UFC Fight Night 93 headliner Josh Barnett fighting for himself, Pride

There was a time in the mid-2000s when Andrei Arlovski was considered the baddest man on the planet.

At least that was the case for those who exclusively followed the UFC, the organization for which he held the heavyweight belt in 2005.

Halfway around the world, Josh Barnett was part of an impressive contingent of heavyweights competing in Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships who all thought they could prove themselves superior if given the chance.

Barnett will finally get that shot when he fights Arlovski in the main event of UFC Fight Night 93 on Saturday in Hamburg, Germany.

“I’m so glad to have this opportunity,” Barnett said in a video posted on the UFC’s website. “He was one of the top stars in the UFC when I was over in Pride.”

When Barnett was at his peak in Pride, Fedor Emelianenko had the organization’s title. Emelianenko knocked out Arlovski on an Affliction card in 2009.

Barnett took notice.

“At one time, the UFC’s propaganda machine said this guy was the greatest heavyweight in the world,” Barnett said of Arlovski. “Well, we saw him fight Fedor. He gave a great performance, but he still lost. This is kind of the same thing. He’s fighting me, and it’s kind of Pride vs. the UFC again.

“Pride is going to win.”

A great deal of time has passed since Arlovski was UFC champion. He lost the belt in 2006 and was released from the organization in 2008 despite three straight wins. He endured his share of ups and downs as he bounced around various fight promotions before getting another shot in the UFC in 2014 and winning four consecutive fights to get back in title contention.

Two straight knockout losses in 2016 have dampened that talk, but he still has big power, and this matchup has taken on added intrigue because of the nostalgic feel.

Barnett said Arlovski still is dangerous.

“He’s proven himself time and time again. If you look at his accomplishments, they speak for themselves,” Barnett said. “He was the UFC heavyweight champion. He’s had high-profile fights in various companies. The guy is clearly capable and competent. But right now, the only thing I can consider him is an enemy.”

Arlovski, 37, said he thinks the two most recent setbacks were just bumps in the road on his resurgence and there is no added pressure to prove he can still compete at the highest level.

“I don’t feel backed into a corner,” he said. “It’s just another day at the office. I had two bad days. Saturday night is going to be a good day.”

While it will be the first time the veterans have stepped into the cage together, they were scheduled to fight once before.

Barnett and Arlovski were supposed to headline an Affliction card in 2008 when the rivalry between Pride and the UFC was much more fresh.

But the show was canceled, and the debate was left to rage on what at the time were message boards.

“We have unfinished business,” Arlovski said.

He’s not the only one looking to get back on track.

Barnett, 38, has lost two of his past three fights to also fall out of title contention. He was hoping to recapture the belt to bookend a career that began with Barnett becoming the youngest UFC heavyweight champion in 2002 when he was 24. He was stripped of the title after testing positive for banned substances and eventually signed with Pride, for which he became one of the organization’s biggest stars.

Still, there was always a skeptical eye glancing at Arlovski and the UFC heavyweights.

“He’s a proven champion who is incredibly talented and still proving his worth,” Barnett said. “However, I’m a superior fighter. To prove that hypothesis, I have to go out and beat him, and honestly, I’ve wanted to face him for some time.”

While he wanted it to happen a decade ago, Barnett is just pleased it will finally take place.

“I feel pretty damn good mentally and physically,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to this fight, because if it wasn’t happening now, there’s no guarantee it ever would have happened. We’re pretty long in our careers. Now is the best time to make this happen, and I’m glad we’re able to do it as a headliner in Germany.”

The event, which includes a light heavyweight bout between Jan Blachowicz and contender Alexander Gustafsson, will stream exclusively on the UFC’s online platform, Fight Pass. Preliminary card action will begin at 8:45 a.m. PDT, with the main card set to start at noon.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj