OTTAWA, Ontario – Some fighters get their nicknames in the gym. A high school friend gave Marc-Andre Barriault his after seeing him fight.
You wouldn’t look at UFC middleweight Barriault (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and think of a tasty and somewhat dated snack, but it makes sense.
“They used to call me ‘Bar’ when I was in high school, and after my first fight, they saw my style was with a lot of power, so one of my friends, he just called me ‘Power Bar.'”
After an up-and-down amateur career, Barriault built an impressive pro resume with an 11-1 record that earned him a title in the Canadian TKO promotion – and a shot in the UFC.
The 29-year-old Barriault cites UFC great Georges St-Pierre as one of the reasons he decided to take his career to the next level.
“He had a huge impact on my career, my motivation, and also my determination to make my own path by myself and be the next generation of Canadian MMA superstars,” he said.
Although he admits he’s somewhat overwhelmed by the big stage, Barriault is confident he’ll be able to perform.
“I do the job when it counts, so on fight night,” he said. “The best I can do is with my fists and do the job.”
To hear more from Barriault, check out the video above.
And for more on UFC on ESPN+ 9, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
