Pat Barry (born July 7, 1979) is an American former professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer who competed as a heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is particularly known for his low kicks.Most Vicious Leg Kicks in MMA, Bleacherreport.com; accessed May 27, 2017.4 UFC Fighters with Punishing Leg Kicks, Bleacherreport.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
Barry began practicing Sanda while a college student and won numerous titles at domestic and international level before joining K-1 in 2005 where he competed for two years, mostly as a participant on the promotion's North American events.
In 2008, he embarked on a career in MMA, winning his first three fights by knockout before signing a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and competing in the promotion for the next five years as a Heavyweight, compiling a 5–7 record with only one of the matches going the distance. Barry retired from MMA in late 2013 and returned to kickboxing the following year, joining Glory.
He is the fiancé and training partner of former UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas.
Background Barry was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to an American military veteran father of European descent and an African-American mother. Barry's parents opened bilingual elementary schools around the world and as a result Barry was raised in Bogotá, Colombia until the age of six. When his father died from cancer, he moved back to New Orleans with his mother, older sister and younger brother.
Although he did not start training in martial arts until the age of 21, Barry grew up a fan of ninjas, the Street Fighter video games and Jean-Claude Van Damme films, and often watched K-1 kickboxing in his youth.Pat Barry looks to make ‘mega-ridiculous statement’ in UFC debut, Fiveouncesofpain.com, December 25, 2008. Barry has stated that his three heroes are his mother, Mike Tyson and Sagat, a Thai boxer from the Street Fighter video games.
He worked as a pizza delivery man prior to his career in professional fight sports.Official UFC profile, Ufc.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
Career Beginnings in Sanshou (2002–2005)
Hailing from Eastern New Orleans, Barry started training professionally in Wushu, sanshou and kickboxing at the age of twenty-one while a junior sociology major at the University of New Orleans when he walked into Russell Jones's Kickboxing Gym in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He made his professional debut on November 2, 2002 at the U.S. Open International Martial Arts Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, winning the Sanda Kungfu Federation (SKF) United States Heavyweight Championship with a fourth round knockout over Robert Parham. He then left Jones' gym and pursued kickboxing full-time with Master Shawn Liu at LIU International in New Orleans.
In June 2003, Barry fought twice at the Art of War: China Comes to Atlanta event in Atlanta, Georgia where he won both a US National Sanshou team spot and the SKF World Heavyweight Championship by knocking out Paul Gurevidius with a high kick. In November 2003, as a US National Wushu Team member, Barry participated at the 2003 World Wushu Championships in Macau, winning a silver medal in the −90 kg/198 lb division. He visited China numerous times from 2002 through 2008, amassing over fifty amateur bouts while competing in one of Shandong's stadiums and training with Chinese National Sanshou team at the Shaolin Temple.
On December 18, 2004, he won the K. Superstar Championship in New Orleans by KOing John Dixson, and a month later in Gulfport, Mississippi, he won the Kings of Kickboxing tournament by stopping Marshall Berger with low kicks in the final.
K-1 (2005–2007) Having taken part in K-1 tryouts held in Las Vegas in 2004, Barry was recruited by kickboxing's premier organization and made his promotional debut against Scott Lighty in a tournament reserve bout at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Las Vegas on April 30, 2005, losing for the first time in his career by split decision.Liddell's Protege Ready For K-1 Tourney, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.K-1 Battle @ The Bellagio IV Pictures, Sherdog.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
In June 2005, he met with American kickboxing great Duke Roufus while he was commentating on an event in Biloxi, Mississippi and the two became close when Barry stayed with Roufus in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after losing his home in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina,Trainer Duke Roufus wants all focus on UFC 115's Pat Barry, mmajunkie.com; accessed June 7, 2017. a tragedy which also claimed the life of his grandmother. After switching to Roufus' gym in Milwaukee, Barry won his first K-1 fight in his sophomore appearance when he knocked out Mark Selbee inside the opening frame at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Las Vegas II on August 13, 2005.K-1 "Mayhem At The Mirage" Pictures, Sherdog.com; accessed May 27, 2017.MIGHTY MO BASHES BOTHA, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017. Later that month Barry's grandmother was killed in Hurricane Katrina.
He fought to a split draw with Russian Kyokushin Karate stylist Aleksandr Pitchkounov in a non-tournament bout at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Tokyo Final at the Tokyo Dome on November 19, 2005. They rematched in the tournament reserve match at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Las Vegas on April 29, 2006, and Pitchkounov won by split decision.K-1 VEGAS REVIEW AND RESULTS, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
Following this, Barry moved to Amsterdam to train under four-time K-1 World Grand Prix Champion Ernesto Hoost at "Team Mr. Perfect" based out of Vos Gym. Away from K-1, he defeated Scott Lighty in another rematch at Shin Do Kumate XI in Tampa, Florida on December 8, 2006. After hurting Lighty with low kicks throughout the first two rounds, Barry scored a high kick knockdown at the beginning of the third before finishing him off with another high kick shortly after.
