Toronto, ON — Come January 20, 2024 at UFC 297, middleweight Marc-Andre Barriault will be fighting at home in Canada for the fourth time.
Unlike fellow Quebec native Charles Jourdain, making his Canadian UFC debut, and Ontario’s Serhey Sidey, who will make his promotional debut at home in Toronto, Barriault has been there, done that — but it appears the prospect of fighting on home soil is no less appetizing.
“For myself, I’m super-excited to be here again in Canada,” Barriault told media outlets including Cageside Press during the UFC 297 kick-off press conference in Toronto on Tuesday. “Last time in Vancouver it was a perfect night for all of us Canadians. I’m just ready to make history again.”
Barriault got off to a rocky start in his UFC tenure, losing three straight fights including back-to-back appearances in Ottawa and Edmonton. The Marc-Andre Barriault of today is a much different fighter, however.
“I feel like I’ve evolved a lot in this sport. I made my debut in Ottawa, it didn’t go my way at that time,” Barriault told Cageside Press. “I made all the adjustments I had to do — I moved to the U.S. for training camp, and since then, I feel like I’m more aware of myself, what I can bring to the table. And just in general, just enjoy the ride, be me, and deliver the “Power Bar” every time. So I’m very excited and looking forward to doing great in Toronto.”
Barriault is paired up with ranked middleweight Chris Curtis at UFC 297, an Xtreme Couture athlete who has become a popular figure with fans. The “Power Bar” sees it as a dangerous fight for Curtis, not to mention an explosive one.
“He’s the one, he has everything to lose. I’m not even ranked yet. But I feel like I deserve it, since my last fight, even since three or four more fights [ago]. Especially here in Toronto, it’s my time. People know what I bring to the table, I’m always an exciting fighter to watch. They call him the ‘Action Man,’ I’m the ‘Power Bar,’ so I think we have a fireworks fight right there.”
It’s hard to argue against that sentiment — the math certainly checks out.
Watch the full UFC 297 kick off press conference with Marc-Andre Barriault and other Canadian UFC stars above. The event takes place January 20, 2024 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
