Josh Barnett Licensed by Texas for Strikeforce Grand Prix Bout

Quote :

Heavyweight Josh Barnett has been granted a combative sports license by the state of Texas, clearing the way for his Strikeforce Grand Prix bout against Brett Rogers this Saturday night.

Susan Stanford, public relations officer of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, confirmed Barnett's licensing to MMA FIghting.

While it was always likely that Barnett would be granted a license in Texas, there was some speculation he could have trouble given his recent issues in California, where miscommunication nixed his December 2010 attempt to regain a license in that state.

In the summer of 2009, Barnett tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone while in the midst of applying for a license in the state. That positive test effectively sunk the Affliction promotion. It was not his first issue with PEDs. In March 2002, he was suspended by the Nevada state athletic commission for testing positive for steroids.

Stanford though, told MMA Fighting that Barnett had "met all licensing requirement and is approved." Contrary to some rumors, Barnett is not under administrative suspension in any state as a result of past issues.

According to Stanford, 14 of the 18 fighters on the roster have been approved for licenses, though she could not name the four who are still completing the requirements. Stanford said those four have until 5 pm on Wednesday to do so. It is not uncommon for fighters to complete their final licensing requirements during fight week, when they arrive in the state.

The 33-year-old Barnett (29-5) is a hefty favorite in his fight with Rogers. The winner will go on to face Sergei Kharitonov sometime in the fall.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/06/14/josh-barnett-licensed-for-strikeforce-grand-prix-bout/

good to hear, now he gets to sub Rogers

Cool wanna see him fight, but something that I didn't know which I found out recently was Texas has a really shady athletic commission. Not sure shady is the right term, but I believe they don't do piss tests, or read that...And it could speak to why both Barnett and Reem are fighting there.

LA wrote:

Cool wanna see him fight, but something that I didn't know which I found out recently was Texas has a really shady athletic commission. Not sure shady is the right term, but I believe they don't do piss tests, or read that...And it could speak to why both Barnett and Reem are fighting there.

thats absolutely not true, we do piss test here, we just have a history of letting unlicensed fighters get a license here

Margarito, Edwin Valero and now Barnett

I can assure you for a fact that they piss test in combat sports here

excellent example

they dont pre-fight drug test often though

http://www.boxingscene.com/team-margarito-ready-disclose-texas-drug-test-results--33730

Clottey vs Pac had drug testiong also

Nevada doesn't either. Texas licenses guys like an Indian Casino does but truthfully not many commissions test pre fight and all commissions stopped testing when no fights are scheduled.

LA wrote:

Cool wanna see him fight, but something that I didn't know which I found out recently was Texas has a really shady athletic commission. Not sure shady is the right term, but I believe they don't do piss tests, or read that...And it could speak to why both Barnett and Reem are fighting there.

Reem already pissed stateside, so im not gonna doubt him or call into question his legitimacy until he fails a test... im seriously sick of ppl calling the dude out

Well if they don't do piss tests which I said I simply read, they still license guys like a mutha fucker from what I heard, the overall point of my post remains the same.

killerofchicken wrote:

LA wrote:

Cool wanna see him fight, but something that I didn't know which I found out recently was Texas has a really shady athletic commission. Not sure shady is the right term, but I believe they don't do piss tests, or read that...And it could speak to why both Barnett and Reem are fighting there.

Reem already pissed stateside, so im not gonna doubt him or call into question his legitimacy until he fails a test... im seriously sick of ppl calling the dude out

You do know that when he fights overseas he looks more shreaded and pumped up right? I'm a Reem fan but the way his body changed over the years is very hard to explain otherwise. When you see him in vids that pics can't show his skin is stretched around his muscles in a way that it would had he added tons of new size more quickly then naturally.

we licensed Margarito after the hand wrap scandal, Edwin Valero when he was missing part of his skull and know Barnett

we still piss test though

As I said before "read that",but the overall point about the Texas athletic commission remains the same...easy to get licensed.

ya thats what my first post said to, that we piss test and license anyone

so i dont know what were arguieng about !!

so all the muscle Mir put on is excused but the Reem we look at differently because he fights over seas?

LA wrote:

Cool wanna see him fight, but something that I didn't know which I found out recently was Texas has a really shady athletic commission. Not sure shady is the right term, but I believe they don't do piss tests, or read that...And it could speak to why both Barnett and Reem are fighting there.

You only just found this out ?

killerofchicken wrote:

so all the muscle Mir put on is excused but the Reem we look at differently because he fights over seas?

I think Mir may have done something, think I've mentioned it, but he at least was a HW carrying an extra tire or two.

The overseas angle is valid, a lot of guys were using back in Japan, but mostly it's the transformation.

I don't even care that much about using anymore, it is what it is, but that body transformation is legitimately questionable.

I'm a Reem fan, he's slowly grown on me and he's one of my favorite HWs, but lets be real here

Ali wrote:

LA wrote:

Cool wanna see him fight, but something that I didn't know which I found out recently was Texas has a really shady athletic commission. Not sure shady is the right term, but I believe they don't do piss tests, or read that...And it could speak to why both Barnett and Reem are fighting there.

You only just found this out ?

Athletic commisions isn't exactly something I would follow, I'd also only know this from Boxing which I stopped following for the most part back in 2001.

killerofchicken wrote:

so all the muscle Mir put on is excused but the Reem we look at differently because he fights over seas?

mir also hired World's Strongest Man competitor Mark Philippi to get bigger. still u make a good point. to be honest, im a reem fan and support him against those saying he juices. to me he doesnt until proven guilty. im also not sold on him being one of the elite cus of how his chin has failed him in the past but dont doubt his skill,striking or ground game in the upcoming fight. now barnett, now there is someone everyone can doubt and hate on based of the multiple times he's been caught.