Opportunity knocks for Gastonia-based MMA fighter Bryan Barberena at UFC 286
Bryan Barberena pelts trainers’ mitts with a barrage of punches and kicks during at Gym-O in Gastonia, doing his best to leave no stone unturned.
“I’m mixing it up everyday, trying to combine every martial art together so we can best get a feel for an upcoming fight,” he said. “We want to be ready for everything an opponent may bring to the table.”
The Gastonia-based fighter puts his training to the test Saturday evening, taking on Gunnar Nelson in a welterweight bout at UFC 286 in London. Available on pay-per-view via ESPN+, the main card begins at 5 p.m.
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Barberena comes in with an 18-9 record in UFC. He looks to rebound following a loss in December to Rafael Dos Anjos via submission. Barberena had won his previous three fights, including a victory over former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 276.
Though merely three months removed from his last bout, Barberena agreed to Saturday's fight after Daniel Rodriguez was removed from the card.
“I took this fight on short notice, but I’ve stayed ready,” Barberena said. “I’m ready to go put on a show here in London and for all those watching. Everyone knows the type of excitement I bring to fights, so I’m looking forward to getting out there.”
A native of Montclair, California, the 33-year old Barberena said his pursuit of mixed-martial arts (MMA) began like many others: watching UFC at home.
“I saw UFC on TV one day and said ‘this is what I want to do.’ I put my time in and devoted myself completely to it, “ he said. “I didn’t know how to get to UFC at the time, but just knew I wanted to fight any and everyone, testing myself against the best in the world.”
Working with local trainer Jeff Jimmo, Diego Costa, Chase Gamble and others, Barberena said he's prepared for whatever an opponent can bring to the table. A striker by nature, he’s put in extra hours on his wrestling during training camp in preparation for Nelson's grappling (18-5-1).
“My opponent is a really skilled grappler, and that’s where he likes to take fights,” Barberena said. “We put a lot of focus into my wrestling and my grappling, to where we make him fight on his feet. I’d rather be on my feet exchanging hands.”
Barberena is also taking his share of mental reps.
“You have to be prepared physically, but your mental preparation has to be better,” he added. “You can't have a lapse of thought process in the middle of a fight at all. A millisecond can change everything, a blink of an eye can change everything.”
Shortly after Barberena leaves the Octagon on Saturday, UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards defends his title against previous title-holder Kumaru Usman. The Gastonia-based fighter hopes to thrust himself into the weight class’ elite with an impressive showing.
“There are a lot of strong guys at the top (of the welterweight division),” he said. “But I think you have a lot of guys coming up — including myself — climbing the ladder. I believe I’m up there with the best of them, as does my opponent which should make for a good fight.”
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Bryan Barberena: Opportunity knocks for Gastonia MMA fighter at UFC 286
