Former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett has made a name for himself in not only Mixed Martial Arts, but also in Professional Wrestling. Recently, while speaking to Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, he opened up about his experience wrestling at AEW WrestleDream.
The War Master praised Claudio Castagnoli for his in-ring ability. He also mentioned that he wanted to see everyone succeed in the company, including CM Punk and William Regal.
“Overall it was positive and it was good to have a chance to get in the ring with someone like Claudio, who I have a lot of respect for. I like the guy a lot. He’s got a great high ceiling. He is a part of my friend and I guess you can say student, Jon Moxley’s Blackpool Combat Club, which was also headed by another friend of mine William Regal. So I am invested to see those guys succeed. So, I wanted Phil (CM Punk) to succeed when he was there, Punk. And all the people like Marina Shafir who’ll be working, who’ll be on this Bloodsport Card coming up tomorrow, is also in AEW. So I have a lot of vested interest.”
Josh Barnett would have done certain things differently in AEW
Barnett also mentioned that he would have booked certain things differently than how Tony Khan was booking.
“For me, as a wrestler, I can see things where I would do things differently. Or I feel like there should be more emphasis here than there. And it’s a place that I think maybe is still growing pains. Or maybe there just needs to be a bit of distance given to, I don’t know, maybe Tony or someone else. They can get a better of maybe a 10,000-foot view to make the proper decisions.”
Josh Barnett had issues with how his match was booked at AEW WrestleDream
“I will say that, when it came to my match, nobody had any input to guide me one way or the other. It was just a match. And they let us go out there and do what we were going to do. I guess the only thing I would say is that the intent of that match was to put… Test Claudio. To see where he is at. See what he can become. Because he is yet to see, I think the greatest version of himself still. I think we all still striving for that. But I came out first. The challenge just sits around the ring and waits for the guy to show up.
“And I can’t say that the music that was played was anything I’ve ever heard before. I know it definitely wasn’t the song what I said was my entrance music. Will those things, like small things to that wrestler in that moment is a big… Those may seem like small things, to me the wrestler on the moment it’s a big deal only in regards to me. To the entirety of the show it probably doesn’t even register. But you have enough of that over time, you can get a lot of upset people. And if, let’s say enough things happen that could be noticeable to someone who is watching, well then… They might be able to pick at that and use that to say, ‘Here’s where you are screwing up.’”
Josh Barnett on the fans on Social Media
“Of course, you are not going to be quiet as forgiving in the way they are going to do it. Especially with the extremes we see when it comes to online discourse. Nobody really gets a gold medal for being sensible and rational. The person that gets the most attention is the one that is saying the most obnoxious and hyperbolic stuff.”
Josh Barnett also mentioned that he enjoyed his time in AEW and he was treated with respect and he has a good relationship with Tony Khan.
“AEW has its places it needs to grow. But I got along just fine with Tony and I was very happy with basically all the way they treated me. I would 100% go back in that ring, not just because it’s AEW though, but because I’m the War Master. Wherever there is a battlefield you will find me. That is the reason for my existence. So you build it, I’ll be there. You ask for me to come and blood will be spilt,” Josh Barnett said.
Did you enjoy Josh Barnett’s match against Claudio Castagnoli at AEW WrestleDream?
