>
Bigfoot out struck fedor and arlovski. Who has rizzo outstruck lately?
Btw, rizzos wiki lists his win over big daddy by "retirement"
Lol
Bigfoot beat up fedor on the ground, not standing up. I'll give you the arlovski one but who hasn't been beating arlovski lately?
Also rizzo has always been considered a world class striker. When Josh Barnett beat rizzo, rizzo was coming off ko/tko wins against monson and justin eilers, looked very good, and had a lot of hype behind him. The way that Josh outboxed and ko'd rizzo is one of the best displays of technical striking ever in mma. Do yourself a favor and watch that fight. Also try to stop blindly hating on such an awesome fighter like Josh Barnett.
Bigfoot is not very good. Swarlovski was terrified and didn't do anything when they fought and Fedor looked like a man who hasn't trained in 5 years when he fought Bigfoot. It's not that Bigfoot is a good fighter, it's just that those 2 former champions were past it when Bigfoot got to them. Like Marciano beating up Joe Louis and Joe Walcott.
Not a single person on this forum thought that Pedro Rizzo in the rematch with Josh had a prayer.
We still know nothing of Cain and J2S' submission games. It's premature to count Josh out against these 2 greenish fighters.
"We still know nothing of Cain and J2S' submission games. It's premature to count Josh out against these 2 greenish fighters."
We know that they probably have better sub defense than Gilbert Yvel, who went three rounds with Josh mounted on him.
ZJJitsu705 - Yeah he is good, but he tested positive for steroids three times, resulting in the death of a promotion, the loss of his UFC title etc etc. I don't think someone like that is good for the sport, i mean come on, i can understand twice maybe, but THREE times. The guy ruined his reputation big time, and its all his fault.
That. And I sort of am starting to re-like the guy as a fan for some reason but he is far more a liability than schizoid Nick Diaz missing a presser and mean mugging some swearing words pre/post fight.