Josh Barnett signs with Strikeforce

Josh Barnett, a former UFC heavyweight champion, signed a multi-fight contract with Strikeforce, the promotion announced Monday.

This could be good, or it could be bad for Strikeforce and its heavyweight division. All depends on how you want to look at it.

Barnett knocked out Randy Couture to win the UFC title in 2002. He also delivered the knockout blow to Affliction's fight promotion when he tested positive for steroids for a second time. That forced Affliction to cancel his fight with Fedor Emelianenko, then the entire card, then the entire fighting wing of the clothing company.

At 6-foot-3, 255-pound, Barnett is a submission wrestler with some knockout power who has fought mainly in Japan in recent years.

It will be interesting to see where he fights first for Strikeforce, and which state will license. Perhaps Texas, if we learned anything from the Antonio Margarito boxing endeavor.

Barnett lends another name fight fans are familiar with to the Strikeforce heavyweight division. He joins champion Alistair Overeem, Fedor, Antonio Silva, Fabricio Werdum, Brett Rogers and Andrei Arlovski, to name a few.