Thats besides the point though. Barnett is right, what did Couture really do to deserve this type of special treatment? Beat Gonzaga? Who is gonzaga? so what, he beat Crocop...well so did Kongo and Herring beat him, and Werdum just beat Gonzaga also and Vera so why shouldn't the fans demand a shot between him and Fedor? Couture also beat Sylvia, by decision...well Nog just submitted him after beating Herring, who is the guy that just beat a guy that beat Crocop also so why isn't he worthy of a fight with Couture??? This entire **** is all smoke and mirrors to create a huge fight, and thats all. Couture is a very popular fighter so he is the one designated as the "man to fight Fedor" when in reality he should have to actually fight Werdum, Nog, Barnett and Arlovski to prove he is more worthy of the fight against Fedor.
Couture is not just a popular fighter. He is a MMA legend. He is not looking to fight every up and comer that comes along in the next five years. He is looking to end his career by fighting the most significant heavyweight opponent that he never could secure a date with - Fedor. The two are contemporary rivals not dissimilar from Hearns and Leonard ruling the welterweights twenty five odd years ago. Couture defeated Tim Sylvia - the recognized UFC heavyweight champion. He soundly thrashed Gonzaga who was the legitmate number one contender. By all rights it should have been a fight between Couture and Crocop - but the cards didn't play out that way. I am disappointed that Randy never came back to fight Noguiera after Nog won the interim UFC heavyweight championship - but I can understand why he did not. At this point Randy Couture is keeping his eyes on the prize and that is the man who defeated Noguiera. Defeated Crocop. Defeated every man he's shared the ring with. (He did rematch TK right?) Fedor was the last Pride Heavyweight Champion and a dominant one at that. A match between he and the UFC Heavyweight Champion (Couture) can only be good for the sport. Randy deserves his shot at Fedor. Then he can ride off into the sunset - win or lose - and become one of the great ambassadors of the sport of MMA. Josh Barnett deserves his shot at Fedor as much as anyone else. He has been working his way through the top heavyweights in his quest to fight Fedor - but has fallen short a few times. For instance - he couldn't make it past Crocop - while Couture defeated the man who beat Crocop. Barnett is trying to make a buck like everyone else - so why wouldn't he want Randy Couture to fight him? That's a mega-payday for Barnett - with the only bigger one being against Fedor perhaps. I say perhaps because Couture is certainly more well known in the general public and MMA fan's eyes as opposed to Pound for Pound King Fedor who is still only known to the cult of hard core MMA fans. Time will tell on wether or not Affliction can bring Fedor into the public's consciousness. I say Barnett deserves a shot - but not as much as Randy does. Barnett should step aside, let Couture and Fedor fight. Couture will more than likely retire - especially if he loses. There will always be time for Barnett to fight Fedor at a later date. Couture vs Fedor must happen. Or else it remains the great debate of MMA. Who would have won?
If Couture isn't worthy to fight Barnett... then nobody is. Nog has looked like **** in his last few fights. Barnett hasn't done anything amazing, Cro-Cop sure doesn't deserve a rematch, Arlovski deserves a shot, but no more than Couture does.... especially considering the fact that Couture came out of retirement to manhandle the fighter who beat Arlovski twice in a row.... and Arlovski beat Werdum so Werdum isn't ahead of him. So if Couture needs to fight other guys to prove he is "worthy" of fighting Fedor... then who the hell is already worthy without also having to prove themselves further? Couture needs no proof of how worthy he is. I could say just as easily that Fedor hasn't done enough his past couple fights to prove he is worthy of his title, and a shot at Couture. It's all nonsense. Everyone knows what both fighters are about... which is why people want to see that fight. I will give you that Couture is old, inactive, and coming off of an injury. That is the only thing that turns me off.
