No dummy, not that Dos Santos.

Josh Barnett announces July 10 IFC fight with Geronimo Dos Santos in Australia


s his license status remains unresolved in the U.S., notable heavyweight Josh Barnett has taken another opportunity overseas.

The former UFC champion meets Geronimo Dos Santos at a July 10 event for the upstart Impact Fighting Championship promotion in Australia, Barnett announced via Twitter on Thursday.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, Barnett, who hasn't fought in the U.S. since a January 2009 victory over Gilbert Yvel, wasn't part of an April 20 California State Athletic Commission meeting that was expected to address his failed drug test in August 2009.

Barnett failed the test as part of his license application to fight Fedor Emelianenko and an "Affliction: Trilogy" event that later was canceled. Barnett, whose tested positive for a designer steroid, immediately declared his innocence and informed the commission of his intent to appeal the decision.

The appeal hearing has been delayed multiple times – due to inclement weather and apparently poor communication between the CSAC and Barnett's representatives.

"[The commission] is doing what they want, however they want, when they want," Barnett told MMAjunkie.com. "They weren't all that compliant to begin with, and it wouldn't surprise me if they continued to be not entirely compliant – for whatever reason – at this point.

"But I know that we've tried our best to meet their schedules, deadlines, standards, and present ourselves within the regulation that they lay forth."

Fighters who test positive for steroids are not allowed to reapply for a license for one year, an anniversary Barnett will soon meet. However, George Dodd, executive director of the CSAC, said the fighter may still be asked to appear at a commission meeting before his license is approved or denied.

In the mean time, the IFC event takes place at the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Barnett (25-5), who just a year ago widely was regarded as one of the world's top two or three heavyweights, looks to build off a January submission win over Siala-Mou "Mighty Mo" Siligia at DREAM.13. It was his sixth win in seven fights, though a brutal (and accidental) low blow early in the fight greatly slowed "Mighty Mo."

Dos Santos (17-8), a well-traveled Brazilian fighter, recently snapped a career-long eight-fight win streak with a loss to Edson Franca (11-3) due to an injury. All 17 of Dos Santos' victories have come via stoppage, 11 in the first round.