Former UFC champion Josh Barnett: 'I would really love to fight Fedor' (VIDEO)

Former UFC heavyweight champion and PRIDE Fighting Championships legend Josh Barnett said that before both he and MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko retire from the sport, he would love for them to face off inside the cage.

Barnett and Emelianenko's glory days both came at around the same time, when they were fighting in their respective primes as part of the PRIDE FC promotion back in the early 2000s. But despite both men being at the top of the heavyweight division, they never met inside the famous PRIDE ring.

And, chatting to reporters backstage during Bellator Dublin at the weekend, Barnett explained that he would love to finish his career knowing that he and "The Last Emperor" had fought inside the cage, or the ring, at least once.

"I would really love to fight Fedor just because he's a legend," he said.

"He is one of my friends which, strangely enough, you usually you don't want to fight your friends. But I have that much respect and love for him to be in the ring with him would be amazing. He's incredible.

"I'm not one of those people that looks at what his last fight was – I don't really care. I've been there when I've seen him do things and I know he's a really capable fighter and before there's no opportunity for us to actively compete in a real full-on contest, I hope I get the chance.

"If it never happens, it never happens. But yeah, it's a personal wish of mine, because I love him."

Barnett also called on his current fighting home, Bellator and Japanese promotion Rizin to ensure he gets included on their co-promoted New Year's Eve card in Tokyo, and also chatted about his interest in competing in a "legends" heavyweight tournament.

He also made clear his desire to get back into action as soon as possible: "I'll fight in front of any crowd or no crowd," he said.

"If someone's got a heartbeat they deserve to have their ass kicked!"