Barry vs. Palelei booked in Brisbane
Popular heavyweight Pat Barry will take a rare turn as the unwelcome when he visits Brisbane to take on Australian star Soa Palelei in a heavyweight match just added to the UFC Fight Night event on FOX Sports 1 scheduled there on Dec. 7.
The UFC confirmed the bout on Saturday.
Palelei (19-3) campaigned for and received another chance to fight in the UFC after an eight-fight win streak in international competition. He recently made his return at UFC 164, defeating newcomer Nikita Krylov via third-round TKO.
His quick turnaround to a December match comes as a bit of a surprise after citing a fractured rib that slowed his performance. The 36-year-old Palelei fights out of Perth, on the western side of the continent.
Barry (8-6) comes in after alternating wins and losses in his last five bouts. In 11 Octagon tries, he’s 5-6, but has only gone to a decision once. In his last bout, which came in June, he was knocked out by Shawn Jordan.
The UFC Fight Night event will take place at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. The main event will see Mark Hunt take on Antonio Silva, while the co-main event matches former light-heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua against James Te Huna.
