The MMA pound-for-pound king Fedor Emelianenko and former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett are set to duke it out at Affliction III in August. Josh Barnett is a former UFC heavyweight champion. People know the trend, no former UFC heavyweight champion has beaten Fedor.

Fedor Emelianenko has beaten every former UFC heavyweight champion put in front of him. He even beat the highly regarded Mirko “Cro Cop”, while “Cro Cop” was arguably in his prime.

In Fedor’s last fight with Andrei Arlovski, he was getting battered around with Arlovski’s boxing skills. But after an ill-advised jumping punch that missed, Fedor capitalized by throwing an overhand punch that landed flush on Arlovski’s face and immediately caused him to fall to the ground like a log.

Don’t get me wrong though, Josh Barnett has a legitimate chance of beating Fedor if he forces him to stand and trade. If you notice only 23% of Fedor’s wins are from TKOs. He earns most of his wins through submissions and decisions.

But Josh Barnett does not have superior boxing skills like Arlovski.

Styles will play a big part here. Barnett is a wrestler, nothing else. He also prefers to stand and trade shots with opponents rather than take the fight to the mat. Even though Barnett is a trained wrestler, he can easily be submitted, as his last fight with “Cro Cop” showed. Barnett had top position on “Cro Cop”, but “Cro Cop” managed to perform an awkward arm bar that made Barnett tap.

Common opponents they fought:

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira – Fedor beat him twice (Unanimous decision) and the third was No Contest (Accidental cut), Josh Barnett won by split decision and also lost by unanimous decision.

“Cro Cop” – Fedor beat him (Unanimous decision), Barnett lost three times!

On paper, it seems Barnett does not have the credentials to even warrant a shot against Fedor. He was probably given the fight because he was a former UFC heavyweight champion. This fight was made just to tease MMA fans with a glimpse of what might happen if Fedor fought in the UFC.

Fedor should end the fight fast; he should take Barnett to the ground and try to win by submission. Josh Barnett is a smaller version of Tim Sylvia; slow in throwing punches and an average ground game.

Josh Barnett does hold a big win over the legendary Randy Couture when he was still in the UFC. He won via TKO. Barnett also beat a very old but game Dan Severn in 2000.

Fedor Emelianenko might be the greatest MMA fighter of all-time but him not fighting in the UFC raises several questions about his legitimacy. Can Fedor compete in the UFC against Randy Couture? Or even against an improved Brock Lesnar?

Josh Barnett will have his chance at proving that former UFC heavyweight champions stand a legitimate chance of beating “The Last Emperor”. Barnett does have a big chance of upsetting Fedor. His striking power and world class wrestling skills will give Fedor problems. Fedor is beatable as shown in his fight with Arlovski. If Arlovski was patient with his striking, he would have possibly earned a decision.

But Fedor is at the top of his game and it would not be surprising if he out-wrestles Barnett on the ground to earn a submission victory.