It seems the promotion is placing a major emphasis on Hall of Fame recognition in 2025, with three inductees in as many pay-per-view events. That’s hardly a coincidence. As the UFC has faced criticism lately for hosting lackluster events, this move adds to the overall production value (but that’s a topic for another blog).

This raises the question: who should be next? And what exactly is the path to getting there? Also, why are some fighters still not in?

Criteria for UFC Hall of Fame Induction

There doesn’t appear to be a specific formula for induction, so for now, we’ll stick with patterns observed in past classes:

• Fighters must have a winning record (sorry, Tank Abbott fans).
• They should be influential in the development of the UFC or mixed martial arts as a whole.
• World championships and significant title reigns are often a key factor.

In terms of influence, the first bout between Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin is a prime example. Even though this was the pinnacle of Stephan’s career, his legendary fight with Forrest helped shape modern MMA, giving the industry a defining moment to build from.

It’s also rumored that being “on good terms” with the UFC is necessary for induction. However, the inductions of Don Frye and Tito Ortiz suggest otherwise—though we’ll revisit that topic later.

Frank Mir

Mir is a two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, holding the record for the most submission victories in the division. With notable finishes over Tim Sylvia, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), and Brock Lesnar, Mir also showed exceptional longevity, with a UFC career spanning 15 years.

It’s a bit of a head-scratcher as to why he isn’t already in the UFC Hall of Fame. Some valid arguments could involve his unclear retirement status or his departure from the company. Regardless, this one isn’t a matter of “if,” but “when.”

Josh Barnett

Barnett is one of the most notable heavyweights in MMA history. After capturing UFC gold, he had a successful stint in Pride FC before returning for another run in the modern UFC era. Competing at a high level across two decades is no small feat.

However, his rocky relationship with the UFC—especially Dana White—and multiple failed drug tests may be what’s keeping him out of the UFC Hall of Fame.

Frank Shamrock

This one’s particularly interesting. Frank was the UFC’s first Light Heavyweight Champion (originally called the Middleweight Championship). He compiled a perfect 5-0 record in the promotion and defended his title four times.

His most notable bout was the instant classic against Tito Ortiz at UFC 22, where he defeated Tito via strikes. That fight alone deserves a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing. Shamrock was also one of the first fighters to showcase a truly well-rounded skill set, making him a pivotal figure in the sport’s early growth.

Unfortunately, Frank has a long-standing and very public feud with Dana White. He’s even gone as far as questioning the Hall of Fame’s integrity due to his exclusion—an act that some believe disrespects those already inducted. I don’t see Frank Shamrock getting in any time soon.

Conclusion

The UFC Hall of Fame will likely be a hot topic of discussion over the next year. As the conversation builds, casual fans will begin researching the legends of the sport to speculate on who’s next.

While the UFC has made amends with many former fighters over the years, it still appears that being cordial—or even friendly—with the UFC brass helps your chances. Unlike Major League Baseball, where a committee of sportswriters vote on inductees, the UFC has complete control over who gets in.

By the way… who is on that committee?

The post Three Fighters Who Should Be in the UFC Hall of Fame, But Are Not appeared first on Cageside Press.

KSW Epic featured Mamed Khalidov, a true KSW legend, in a boxing match with Tomasz Adamek, while heavyweight champ Phil De Fries was matched up with a former UFC champ in Josh Barnett — not in MMA, but in a grappling match.

Also set for the Epic card was a single-night light heavyweight tournament, with four men competing. Piotr Kacprzak vs. Adam Brysz, meanwhile, would be contested under MMA rules, but with fighters wearing a Gi.

Where to Watch KSW Epic

Saturday, Feb. 24 2024’s KSW Epic card takes place at the PreZero Arena in Gliwice, Poland, streaming live via KSWTV.com. The action gets underway at 1PM ET; full results from the event can be found below.

