I’ve always wondered why former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett likes to wear shoes in the ring when so many other fighters don’t, and I just figured it out. It’s not because of his catch wrestling background. It’s because he’s disfigured. Here he is answering questions about Renato Sobral’s choke on David Heath:
“Maybe to sportswriters and fans it was a really ugly scenario — and you know what, if I had known he was going to do something like that I would have told him not to — but it’s not uncommon. It’s not something as a fighter — and I’ve been in this business 11 years — I have seen it more than I can count on both hands and both toes. That happens. Things happen.”
Holy crap! He only has two toes! I’d keep my shoes on as well!