Josh Barnett and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, both UFC veterans, have already crossed paths twice in their respective illustrious runs as MMA fighters. Both fights took place in 2006 in the now defunct PRIDE FC organization thus fight fanatics might be excited to hear "Warmaster" expressing his desire to settle their score.
Josh Barnett ended up winning the first match via split decision and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira winning the second one via unanimous decision.
As Josh Barnett and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira enter the twilight of their careers, the more outspoken "Warmaster" openly talked about facing his long-time foe in a third fight, which will finally put an end on the issue of who is a better fighter.
Although the famed fighter is still in rehab from a knee injury he acquired in training, he hopes to get back into fighting form soon and make his intentions come into fruition.
"I don't have high hopes for it, but really what it came from was, it was really based on Nogueira's statement of saying I want one more fight and then I want to retire," Barnett told the MMA Hour."So, if he wanted to go out, retire, if he wanted to retire a year ago, that's his prerogative."
He added, "But if he's going to make a statement that he wants only one more fight ... I mean, there's only one more fight for him to take and that's between the two of us and that's because we'd have a trilogy. That's all."
Josh Barnett and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira are coming off knockout defeats. Barnett experienced a first round stoppage in the hands of Travis Browne at UFC 168, while Nogueira was KO'd by Roy Nelson at UFC Fight Night 39, wherein he also tore his ACL in the process.
While both fighters are still uncertain about their comeback dates, it seems like Josh Barnett has nothing else on his mind but to put the perfect punctuation mark to their open-ended story.
"I don't think he actually beat me the second time, but since I didn't go out and finish him, I have to accept even if the judges' decision I feel is the wrong one, it's just the way it has to go," Bartnett said.
