UFC Legend and MMA/Pro Wrestling Star Josh Barnett was recently a guest on Wrestling Inc’s Daily podcast to talk about a number of topics, which includes why he is not competing and facing AEW World Champion Jon Moxley at this weekend’s Bloodsport, why Chris Dickinson was paired with Moxley, Moxley’s MMA abilities and more.
Below are the highlights:
On how COVID-19 forced GCW and Bloodsport to cancel their events during WrestleMania weekend:
“Not being able to do Bloodsport earlier this year during WrestleMania week was a big tragedy for us and GCW, and we had a really killer lineup put together, but obviously, the whole thing falling apart was out of our control as everybody out there, minus WrestleMania itself, everything was just dismantled by a pandemic. And understandably so much, as it sucks.
Not much else that you could really say to that but I wanted to do four events this year if possible, and I’m glad that we’re at least going to be able to do one. While it’s not the third event of the year, at this point, that’s fine. We’ll work with it, and one is better than none. I feel like this one is going to deliver. It’s going to give people what they were missing out on.”
On why he is not competing and facing Jon Moxley at this weekend’s Bloodsport:
“Well, I have some other prior commitments, so I’m not able to actively participate in this one as a wrestler, even though, I will be there as a producer and booker, but Bloodsport isn’t just about getting in the ring. It’s about the nature of the event itself.
The design behind it, and I’m really happy to be able to have Moxley there against someone like Chris Dickinson. And I think they’re going to make for a hell of a main event, and we’re going to continue on that legacy that we’ve been establishing since our very first event.”
On why Chris Dickinson was paired with Jon Moxley:
“Well, Dickinson is as tough and gritty as they come. I know that he’s got all the skills to go out there and perform, but he’s got that something in common with Moxley and that is they’re just down and dirty, and he’s got the guns.
And it wasn’t just about how their skill set would match-up or weakness, strengths and vice versa, but it was about the mental match-up as well, that spiritual magic so to speak. They both have something in common in that vein, and I figured why not. This is like adding gasoline to the fire, and I love it.”
On Jon Moxley’s MMA abilities:
“Mox, if you want to say anything about MMA, he trained in professional wrestling. Professional wrestling’s roots are essentially what make up mixed martial arts. The term ‘No Holds Barred,’ which is what MMA was called in its earlier days, is derived from professional wrestling. I mean, if you watch his match vs. Jake Hager, you can see that he’s got skills that he spent time grappling and knows submissions skills, and the man just pure knows how to fight. And that’s what we need more than anything. If you’re in Bloodsport, it’s because I’ve seen something in you that shows that you can fight.
You can go out there and let the fists fly. If you’re cut, you’re bleeding [or] you’re hurt, you’re not going to just roll over for anyone, and you’re not just out there trying to pantomime what you think of fighter is. You just are doing it.”
You can check out Josh Barnett’s comments in the video below:
