Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva Calls Out Josh Barnett and Brock Lesnar

Coming off the biggest win of his career, soundly defeating Fedor Emelianenko in the first round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, Antonio Silva had some choice words for fellow heavyweights Josh Barnett and Brock Lesnar in an interview with Sherdog.

“Bigfoot” is slated to take on the winner of Fabricio Werdum—a close personal friend who defeated him in 2009—vs. Alistair Overeem in the semifinals of the grand prix.

However, Silva already has his eyes set on who he would like to take on in the finals: Josh “The Baby Faced Assassin” Barnett.

Silva has some serious questions about Barnett’s character, which has clearly rubbed him the wrong way over the years:

“Friendship, for me, is everything, but Josh is a weird guy, a guy who doesn’t greet you when you enter the elevator, doesn’t even say ‘good morning.’ It’s how he treats Brazilian fighters especially. It’s the same thing with [Barnett and] Werdum.”

The Strikeforce heavyweight continued, “But when [Barnett] sees Fedor, [UFC President] Dana White or [UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo] Fertitta, he runs to them and stays by their side all the time. He makes me sick. He’s the classic kiss-ass, a rude man …” 

Silva made it clear that he would like to teach Barnett a lesson in manners, adding, “I really want to face Barnett and I’ve already said I consider him a filthy person, even though he is a great fighter, and that I’ll beat him up and close both of his eyes.” 

“I’ve been fighting since 2004 and have never had any issues with another athlete, even the most stuck-up,” Silva also wanted to clarify. 

The next topic on the table for Bigfoot: former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

Some fans, and even some fighters, believe that Lesnar pulled out of the UFC 131 main event against Junior Dos Santos due to fear, dismissing the notion he is dealing with a relapse of diverticulitis.

Silva left no question on where he stands on this issue. “I don’t want to judge anyone and I really wish it’s not a big health problem for [Lesnar], but I have some doubts,” he explained. 

“That big guy doesn’t like being punched. In his last fights, he was put in the fetal position by Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez, which is humiliating for a fighter.”

Ouch.  Bigfoot certainly didn’t pull any punches on that statement.  He concluded by saying:

“I think he pulled out of the fight against ‘Cigano,’ who is a real heavy puncher and a real tough opponent for someone who doesn’t like being punched.” 

Bigfoot has criticized Lesnar in the past, mocking him for his time in the WWE with comments like “Man, I think he must return to his fake fights; that it’ll be best for him.”

Silva also mentioned that he would love to fight in the UFC one day, and if his prediction is correct, that could be sooner than later.

The big Brazilian feels that the winner of the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament will go on to face the UFC heavyweight champion next and added that “I hope I can get both belts.”