Much has been written about the feud between Randy Couture, the reigning but absent UFC heavyweight champion, and UFC brass, namely Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta, but this is new: Couture is supposedly interested in starting his own MMA promotion. Couture already has a healthy stable of fighters in his Extreme Couture camp, though the best of them are signed with the UFC, IFL, or with another promotion. Supposedly Josh Barnett, another top-five ranked heavyweight, is interested if Couture goes ahead with this plan. Makes you wonder if this is all to create a loophole which might allow him to fight Fedor Emelianenko despite being under contract with the UFC.
It would be great to see Josh fighting again but we don't need another minor circuit IMO. Randy should attach him name to Elite XC, iron things out with Dana and stay involved with the UFC or maybe even join Mark Cuban's fledgling MMA org and the big $$ backing it. I wish Dana would get over his resentment once again and just sign Josh. He's a great character and a pretty damn solid fighter.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Celtic Fan @ Jan 16 2008, 09:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I wish Dana would get over his resentment once again and just sign Josh. He's a great character and a pretty damn solid fighter.</div> Its true that Dana doesn't like him but his argument against not signing him is pretty solid. Between Big Nog and Mirko, the UFC has the guys who account for four out of Barnett's five career losses.
bah that's hogwash, he's a former UFC HW champ and is a good fighter and has a personality. It's his own personal grudge just like with other fighters including Matt Linhland.