KSW Epic Results

Tomasz Adamek def. Mamed Khalidov by TKO (injury), Round 3, 3:00 — Boxing
Rafał Haratyk def. Damian Piwowarczyk by split decision — LHW Tournament Final
Phil De Fries vs. Josh Barnett ends in a draw — Grappling
Václav Sivák def. Michał Królik by unanimous decision — Caged Muay Thai
Darko Stosic def. Matheus Scheffel by TKO (punches), Round 1, 1:14 — PRIDE Rules
Rafał Haratyk def. Marcin Wójcik by TKO (punches), Round 1, 4:07 — LHW Semifinal 2
Damian Piwowarczyk def. Kleber Silva by KO, Round 1, 2:15 — LHW Semifinal 1
Ivan Erslan def. Bogdan Gnidko by KO, Round 1 — MMA
Muslim Tulshaev def. Konrad Rusiński by TKO (stomps), Round 3 — No Holds Barred
Piotr Kacprzak def. Adam Brysz by TKO, Round 1, 2:40 — MMA in Gi

The post KSW Epic Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Former ONE heavyweight champion Arjan Bhullar announces birth of son

Indo-Canadian ex-ONE Championship heavyweight title holder Arjan Bhullar, also of UFC fame, may have lost his title earlier this year, but he still has reason to celebrate. Bhullar took to social media this past week to announce the birth of his son, Heera Singh Bhullar.

Congrats! Can’t wait to see the kid’s takedown skills!

Welcome to the world Heera Singh Bhullar, my son🙏🏾#blessed #fatherson #family #TeamBhullar #OneBillionStrong pic.twitter.com/TdZgF5eylu

— Arjan Singh Bhullar (@TheOneASB) October 2, 2023

Former UFC heavyweight champ Josh Barnett makes AEW debut at WrestleDream

Ex-UFC heavyweight champion and Strikeforce/Bellator fighter Josh Barnett has long worked as a pro wrestler, seamlessly transitioning before real life fighting and scripted fisticuffs perhaps better than any fighter of his era.

At last Sunday’s WrestleDream, Barnett made his AEW debut, turning up in the world’s #2 pro wrestling promotion (second only to WWE) to take on Claudio Castagnoli. Barnett cut a rather respectful promo after losing the match against Claudio (formerly WWE’s Cesaro), and followed that up on social media.

Claudio was all I hoped to find in the ring and even more so; arguably more than even he knows lies still within him. Fights like these are something that will get me grab my boots and travel to any corner of the globe. I live for it.

Thank @AEW for providing such field of… pic.twitter.com/vhboBqjBGI

— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 (@JoshLBarnett) October 2, 2023

Mighty Mouse to AEW?

Speaking of AEW WrestleDream, the pro wrestling PPV was held in Seattle, and local star Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson was in attendance. Considered by many one of the greatest fighters of all time, the UFC and ONE Championship flyweight champ later teased a move to pro wrestling on X, which is apparently what Elon Musk is stubbornly sticking with (but we all know it’s Twitter).

Thanks to @AEW for the invite to #AEWWrestleDream…do you guys want to see me get in the ring next time? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/03M7WoNg7v

— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouse) October 2, 2023

Not sure there’s much of a flyweight division for pro wrestlers, but AEW has been very successful promoting smaller bodies, most notably Darby Allin, one of the company’s biggest homegrown stars.

In other “Mighty Mouse” news, his future with ONE Championship and MMA as a whole remains up in the air. No fight has been announced, but Johnson hasn’t announced his retirement, either. He had hinted at hanging up the gloves ahead of his rematch with Adriano Martins, but left the door open for a return.

Conor McGregor back in the USADA pool?

Conor McGregor and USADA have been going through a bit of a behind-the-scenes battle, along with the UFC, in recent months.

USADA has been vocal about the returning Irish star, who withdrew from its testing pool while rehabbing a broken leg, undergoing the required six months of drug testing before returning to competition. The UFC (and UFC alone, USADA officials previously told Cageside Press) can waive that requirement, and throughout the past year, McGregor appeared to be banking on that, claiming he would only need a couple of clean drug tests to fight again.

Who was going to win out, USADA or the UFC’s biggest star? Looks like it might be USADA.

This past week, McGregor posted a message to Instagram directed at would-be opponent Michael Chandler that included the line “Submitted my stuff to Novitzky.” That would be Jeff Novitzky, the UFC’s Senior VP of Athlete Health and Performance. On the UFC’s end, he’s in charge of the UFC’s Anti-Doping Program, which is run by USADA. Most have taken McGregor’s message to mean he’s back in the USADA pool.

