Nicky
09-11-2004, 23:19
Josh Barnett released the following statement on the Mirko 'CroCop' Filipovic fight and related injury:
Well, I think it's about time to let everyone know what happened in the fight and what's next for me. First off, I'd really like to say thank you to all the people and organizations who helped me for this fight: New Japan for putting this together and supporting me, Pancrase for standing by their champion, PRIDE for the shot at one of the top heavyweights in the world, Erik Paulson, Rico, Trigg, Vladdy, Loucious Smith, Matt Hume, Lucia Rijker and Billy Robinson for all the training, "Stitch" for that extra bit of confidence and your secret herbs and spices, Dr. Andrea and her sister, and Dr. Thompson for keeping me in one piece. Abeani, Fujimegu, Harada, TK, Yokoi, Namekawa, Miyato, Iizuka, Naruse, Kakihara, AMC, AACC, G-square, RAW Team, UWF Snakepit, all the press for their time and promotion, and most especially all the fans for supporting me in the ring and out.
This was the fight that not only I, but the whole world, wanted to see. Can Mirko beat a top heavyweight fighter to put him in the mix for the belt? Is Barnett good enough to hang with the top heavies in PRIDE? Well, I showed that I was more than capable, but truth be told, that fight to me was nothing but a disappointment. The fans didn't get what they came for, and the fight didn't determine a true winner. For that, I have to apologize.
The shoulder dislocation was described to me by three different doctors as a "freak" occurrence, and, after surgery, the likelihood of it happening again is very small. It's hard to pin-point exactly when the dislocation happened, but one thing I'm sure of is that Mirko did not submit me consciously or otherwise. By the time I was on the mat, my shoulder was already out. I tried a neck crank but didn't have the strength in my left arm to finish it.
I knew things were bad at that point. I stopped for a second to think, and that's when he got the double over-hooks. My last chance was to try and free my right arm somehow. I tried to posture and use my left arm as a post, but it was no good. Mirko hung on, unaware of the injury -- he never pulled on it or attacked my shoulder directly. In the end, I knew I had a bad wing and that I wasn't going to wreck it for good by trying to use it anymore.
I knew I lost the fight when I tapped but I also knew that I would repair my shoulder and come back to set things right. I wasn't going to let this moment be the end of my career. I lost the fight, but Mirko didn't beat me.
It was very big of him to immediately offer me a rematch, and even to check on me and give his apologies in the ring. I know he and I are two different kinds of cats. He isn't interested in the whole promotional, showbiz side of the game, and I play it up to the fullest. I have to say thank you to Mirko for his concern though -- and for the rematch -- because it'll be the first thing on my mind when I return.
The doctors say that with or without surgery, the dislocation will require a 6 month rehab. I tore ligaments (e.g., my glenoid labrum) and have a Hill-Sacks fracture (bone avulsion) but have all my tendons and rotator cuff muscles intact. I'm glad I made them put the shoulder back in while I was still in the ring as it could have caused more damage to have it out. I can say that having your shoulder out while some guy twists it around to figure out which way it goes back in is not the sorta thing you'd like to repeat.
It'll be a long road back, and I really appreciate all the emails I've gotten from everyone. It's hard to type with one hand but I'll try to keep this up to date during my recovery, except maybe the day after surgery – a few Demerol and who knows what I might type -- if I can type at all.
Abayo
Josh
JoshBarnett.TV
Well, I think it's about time to let everyone know what happened in the fight and what's next for me. First off, I'd really like to say thank you to all the people and organizations who helped me for this fight: New Japan for putting this together and supporting me, Pancrase for standing by their champion, PRIDE for the shot at one of the top heavyweights in the world, Erik Paulson, Rico, Trigg, Vladdy, Loucious Smith, Matt Hume, Lucia Rijker and Billy Robinson for all the training, "Stitch" for that extra bit of confidence and your secret herbs and spices, Dr. Andrea and her sister, and Dr. Thompson for keeping me in one piece. Abeani, Fujimegu, Harada, TK, Yokoi, Namekawa, Miyato, Iizuka, Naruse, Kakihara, AMC, AACC, G-square, RAW Team, UWF Snakepit, all the press for their time and promotion, and most especially all the fans for supporting me in the ring and out.
This was the fight that not only I, but the whole world, wanted to see. Can Mirko beat a top heavyweight fighter to put him in the mix for the belt? Is Barnett good enough to hang with the top heavies in PRIDE? Well, I showed that I was more than capable, but truth be told, that fight to me was nothing but a disappointment. The fans didn't get what they came for, and the fight didn't determine a true winner. For that, I have to apologize.
The shoulder dislocation was described to me by three different doctors as a "freak" occurrence, and, after surgery, the likelihood of it happening again is very small. It's hard to pin-point exactly when the dislocation happened, but one thing I'm sure of is that Mirko did not submit me consciously or otherwise. By the time I was on the mat, my shoulder was already out. I tried a neck crank but didn't have the strength in my left arm to finish it.
I knew things were bad at that point. I stopped for a second to think, and that's when he got the double over-hooks. My last chance was to try and free my right arm somehow. I tried to posture and use my left arm as a post, but it was no good. Mirko hung on, unaware of the injury -- he never pulled on it or attacked my shoulder directly. In the end, I knew I had a bad wing and that I wasn't going to wreck it for good by trying to use it anymore.
I knew I lost the fight when I tapped but I also knew that I would repair my shoulder and come back to set things right. I wasn't going to let this moment be the end of my career. I lost the fight, but Mirko didn't beat me.
It was very big of him to immediately offer me a rematch, and even to check on me and give his apologies in the ring. I know he and I are two different kinds of cats. He isn't interested in the whole promotional, showbiz side of the game, and I play it up to the fullest. I have to say thank you to Mirko for his concern though -- and for the rematch -- because it'll be the first thing on my mind when I return.
The doctors say that with or without surgery, the dislocation will require a 6 month rehab. I tore ligaments (e.g., my glenoid labrum) and have a Hill-Sacks fracture (bone avulsion) but have all my tendons and rotator cuff muscles intact. I'm glad I made them put the shoulder back in while I was still in the ring as it could have caused more damage to have it out. I can say that having your shoulder out while some guy twists it around to figure out which way it goes back in is not the sorta thing you'd like to repeat.
It'll be a long road back, and I really appreciate all the emails I've gotten from everyone. It's hard to type with one hand but I'll try to keep this up to date during my recovery, except maybe the day after surgery – a few Demerol and who knows what I might type -- if I can type at all.
Abayo
Josh
JoshBarnett.TV