Following Josh Barnett’s most impressive domination of Ryron Gracie at Metamoris 6 last week, the UFC announced today The Warmaster will be fighting Roy “Big Country” Nelson in the UFC Fight Night 78 headliner in Japan on Sept. 27. It didn’t take long after the fight announcement for Big Country to fire the first shot with this tweet:
I HOPE @UFC DRUG TESTING IS IN EFFECT by then ;) Right @GeorgesStPierre @arielhelwani pic.twitter.com/nW0haVT4Yy
— Roy Nelson (@roynelsonmma) May 14, 2015
Nelson is obviously referencing Barnett being stripped of the UFC Heavyweight Title back in 2002 after testing positive for banned substances following a second round TKO win over Randy Couture at UFC 36. Barnett wouldn’t set foot back inside the UFC Octagon for 11 years and spent most of that time fighting in Japan for Pride, and after that Strikeforce in the U.S. Barnett has never tested positive for any banned substance since.
Exactly 24 minutes after Big Country posted his “No Drugs” tweet, Barnett responded:
I'm hoping they allow you to do steroids just make this a competitive fight. Gravy injections haven't worked for you https://t.co/6HX91Ykcte
— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 (@JoshLBarnett) May 14, 2015
That’s pretty funny. I only wish Barnett would have included a photoshopped pic showing Nelson mainlining gravy. Now that would have been really funny. Oh you guys. You’re too much. Bickering back and forth about steroids and gravy. Barnett hasn’t been popped in over a decade, although it is true much of that time was in Japan where PEDs were reportedly not discouraged. And up until this point there’s been no photographic or video proof, not even eyewitness testimony that Big Country is a fan of gravy. Maybe he’s just a double bacon cheeseburger on donuts kinda guy.
In all reality this should be a fun fight. Both are BJJ black belts with Barnett obviously more geared toward catch wrestling. However, Nelson prefers to keep it standing and knock your block off, while Barnett wants to take you down and punish and submit you. Barnett I think has more tools in his tool bag and more ways to win, but if Big Country connects at any moment he can turn the lights out.
Look for more verbal grappling and promo from these two as we get closer to September.