He then returned to K-1 to compete in the eight-man tournament at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2007 in Hawaii on April 4, 2007. He was initially set to face Jan Nortje in the quarter-finalsK-1 RELEASES FIGHT CARD FOR GP IN HAWAII, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017. but his opponent was then changed to Gary Goodridge.K-1 HAWAIIAN GP FIGHT CARD & PHOTOS, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.K-1 GRAND PRIX IN HAWAII TONIGHT, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
Barry twice sent Goodridge to the canvas with low kicks in the early going, the first ruled a slip, the second a legitimate down. He then landed a left high kick on the Trinidadian brawler and, although it did not knock him down, it opened a large cut which caused the ringside physician to call a halt to the bout and send Barry through to the semis where he had his rubber match with Aleksandr Pitchkounov. He was floored with a mawashi geri in round two and received a count from the referee in three after being injured when the Russian checked one of his low kicks, losing by unanimous decision.MIGHTY MO WINS K-1′S HAWAIIAN GRAND PRIX, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
Barry took part in his second K-1 tournament at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2007 in Las Vegas on August 11, 2007.SEFO BATTLES BREGY IN LAS VEGAS SUPERFIGHT, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.K-1 VEGAS GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCE, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.K-1 FIGHTERS WEIGHED IN FOR TONIGHT'S FIGHTS, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
Drawn against Rickard Nordstrand in the quarter-finals, Barry scored a knockdown with a high kick inside the first twenty seconds before stopping the Swede with his patented low kicks in round two. He then went up against Zabit Samedov in the semifinals and lost via split decision after a back-and-forth fight.UNDERDOG WINS BELLAGIO K-1 TOURNEY, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
In his final K-1 appearance, Barry lost to Freddy Kemayo via technical knockout due to a broken nose caused by a knee strike in the opening round of their contest at K-1 Fighting Network Prague 2007 on December 15, 2007.
World Combat League and transition to mixed martial arts (2008) In 2008, Barry left Team Mr. Perfect and returned to Duke Roufus at Roufusport after a fallout with Ernesto Hoost, as he felt that the Dutch legend neglected him as a trainer and showed little faith in him. In an interview with Fight! magazine in 2009, Barry stated:
Hoost denied Barry's claims in a 2014 interview, saying that he gave Barry "his all and didn't get a lot back". He also complimented Barry's physical ability but questioned his mental strength.Ernesto Hoost: “Pat Barry can knock everybody out” , Cometobrawl.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
Barry competed a total of seven times between May and August 2008. Fighting in the World Combat League, a team-based kickboxing competition in which matches are fought over one round, he represented the New York Clash in the -107 kg/235 lb weight class and amassed a record of 3-1 with his only loss coming to a young Jarrell Miller.
He made his debut in mixed martial arts on May 30, 2008 against thirty-eight fight veteran Mike Delaney at Combat USA: Battle in the Bay 7 in Green Bay, Wisconsin and won by TKO in round one after felling his opponent with low kicks. He then knocked out John George with a high kick in his next outing at Combat USA: Fight Night on June 28, 2008 in Harris, Michigan. In his third fight with the promotion, Barry won the Combat USA Heavyweight title when he stopped fellow kickboxer Simon Diouf with low kicks at Combat USA: Battle in the Bay 8 on August 22, 2008.
He was set to face Andre Walker at Strikeforce: Payback in Broomfield, Colorado on October 3, 2008STRIKEFORCE ANNOUNCES OCT. 3 HEAVYWEIGHTS, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017.ADDITIONAL BOUTS ADDED TO STRIKEFORCE DENVER, Mmaweekly.com; accessed May 27, 2017. but instead signed a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and was replaced by Carlos Zevallos in that bout."Strikeforce: Payback" finalized with addition of debuting Carlos Zevallos, Mmajunkie.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (2008–2013)
On December 27, 2008, Barry made his debut in the UFC against Dan Evensen at UFC 92 in Las Vegas, injuring the Norwegian's left knee with brutal low kicks at 2:36 of the first round thus winning via TKO.Okami Decisions Lister at UFC 92; Hamill Stops Andy, Sherdog.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
He then fought UFC newcomer Tim Hague at UFC 98 on May 23, 2009. After winning much of the exchanges on the feet, Barry was taken down by Hague and submitted early in the first round with a guillotine choke.Larson Submits Pyle; Soszynski Stuns Gusmao, Sherdog.com; accessed May 27, 2017.
His next fight was against fellow kickboxer Antoni Hardonk on October 24, 2009 at UFC 104 in Los Angeles, California. After weathering several powerful leg kicks and punches in the first round from Hardonk, Barry found his range in the second round with devastating fast jab combinations, stunning Hardonk several times before dropping him followed by a flurry of punches to finish the fight at 2:30 of the second round. The win earned him "Knockout of the Night" and "Fight of the Night" honors which brought his total fight purse to $134,000.
In a post-fight interview, he claimed to have previously been broke, living on ketchup and rice, and was six days from being evicted from his home. In addition to battling heavy financial burden, this fight was also very personal for Barry as he was fighting a member of Ernesto Hoost's training camp. Barry claimed that Hoost had given up on him, resulting in a falling-out between the two and that he waited five years for validation and finally got it when he knocked Hardonk out.
Barry was next scheduled to fight Gilbert Yvel, but his opponent was later changed.