Bryan Barberena returns to the Octagon later this month at UFC Fight Night Lincoln, taking on Jake Ellenberger in a welterweight division affair.
Ellenberger and Barberena were set to clash earlier this year at UFC Fight Night Utica, but Barberena couldn’t get cleared to battle due to a foot injury.
“Actually, I’ve been trying to fight Jake for a long time. The fight never happened and then the last time…my foot, I injured in my fight with Leon Edwards had surgery…tore some tendons, broke my foot. They had to repair that, I wasn’t able to walk for like six months and then just recovery after that. I just injured it a little bit more when I got the call for the fight, I actually hadn’t even signed any paperwork yet. I was waiting to get cleared by the doctor to make sure (that the foot was healing properly), I wanted to take the fight and I was ready to sign, but I had to get cleared by the doctor first. They didn’t clear me, so I wasn’t able to get the fight,” says Barberena in an exclusive interview with Fightful’s James Lynch.
Barberena is returning to action for the first time in almost a year, with his last bout happening at UFC Fight Night Rotterdam in September of 2017.
While many fighters from the MMA world have crossed over into pro wrestling, it’s a move that Barberena doesn’t have in mind when his fighting career is over with.
“My kids would probably love that, they are watching WWE and they’re all about it. I was really into it when I was younger, I mess around with them on the trampoline…we fake wrestle all the time. I don’t know, honestly…like when I’m done fighting, I’d like to be on my ranch and do that. It’s a lot of hard work and I love it, I’m at peace out there. So when I’m done, I’d just like to ranch and farm,” says Barberena.
UFC Fight Night Lincoln takes place on Saturday, August 25 from the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska with Justin Gaethje and James Vick headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
