Josh Barnett Breaks Fourth Wall, Threatens Wrestler in The Ring at New Japan Show

UFC heavyweight Josh Barnett
Josh Barnett Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

Josh Barnett’s other career got a little heated over the weekend, as the former UFC star was involved in a confrontation with a pro wrestler that apparently was not a work.

On Saturday Night at G1 Special in San Francisco recently released UFC fighter/NJPW commentator Josh Barnett was involved in an altercation with professional wrestler Jay White after Barnett’s announcing partner, Jim Ross, was injured by a move White was inflicting on an opponent outside of the ring.

Ross’s own announce table was shoved into his torso by the guardrail Jay White and Juice Robinson were interacting with and the 66-year-old Oklahoman was sent flying — and reportedly suffered minor injuries.

Barnett then audibly said on the microphone, “Wow! You done f***** up now,” before jumping the guardrail in an attempt to confront White in the ring.

The whole incident lasted about a minute before Barnett rejoined Ross to the announce table to finish their broadcasting duties, as they had yet to call the night’s main event — the Kenny Omega vs. Cody Rhodes match for Omega’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

After the incident, many fans took the opportunity to voice their opinions that Josh Barnett had acted unprofessionally during the encounter if it weren’t a staged event, to which the former UFC Heavyweight Champion replied, “Not a work.”

If we’re to believe Barnett, then that means he jumped over the barricade and selfishly interrupted a scripted professional wrestling show. Even if Jay White really did injure Jim Ross during a spot gone wrong — what exactly would interrupting the show to pursue a much smaller Jay White accomplish?

It’s been widely speculated that the whole event is a work, but a Josh Barnett vs. Jay White grudge match doesn’t seem like the type of match that would draw in casual fans at this stage in Barnett’s career — even though Barnett is now free to wrestle for NJPW should the stars align.

Barnett has been going at it with many pro wrestling fans on Twitter since Saturday Night:

It’s now been reported by John Pollock that Jim Ross was in the emergency room on Monday as a result of the injuries he suffered on Saturday Night at the G1 Special.

Should Josh Barnett be fired as an announcer if he went off-script and threatened a wrestler during a live broadcast? Let us know what you think on Twitter @Cagesidepress or on our Facebook Page @Cagesidepress! And let us know where you think his MMA career might resume: Bellator, RIZIN, or beyond?