If that’s the case, six months of testing would put the Irish star in line for when UFC 300 is expected to take place.

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Ex-UFC Stars Turn Up on AEW PPV, McGregor Back in USADA Pool? appeared first on Cageside Press.

Barnett’s insights come in the wake of disturbing reports from Mexico, where Baroni was recently arrested for the alleged murder of his girlfriend.

“The New York Badass” appeared at Barnett’s inaugural Bloodsport event in 2019, alongside the likes of Davey Boy Smith Jr., Dan Severn, and Minoru Suzuki. The Game Changer Wrestling-backed shows combine MMA and pro wrestling in a sort of “worked shoot” angle; Baroni lost his lone appearance against Dominic Garrini by DQ.

According to Barnett, Baroni was game for more, but his behavior became a concern.

“The news about Phil Baroni is terrible and incredibly tragic as well,” Barnett wrote on social media on Wednesday. “I’ve known Phil for 2 decades + and at the 1st JB Bloodsport show could see that his personality and behavior was erratic, displaced, and emotionally he was all over the place and it was obvious why: CTE.”

The news about Phil Baroni is terrible and incredibly tragic as well.

I've known Phil for 2 decades + and at the 1st JB Bloodsport show could see that his personality and behavior was erratic, displaced, and emotionally he was all over the place and it was obvious why: CTE

— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 (@JoshLBarnett) January 4, 2023

“It was so tough dealing with him at the show that I couldn’t keep booking him even though I wanted to,” Barnett continued in a multi-part thread on the subject. “He was too much to handle and so scattered. He blew up at me because I hadn’t used him again and I blocked him on social media but there wasn’t much I could do.”

“Fighters need to take of themselves and those around them need to be vigilant and watchful as well. I’ve seen the decline from the man I have been friends with for so long to where he was last I saw him and it’s heartbreaking. Now with what has happened in [Mexico] it’s just so awful.”

Barnett went on to state that he was not in any way excusing Baroni’s actions. “No, this is not excusing nor defending. I have not and am not making those points. It is simply some personal opinion and context.”

One of the longest-tenured heavyweights in the sport, Barnett’s recollection of an erratic, emotionally unbalanced Baroni certainly does give some context to the tragedy south of the border. As far as the suggestion that CTE could play a factor, it’s definitely possible — though at present, the disease can only be properly diagnosed post-mortem.

A recent study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found 41% of combat sports athletes tested positive for signs to CTE, in a group composed of active and retired fighters from both boxing and MMA. Totaling just 176 fighters in total, only 66 hailed from MMA. Of fighters flagged as positive for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome (TES — the criteria for which are designed to represent clinical CTE), only 17% were among the MMA group, with the other 83% comprised of boxers, despite mixed martial artists making up 37.5% of the study. That would seem to suggest that the risk of developing CTE may be less for MMA fighters, though certainly not negligible.

Baroni’s last recorded combat sports endeavor was a boxing match in Mexico in December of 2021, which he won. In MMA, the UFC, PRIDE, Strikeforce, ONE Championship, and Bellator MMA veteran sports a 16-19 record. Baroni also competed in bare-knuckle boxing, and appeared in just under 40 recorded professional bouts in his 20+ year career.

The post Josh Barnett Says He Was Forced to Stop Booking “Erratic” Phil Baroni for Pro Wrestling Gig appeared first on Cageside Press.

Josh Barnett’s long-awaited return may finally be here, but it won’t be in MMA. The former UFC champion has been out of action since his main-event win against Andrei Arlovski in 2016, first due to a USADA violation in December of that year. Barnett disputed that the violation was due to a tainted supplement, but he was suspended two years regardless. Barnett would eventually be vindicated in arbitration, but he still lost a lot of fighting time. Following the ordeal, he was released from the UFC and headed to Bellator.

Barnett was set for a fight with Ronny Markes, however, it would be scrapped twice due to issues on Barnett’s side. The first cancellation coming on fight day with Barnett coming down ill, then Barnett allegedly failing medical tests for the second fight. With both fights being cancelled, it seems that Barnett has turned his sights to bare-knuckle fighting.

