It had been 21 months since fight fans had last seen Josh Barnett compete inside the Octagon, and a 60 second knockout loss at the hands of Travis Browne was certainly not the way many expected "The Warmaster's" illustrious career to end.
As the months went by, and no news came of a scheduled Barnett battle, many wondered if the former UFC Heavyweight champion would indeed return to the cage once again.
With so many responsibilities outside of mixed martial arts (MMA) as a commentator on the pro wrestling circuit, competing at Metamoris events and more, it seemed Barnett's focus wasn't honed in on fighting anytime soon.
Then news came the catch wrestling legend would indeed return at UFC Fight Night 75 to battle Roy Nelson live on FOX Sports 1 at his old PRIDE stomping grounds, the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
In a grueling 25-minute war against "Big Country," Barnett set an unbelievable pace, earning a new UFC record by landing 146 significant strikes in a Heavyweight bout en route to a unanimous decision victory.
In what was a truly fantastic fight, "The Warmaster" showed absolutely no signs of ring rust, and competed better than he had in his last several fights in both Strikeforce and the UFC.
The former PRIDE fan-favorite put on a show for the Japanese fans in attendance, savagely battering Nelson in the clinch for a large majority of the fight. While most fighters would wilt due to Barnett's unrelenting pressure, Nelson once again showed off his ungodly chin, and landed several of his own haymakers in the process.
The fight will stand out as one of the best Heavyweight affairs of 2015, and will undoubtedly have fight fans itching to see Barnett return to the cage soon, but will he take another lengthy sabbatical?
Currently ranked at No. 6 in the Heavyweight division -- and likely moving up after his victory over Nelson -- Barnett is right in line at the top of the pecking order to get a UFC title shot.
The current state of Heavyweight is mind-boggling, and almost any victory over a top 10 opponent could earn a ranked fighter a crack at UFC gold.
Even though he looked outstanding in Japan, Barnett is racing against father time at the ripe age of 37, and can't afford another 21 month layoff if he hopes to fight for a UFC title before hanging up his gloves for good.
With most of the Heavyweight elite locked up with scheduled bouts, the lone option for "The Warmaster" is to battle Andrei Arlovski next.
With the opportunity to schedule two future Hall of Famers against one another, I would be shocked if UFC brass chose any other fight for either man.
If Joe Silva and company do in fact opt to go with "The Pitbull" vs. "The Warmaster" next, expect the fight to go down on pay-per-view (PPV) in early 2016 with a No. 1 contender spot on the line.
For complete UFC Fight Night 75: "Barnett vs. Nelson" results, including play-by-play updates, click here.