Is Josh Barnett's Ego Overshadowing a Potential Matchup with Fedor?

For over four years now, hardcore fans of MMA have clamoured together riotously at every mention (and there have been many) of the possibility of seeing Josh Barnett  (24-5-0) and Fedor Emelianenko (30-1-0) standing across the ring from one another.

Once more, thanks to both fighters’ current contractual loyalties to Affliction, the promise of such a meeting has again arisen—much to the delight of the diehards.

Unfortunately, the gleam, that once shone so brightly in the eyes of many a fan at the thought of this long-overdue scrap, has been somewhat diminished by the shadow of disappointment that has constantly hung over the potential dream matchup.

The question on the lips of fight fans, the question that has been begging an answer for over four years now is: What’s stopping this fight?

Many reasons have been cited—by both fighters—from contractual difficulties, to financial motivations and even friendship. The most popular reason, from fans’ point-of-view, however, is that Barnett is actually afraid to fight Fedor, that he’s been ducking this fight.

I personally find it hard to believe that any man who habitually steps into a ring or cage with another man—who he knows full well is there to beat him senseless—is likely to be afflicted with a case of the jitters at the prospect of getting roughed-up a bit.

No, it’s doubtful, at best, that Barnett is afraid of Fedor himself, but rather his fears are for his own ego.

Josh Barnett is known for his devil-may-care attitude, and when listening to, watching or even reading any interviews with the “Baby-Faced Assassin” one gets the feeling of a distinctly forced machismo.

Enjoying a career record marred by losses to only three fighters (two of which he is 1-1 against) and the highly-touted reputation of being the only man who stands a chance of dethroning “the Last Emporor”, Josh Barnett has nothing to gain from facing off against Fedor other than another loss he can’t avenge and a payday that won’t go far towards cushioning his pride.

Make no mistake, “the Baby-Faced Assassin” is a prideful man and an intelligent fighter. He knows that his chances against Fedor are slim.

He knows that he won’t be able to employ technically advanced striking to open up holes in Fedor’s game in the same way that Arlovski did, and he knows that his chances of submitting Fedor are about as good as Fedor’s chances of submitting him.

Barnett is the antithesis of Fedor, he fights to his opponent’s weaknesses, and Fedor has no weaknesses Barnett is skilled enough to take advantage of.

Unless Josh sees some flaw the rest of us have missed—some chink in the Russian’s near-mythical armour that he has the weapons to exploit—expect his pride to get the better of him again and keep him out of a match with the champion, a match he doesn’t believe he can win.