Strikeforce Results: Barnett Submits His Way to Tournament Semi-Finals

Josh Barnett advances to the semi-finals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix by submitting Brett Rogers.

In the first Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix quarter-final match-up on Saturday in Dallas, Josh Barnett put on a ground clinic against Brett Rogers, submitting the heavy handed heavyweight on his way to a showdown with Sergei Kharitonov.

Barnett quickly closed the distance off of a Rogers’ leg kick in the first round, elevated his opponent, and slammed him to the canvas. Before long, Barnett had his adversary mounted. After some ground and pound, Rogers momentarily got out of the mount only to be placed right back in.

Early in the second stanza, Barnett landed a left hook and Rogers went for a takedown. On the way to the ground, Barnett turned him and landed in full mount. Barnett quickly secured an arm triangle choke that forced Rogers to tap out.

Following the fight, Barnett snatched the microphone out of broadcaster Gus Johnson’s hand and addressed those in attendance and watching worldwide.

“Gus, I love you. I know you have a job to do, but then again, so do I,” said Barnett. “I think the people want to hear what I have to say right now.

“Now, I could talk about calling people out. We already know I’m fighting Sergei Kharitonov. We could talk about fighting in the UFC and doing all this different stuff, combining the organizations, and challenging this guy and challenging that guy. But I still have a tournament to fight,” he said.

“Bit by bit, inch by inch, one by one. I’m going to take them down, each one, one by one. One skull to the collection and then the next and the next until I’m standing on top of a pile of bodies with a pile of gold in my hand.”

Barnett will face Sergei Kharitonov in the semi-finals of the Heavyweight Tournament later this year.