It’s not just that Bryan Barberena keeps getting dealt hot prospects in the UFC, it’s that he’s finding himself battling crazy circumstances, too. Since debuting against Jake Ellenberger’s brother, Joe, in Dec. 2014, Barberena is always the guy fighting the guy. He took on the undefeated Canadian Chad Laprise up in Quebec at UFC 186, and attemped to block out the partisan crowd in losing a decision.
He then fought Sage Northcutt, precious marketing cargo for the UFC who was being fast-tracked to super-stardom, in January. That time he derailed a great many plans by submitting Northcutt in the second round on national broadcast television.