In November, Irish fighter Dean Barry announced that he had signed a contract with the UFC. Yet he still hasn’t fought because of cancellations and visa issues.
Barry (3-1) was originally supposed to make his UFC debut on ‘Fight Island’ this past January against part-time fighter Mike Jackson. The fight was cancelled when Jackson withdrew and pushed back until May. The fight was then cancelled once again when Barry withdrew.
“The Sniper” wanted to stay active, so he took a fight with Titan FC, a regional promotion that is contracted with UFC Fight Pass. Once again, Barry had to withdraw with an injury.
On Sunday, Barry took to a Twitter thread to explain why his visa has been delayed.
“I think its time I clear up why my UFC debut and visa has been so delayed,” Barry wrote on the social media site. “I used to always avoid it and not want to talk about it but its the journey of life we are all on and nobody is perfect, it’s nothing crazy but its a shadow I carry with me that’s stopped many opportunities.”
“When I was only 17 I was young and stupid as we all are, a guy I went to school with asked me to hold a package in my house and I did.. A few days later the police turned up and raided my home (it was a set up) so I got a conviction and had to live with that for years.”
“I have never been in an ounce of trouble before or after that event and that is why I could get my visa BUT cost me an absolute fortune.. I learned a lot from it and it made me the good man I am today. That is why my debut has been delayed because I had to wait for this to be done.”
“My point is we all do stupid shit growing up and I want to be a good example for any troubled teenager growing up. You can turn it around and nothing is ever impossible. Martial arts certainly saved my life. Just wanted to clear it up and move past it.”
Barry doesn’t have a fight booked at the moment, but hopefully, the Irish star will finally get to make his UFC debut the summer.
