Marc-Andre Barriault expects power struggle with Joe Pyfer at UFC 303

LAS VEGAS – Joe Pyfer was always on Marc-Andre Barriault’s radar before UFC 303.

Barriault (16-7 MMA, 5-6 UFC) takes on Pyfer (12-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 303 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) featured prelim at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

With Pyfer’s career trajectory and hype behind him through Dana White’s Contender Series, Barriault is not surprised that he was matched up with him. Both fighters are coming off losses to ranked opposition.

“I knew at one point – I was looking at him since the Contender Series,” Barriault told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “He did great on the Contender. He did great in his first three fights. He had a big test, just like me, top-15 guy his last fight. So, at one point I was like, ‘OK, maybe we’re going to cross paths, and yeah, it’s going to happen this Saturday.”

Pyfer shared video proof of him breaking Francis Ngannou’s punch machine record, but Barriault is happy to find out about his power on fight night.

“I don’t have any fear to taste his power, but one thing for sure: I can deliver power too,” Barriault said. “Sooner or later he’s going to taste my power. He’s going to know why they call me ‘Power Bar,’ and I think I’m just going to be  on him and just do my thing. For sure it’s going to be a hell of a fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.