Josh Barnett = Plaxico Burress?

As the sport of Mixed Martial Arts continuous to gain momentum and become even more main stream, their fighters will begin getting compared to others in various sports.

As I browsed my typical website library I came across a very interesting picture of a pregnant Hooters chick.  Of course it got my attention which led me to a post about Affliction.  The T-shirt guys who tried MMA, but have failed miserably.

While I read this interesting post, and still laughing at the Hooters chick, I came across a very interesting comparison between Plaxico Burres and Josh Barnett.

I will be honest, at first I shriveled my nose and laughed out loud at such an odd grouping, but as I read it started to make sense.

If you think about it, it isn't too much of a stretch.  Plax was a part of the strongest offense in the NFL.  They led all other teams in scoring and seemed to be poised to make another title run.  Then Plax went crazy and tried to shoot off his leg ( accidentally of course). 

The New York Football Giants never recovered.  In a flash (pun intended) their dreams of another ring, a visit to the White House, and another Manning championship went down the drain.

In terms of Affliction, they were never on top of the MMA world.  Although it sounded great initially, if you are going to pay millions and millions to the world's top fighters, that money has to come from somewhere.  Money does not grow on trees and in this case it seems to have run out. 

They put all of their money into a heavyweight division full of names, but unlike wine, they didn't get better with age.  Seems like they all found glass jaws and have been going to sleep real quick in fights.

Then comes along Josh Barnett.  In a move that could only be scripted by the UFC, he pops for steroids.  Yet another post Pride guy that trains like Barry Bonds.

This couldn't have came at a worse time for the T-Shirt guys.  Instead of putting one a fight between the worlds top two big guys, they now have scrapped the show all together.

In a sense they went from having a solid offense that was poised to make their title run, to one that is scrambling to not make the playoffs.  Except this time around the playoffs aren't just a post season, they are the future.