Barnett Signs With Bellator

Josh Barnett is no-longer a warmaster without a battlefield, as the former UFC heavyweight champion has signed with Bellator MMA.

Barnett, who was released from the UFC in 2018, has spent most of the past two-years working in pro wrestling as a commentator for New Japan Pro Wrestling, signed a multi-fight deal with Bellator during Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday.

“As man fights man
In the epic struggle for survival

The Warmaster shall reign
With oppression fed by a burning hate”

Here I come @BellatorMMA https://t.co/zJmKaERjHV

— 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗 (@JoshLBarnett) April 1, 2019

Barnett’s last fight under MMA rules was in September of 2016, when he defeated Andrei Arlovski in the main event of UFC Fight Night Hamburg.

Breaking: @JoshLBarnett signs with @BellatorMMA (via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/cazASAmrEz

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 1, 2019

USADA announced later in 2016 that Barnett had a potential anti-doping failure, which Barnett would fight for 16 months, until an arbitrator would determine that a “public reprimand” and not a suspension was in-order for Barnett.

Barnett has spent a lot of time working on competitive grappling events on-top of his work in pro wrestling. Barnett’s pro wrestling schedule will see him compete this week, as he will face former Pancrase and current NJPW star Minoru Suzuki.