Fedor-Barnett Bout in Jeopardy

**honest_truth** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 12:12am

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/fed...jeopardy-18663

Affliction Entertainment and M-1 Global are looking for a new opponent to face Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction “Trilogy” on Aug. 1 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Multiple sources have told Sherdog.com that the California State Athletic Commission will not license Josh Barnett after a positive result on a pre-fight test. Calls to the California State Athletic Commission and Affliction Entertainment were not immediately returned.

Barnett said he had not been notified of any issues with his eligibility as of Tuesday evening.

“I took my test three weeks ago. I would have thought I would have heard something by now,” Barnett told Sherdog.com.

However, the former UFC heavyweight champion said he had not checked his phone messages recently and later added, “No matter what happens with this, I can assure you I will clear my name. This will not be something that I am defined by.”

Vitor Belfort has agreed in principle to face the world’s No. 1 heavyweight on 11 days’ notice, according to two separate sources close to the negotiations. One source told Sherdog.com that Emelianenko will have the opportunity to choose between Belfort and Bobby Lashley. Lashley has denied knowing anything about replacing Barnett, though.

"I don't know if I would want it right now. Since the last fight, I haven't really been into training again," he said. "That fight is next week. That would be something I would really have to take a look at. To just jump in there probably wouldn't be the smartest thing for me right now. A lot of people would say that might be a money fight. They figure, 'If we give him enough money, will he do it?' That's what people tend to look at. I don't want to get into fighting for the money so much right now.

Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, is scheduled to face American Top Team standout Jorge Santiago in a middleweight bout on the Aug. 1 card.

OH MY GOD WHAT THE **** IS THIS **** ?

MOTHER **** YOU BARNETT FOR PULLING THIS **** ON US YOU FUCKING ****** BITCH.

I hope Fedor chooses Belfort, although fighting Bobby "who ate my pokemons" Lashley would be lolz, even more lolz if he wins, and triple mega lolz if he fight cock chestner later on.

**theotherserge** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 1:01am

Catch wrestling failz?

**theword** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 2:20am

Dana White obviously hired an elite team of frat boys to creep into Barnett's training camp and slip him a roofie & steroid cocktail. That's why he can't remember anything and tested positive. Damn you Dana White, damn you and your conniving ways.

Really though I hope this is just rumor and red herrings.

**Kambei Shimada** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 3:27am

This is giving me ROID rage!!! I was looking forward to this way more than the Mir vs Lesnar fight.

Fesdor vs Lashley would be worth watching for the LOL's.

**bopinator** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 3:38am

Seems a bit suss to me, not gonna trust sherdog until some more legitimate sources come out. This is like the same day the whole Kimo is dead was started.

**DSL** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 11:00am

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/...sp?a=9202&z=13

Originally Posted by MMAweekly

AFFLICTION CONFIRMS BARNETT OUT OF FEDOR FIGHT
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com

Affliction vice president Tom Atencio confirmed in an interview with MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday morning that Josh Barnett has been pulled from his main event match-up against Fedor Emelianenko due to an alleged positive test result for a banned substance from the California State Athletic Commission.

At this time, he would not speculate who the replacement fighter to face Emelianenko would be, but said that the promotion is working on it and hopes to announce something soon.

"Josh was denied his license, the renewal of his license, due to testing positive for a banned substance," Atencio said in the interview.

Bill Douglas, Assistant Executive Officer of CSAC, wrote in an email to MMAWeekly.com that a “comprehensive statement” regarding the matter would be released on Wednesday.

With the show just over a week away, rumors are already flying as to who Affliction could bring in to face the No. 1 heavyweight fighter in the world on short notice.

"Right now, it's rumors. I'm working on something and I think anybody that knows me knows I'm not going to say anything until I have something finalized," said Atencio. "At this point everything's rumors. I am working towards finding somebody, but until I have the contracts signed I'm not saying anything."

The fight between Fedor and Barnett was set to be a five-round title fight, but again, Atencio said it's a wait-and-see situation for the replacement fighter if the bout would end up as a championship bout or a three-round non-title affair.

"It's up to whomever steps up and whatever agreement we come to," he commented.

At this point the rumored fighters to step up and face Emelianenko have centered on middleweight fighter Vitor Belfort, and former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley, but the Affliction vice president didn't want to speculate if either could step in to the main event.

Belfort's name seems to be leading the way as to who could step up for the fight with Fedor, and when talking about the currently scheduled match-up between Belfort and American Top Team fighter Jorge Santiago, Atencio said, "It's definitely a fight I'm looking forward to, if anything changes, obviously everybody's going to find out. At this point, it's an amazing fight."

MMAWeekly.com sources on Tuesday night said that Belfort had agreed in principle to step up two weight classes to face Emelianenko, but maintained he had not yet fully committed to the fight and was still weighing his options.

Speaking with Sherdog.com late Tuesday night, Lashley said, “I don't know if I would want it right now... That would be something I would really have to take a look at. To just jump in there probably wouldn't be the smartest thing for me right now.”

One fighter whose name has popped up amidst the speculation is Brett Rogers, although he hasn’t been approached about the fight yet.

"The opportunity to fight Fedor on 10 days (notice) is something that Brett would entertain," his agent, Ken Pavia told MMAWeekly.com. "A lot of stars would have to align, but it is not beyond the realm of possibilities."

Rogers, who has an undefeated 10-0 record, is fresh off a 22-second knockout win over former UFC heavyweight titleholder Andrei Arlovski. Emelianenko is 30-1 and unanimously regarded at the No. 1 ranked heavyweight in the world. He is also coming off a knockout victory of Arlovski.

Stay tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more information on Barnett's replacement as it becomes available.

(Steven Marrocco and Jeff Cain contributed to this report.)

**edtang** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 11:05am

I don't know why Barnett bothers with fighting in the states (well, other than the millions of gold coins that Affliction was offering him). He'd obviously be so much happier if he just wrestled and fought in Japan all the time.

**UpaLumpa** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 12:26pm

Fucking Barnett. Jackass apparently scheduled the time of the test himself too.
Fucking tool.

**datdamnmachine** · Posted On: 7/22/2009 1:14pm

Originally Posted by UpaLumpa

Fucking Barnett. Jackass apparently scheduled the time of the test himself too.
Fucking tool.

Can we get some confirmation on him scheduling the time of the test himself? If that is the case, the potential for various "You Fail" pictures are immense.