Larger than life heavyweight Chris Barnett was back in action at UFC 321, dancing his way to the cage ahead of a fight with Egypt’s Hamdy Abdelwahab.
Barnett had traded wins and losses since entering the UFC, while former Olympic wrestler Abdelwahab was last seen losing to Mohammed Usman.
The preliminary card showdown started out with Abdelwahab firing a body kick, after which Barnett returned fire. Abdelwahab however wasted no time shooting a takedown, and was soon controlling from the back as Barnett struggled to his knees. Barnett was under fire but got up, only to be taken down once again. This time Abdelwahab took the back, but Barnett trapped a wrist and was able to scramble out. Another takedown, another back take, and Barnett was flattened out and in a bad spot. Ref Marc Goddard, however, having warned Abdelwahab several times about blows to the back of the head, halted the action following an errant elbow, bringing in the doctor.
Barnett was good to continue, but the foul cost Abdelwahab a point. Back underway, Barnett landed a couple of knees to the body, but it was Abdelwahab with an elbow or two in the standup. Abdelwahab finished the frame connecting with a straight punch that forced Barnett to retreat, though “Beast Boy” surviving the round might have been a bit of a morale boost after a rough start.
Chris Barnett was soon fending off a takedown early in round two. Some superb balance was on display by the rotund heavyweight, though a moment later Abdelwahab finished a follow-up attempt. Abdelwahab fired right hands, but Barnett climbed back up, only to be dragged back down. Abdelwahab took the back again, and this time, Barnett struggled to work back up. Instead, he was stuck eating sporadic right hands, though none were enough to halt the fight. Barnett had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction at the end of the second, inadvertently mooning the crowd in Abu Dhabi.
Abdelwahab opened round three with a front kick. Barnett missed with a spinning kick, then wound up taken down by the fence. That opened the door for some hammer fists by Abdelwahab. Barnett would tough it out, and the ref stood the pair up for a lack of action. Abdelwahab was right back in the driver’s seat, however, with Barnett simply too tired and too outmatched in the wrestling to make anything happen.
It wasn’t pretty, at times downright sloppy, but Hamdy Abdelwahab earned the unanimous decision win.
Official Result: Hamdy Abdelwahab def. Chris Barnett by unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27)