And it appears he may finally be getting a fight. Barnett is allegedly fighting at the event “Genesis”, a bare-knuckle card set up by a founder of KSW. Barnett’s opponent is also a former fighter of KSW, as he is set to take on former KSW champion Marcin Rozalski. Rozalski has not fought in MMA since 2017, where he knocked out Brazilian Fernando Rodrigues Jr. in 16 seconds to claim the promotion’s heavyweight crown. He also has a slew of kickboxing bouts across his 16-year career.

The bout announcement caught many by surprise as Barnett just signed with Bellator last year. However, Barnett and his team were able to reach an agreement with Bellator for this cross-promotion fight. The fight will be streamed on pay-per-view on October 23. The promotion announced the pairing along with a trailer, available on the Gensis Fights Youtube Channel.

The post Josh Barnett Set For Bare-Knuckle Debut In Poland appeared first on Cageside Press.

However, Barnett is out of the fight yet again, and will be replaced by Matt Mitrione. A Bellator official confirmed the news to Cageside Press on Wednesday, following an initial report by MMA Fighting.

Josh Barnett’s removal from the card stems from what the Mohegan Sun Commission called a “failed medical requirement” in a statement to MMA Fighting. “Mr. Barnett has failed a medical requirement by the Mohegan Tribe Dept of Athletic Reg and will not be fighting on the March 13 Bellator event,” Mazzulli wrote. “He will not be allowed to fight till he resolves the failed test.”

Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1NC) was last seen in a rematch against Sergei Kharitonov at Bellator 225, where the former football player was finished by the hulking Russian. That fight came after their initial meeting ended early due to a painful-looking low blow that landed on Kharitonov. The end result was a No Contest.

Markes (19-7), after departing the UFC, made his way to the PFL. He last fought there in June 2019, defeating Sigi Pesaleli. However, competing at light heavyweight, Markes missed weight for the bout, making him ineligible to win points towards the playoffs. That seemed to signal the end of his run with the company, and his move back to heavyweight.

Bellator 241 goes down March 13 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The main event features a featherweight title fight between Patricio Pitbull and Pedro Caevalho. That serves as part of the promotion’s featherweight grand prix.

The post Matt Mitrione Steps In for Josh Barnett at Bellator 241 appeared first on Cageside Press.

It fell through at the eleventh hour ahead of Bellator 235, but it looks like Josh Barnett vs. Ronny Markes is on again. MMA Fighting was first to report Thursday that the heavyweight duo was being rebooked for Bellator 241 in March. That card is expected to take place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

For Barnett (35-8), it will be his promotional debut, and first fight since a September 2016 victory over Andrei Arlovski in the UFC. After that, Barnett became embroiled in a lengthy battle with USADA over what ultimately turned out to be a tainted supplement. Opting to take his case to arbitration, Barnett was cleared of any wrongdoing — but not before he lost a solid 18 months or so off his career.

His debut at Bellator 235 last month, meanwhile, was scrapped due to illness at the last minute. Barnett was not cleared by the athletic commission after showing signs of illness (reportedly, and rather unfortunately, a bug was making the rounds).

The upside is that original opponent Ronny Markes, another UFC alum, will stay in the fight. Markes (19-7) was most recently competing for the PFL at light heavyweight, but missed weight for his last 205lb fight. In the UFC, he competed as low as middleweight, but has also fought at heavyweight and super heavyweight elsewhere.

The current Bellator 241 line-up, which goes down March 13, 2020, is as follows:

Patricio Freire (c) vs. Pedro Carvalho – Bellator grand prix quarterfinal bout for the featherweight title
Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Daniel Weichel – Bellator grand prix quarterfinal bout
Paul Daley vs. Sabah Homasi
Josh Barnett vs. Ronny Markes

The post Josh Barnett vs. Ronny Markes On Again, This Time for Bellator 241 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Josh Barnett was supposed to make his Bellator MMA debut on Friday night, with two goals in mind: work his way to a shot at the Bellator heavyweight title, held by Ryan Bader, and secure a fight against heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko. Step one was to get the better of another UFC alumni making his promotional debut, Ronny Markes. The backdrop, Honolulu, with Bellator 235 the first of two shows on the Hawaiian island.

