If Josh Barnett were to walk away from mixed martial arts tomorrow, he would do so as one of the 10 best heavyweights of all-time and one of the sport’s most controversial historical figures. “The Warmaster” will celebrate his 40th birthday on Nov. 10.
Barnett has compiled a stellar 35-8 record across more than two decades of MMA competition, capturing titles in Pancrase and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. However, multiple suspensions related to performance enhancers have clouded his legacy. A protégé of CSW founder Erik Paulson and the late Billy Robinson, the Seattle native owns victories over Olympic gold medalists Hidehiko Yoshida and Pawel Nastula, former K-1 World Grand Prix winners Mark Hunt and Semmy Schilt, onetime Pride Fighting Championships titleholder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and ex-UFC champions Andrei Arlovski, Randy Couture and Frank Mir.