Canadian middleweight Marc-Andre Barriault looks for third straight UFC win

Marc-Andre Barriault, centre, celebrates after defeating Eryk Anders during a UFC 289 middleweight bout, in Vancouver, on Saturday, June 10, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canadian middleweight Marc-Andre (Power Bar) Barriault will look to extend his UFC win streak to three when he takes on Brazil's Michel (Demolidor) Pereira on a UFC Fight Night card next month in Las Vegas.

Barriault (16-6-0) is coming off victories over Americans Eryk (Ya Boi) Anders and Julian (The Cuban Missile Crisis) Marquez.

The 33-year-old native of Gatineau, Que., who now makes his home in South Florida, has won three of his last four. Barriault, who lost his first three bouts in the promotion, is now 5-5-0 with one no contest in the UFC.

Pereira (28-11-0 with two no contests) poses a tough challenge, having won his last five UFC fights.

The 29-year-old Brazilian moves up a weight class after missing the welterweight limit by three pounds against American Stephen (Wonderboy) Thompson in July at UFC 291. That fight was subsequently scrapped.

The main event of the Oct. 14 card at the UFC's Apex production facility pits American (Super) Sodiq Yussuf, ranked 11th among featherweight contenders, against No. 13 Edson Barboza of Brazil.

Barriault has rebounded from a third-round submission loss to American Anthony (Fluffy) Hernandez in September 2022, a fight that saw the Canadian dislocate two ribs in the first round.

The UFC has proved to be a roller-coaster ride for Barriault.

He lost his first three fights in the promotion before stopping Oskar Piechota in June 2020, only to fail a drug test. Barriault blamed the positive test for ostarine on tainted supplements with the UFC backing his claim.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency agreed, finding "no evidence of intentional use," and handing down a six-month ban "consistent with low-level ostarine cases with evidence of contamination." Barriault was also suspended for nine months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, fined US$2,100, and had the Piechota outcome changed to a no-decision.

Barriault won his next two fights before being knocked out in just 16 seconds by American Chidi (Chidi Chidi Bang Bang) Njokuani in February 2022. He rebounded by choking out American Jordan (The Beverly Hills Ninja) Wight in April -- at a catchweight of 190 pounds because he took the fight on short notice -- before the Hernandez bout.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2023