Josh Barnett wants Bellator to hold one-night heavyweight legends tournament

Josh Barnett is interested in a potential Bellator heavyweight legends tournament, and if it happens he hopes the tournament takes place during one night.

Barnett was signed by Bellator earlier this year after the UFC released him following a dispute with USADA. He hasn’t fought in three years, and is rumored to be making his return on the year-end Bellator/RIZIN card, though that’s not official just yet.

“The Warmaster” was in Dublin this past weekend for Bellator 227 and was asked by the media about a potential heavyweight legends tournament. Here’s what he said.

“Bellator has the funding (to do a tournament) for sure. I’m down for whatever,” Barnett said. “But if we’re doing a tournament it’s one night. We’re too old. If you stretch us out over a year, we might get geriatric, senile, forget where we’re supposed to be, maybe our social security kicks in so now we don’t actually want to fight anymore, we’re getting that good government money, I don’t know. But, if we’re going to do a tournament we have to do it all in one night.”

Barnett brought up the old-school UFC tournaments that took place during the course of one night. He also said he preferred if Bellator would do 10-minute first rounds like PRIDE used to do.

“Let’s do it like the real men used to do. Stop all this b.s. The commissions out there, trust the men who get out there. We can go three fights, three five minute rounds, we’re fine. Hell, I don’t think five minutes is enough. We need 10-minute first rounds, at least.”

Also in the interview, Barnett expressed interested in fighting Fedor Emelianenko, who he called a good friend while also saying it’s a personal goal of his to fight the legendary “Last Emperor” before both men hang up their gloves.  On the other hand, Barnett also said that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is not a fight he is interested in, saying the two are old training partners and he has no interest in competing against him.

Would you be interested in Bellator holding a one-night-only heavyweight legends tournament? Other than Josh Barnett, who would you like to see compete?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 9/30/2019.