The main event, however, never happened. Falling ill ahead of the fight, Barnett was pulled from the card, with news being announced during the broadcast Friday following a scattering of reports online. The turn of events is a huge blow for both the card, and Barnett, who has not competed in years following his battle with USADA while still under contract to the UFC — a battle that ultimately saw him cleared of any intentional wrongdoing by an arbitrator.

Bellator released a statement via social media addressing the matter. “On the advice of the Hawaii State Boxing Commission, tonight’s main event bout between Josh Barnett and Ronny Markes has been cancelled. Barnett has not been cleared tonight due to severe illness. Toby Misech vs. Erik Perez is the new #BellatorUSO main event.”

This just in. pic.twitter.com/4rT3UJovQB

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) December 21, 2019

The hope is that the fight will be rescheduled somewhere later down the line.

The post Bellator 235: Main Event Pulled Due to Barnett Illness appeared first on Cageside Press.

At long last, Josh Barnett has his Bellator MMA debut set. The former UFC heavyweight champion has been booked to headline this year’s Salute the Troops show, which will take place in Honolulu a day prior to Bellator: Hawaii. He’ll take on another promotional newcomer, Ronny Markes, who signed on with the organization earlier this year.

https://twitter.com/ScottCoker/status/1192134139975290880

Barnett (35–8), now 41 years old, has not competed since 2016, when he defeated Andrei Arlovski in the UFC. After being entangled in a drug test fiasco with USADA, he was cleared of any intentional wrongdoing and let off with what amounted to a warning when a tainted supplement was uncovered. Barnett, who had a history of drug testing issues at that point, had begun cataloging and collecting samples of his supplements, leading an arbitrator in his USADA case to state “I have never heard testimony from an individual who has taken so much care to record his supplement regime in order to avoid the very problem he is now experiencing.”

Sadly, the ordeal dragged on for the better part of two years. After being granted his release from the UFC, Barnett signed on with Bellator this past April, and has been waiting for his debut date since.

‘The WarMaster’ holds notable wins over Arlovski, Roy Nelson, Frank Mir, Sergei Kharitonov, Mark Hunt, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Randy Couture, among others.

Ronny Markes (19–7), another UFC alum, fought in that promotion at middleweight, but has competed as high up as super heavyweight over the years. Most recently, he was competing in the PFL, but missed weight for a light heavyweight bout during this year’s regular season.

Bellator: Salute the Troops will take place December 20, 2019 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The post Josh Barnett’s Bellator Debut Booked for Salute the Troops Against Ronny Markes appeared first on Cageside Press.

Josh Barnett has reunited with Scott Coker. Barnett, a former UFC heavyweight champion, was a member of Coker’s Strikeforce roster, and a finalist in the promotion’s storied heavyweight grand prix. Now, he joins a Bellator heavyweight division with a number of aging veterans at a time where Ryan Bader holds the title, and Cheick Kongo is the number one contender.

Barnett signed his deal on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday, marking likely the first time a former UFC star has signed a deal with the UFC’s biggest competitor on a show aired by their broadcast partner. What a fun time to be an MMA fan.

At 41 years old, Barnett (35–8) last competed against Andrei Arlovski at UFC Hamburg in 2016. Earning a submission win and Fight of the Night honors, he then entered a protracted battle with USADA following a positive doping test, and won. After an adjudicator found Barnett had not intentionally doped — Richard H. McLaren, chief arbitrator from McLaren Global Sport Solutions, Inc., wrote that Barnett “is not a drug cheat” in his decision — the heavyweight was free to resume his career.

However, the lengths Barnett had to go to in order to settle the case, including keeping samples of every supplement he took, money out of pocket, and a year and a half out of the sport — soured Barnett on USADA. Following his vindication in the case, he requested his release from the UFC, and was granted it.

Bellator CEO Scott Coker welcomed Barnett to the fold on Twitter, promising the signing was not an April Fools joke.

Welcome to @BellatorMMA, @JoshLBarnett.

(Not an April Fools joke)

— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) April 1, 2019

The post Former UFC Heavyweight Champ Josh Barnett Signs with Bellator MMA appeared first on Cageside Press.