Taking a leap of faith was scary for Marc-André Barriault and his wife in 2021, when the couple sold everything they had and moved from Quebec to Florida so that Marc-Andre could continue training mixed martial arts, which had is essence shut down in Canada during COVID.
In this interview Marc-Andre tells Andy Cotterill his thoughts on the outcome of that decision, specifically how it has helped to shape him to be the fighter that he is today, on the eve of his Middleweight clash with American Chris Curtis at UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on January 20th 2024.
[MM-EH Andy]: Alrighty. Hello Fight Friends, MM-EH Andy Cotterill here with the man who you [MM-EH Andy]: recognize right now on the screen is obviously Marc-André Barriault, who is fighting [MM-EH Andy]: Chris Curtis at UFC 297 in Toronto on January 20th, which is only two weekends [MM-EH Andy]: away. Marc-Andre, how are you?
[PowerBar]: Yeah, I’m doing great. Thank you. [MM-EH Andy]: I really appreciate you taking the time to speak with me. I know that even, [MM-EH Andy]: you know, the week before the fight, there’s still a lot of effort and a
[MM-EH Andy]: lot of training that’s going in. So, you know, your body’s pretty, probably [MM-EH Andy]: pretty tired now, isn’t it? [PowerBar]: Yeah, so right now, like, you know, it’s almost time to shine. Couple last days [PowerBar]: was more like about just the final touches, you know, and it was like a perfect
[PowerBar]: training camp for me. At this point, I just focus on quality over quantity. So, [PowerBar]: yeah, I feel very good. I feel like everything is at the right place and I’m ready [PowerBar]: to go. [MM-EH Andy]: That’s fantastic. One thing I’d like to focus on at the start of our talk right
[MM-EH Andy]: now is your decision to leave your full-time training in Canada and go down [MM-EH Andy]: to the States. You did this a couple of years ago. You’re down in Kill Cliff. [MM-EH Andy]: So would you mind just be talking about how you first became aware of that gym,
[MM-EH Andy]: you’re in Florida, and what was appealing about it to you and why you decided [MM-EH Andy]: to move down, and once you’re down, what your life was like down in Florida. [PowerBar]: Yes, so like back in like 2021, like when all the COVID and everything happened,
[PowerBar]: you know, in Canada, we were like in a like pretty intense lockdown, you know, [PowerBar]: so I was not able to train as much as I want. So the UFC was still going on, you
[PowerBar]: know, and I had a fight at the Apex. So I had to do something like to to make myself [PowerBar]: ready to be ready for this fight. So there’s one of my good buddy, Julien LeBlanc,
[PowerBar]: who is a long time training partner of me. And he was coming like here in Florida [PowerBar]: back and forth with his girlfriend. And he said to me, Mark, you have to come down
[PowerBar]: here and to try the gym. Back in the days, it was a Sanford MMA. Now it’s Kill Cliff [PowerBar]: FC, but… I said, bro, I think I have to jump on and try it. So I packed my
[PowerBar]: stuff and I came here for like two weeks. And right away I fell in love with the [PowerBar]: energy, all the spirit in the gym. So I did like two weeks here training camp. [PowerBar]: Then I went back to Canada. I finished my camp with my team there. We went to the
[PowerBar]: Apex. That was a crazy experience, you know, because with all the tests, the masks, [PowerBar]: everything was like, like very, very crazy. But yeah, we managed that and we [PowerBar]: won the fight. So I was very, very happy. And after that, like I said, okay, Marc,
[PowerBar]: I think it’s time to move on and try different things. And I asked my girlfriend [PowerBar]: at the time, now it’s my wife. She’s my wife, but I said, babe, we have to go. We [PowerBar]: have to do something new. and she was with me right away. We pack everything.
[PowerBar]: I sold everything I have in Canada. I pack in my travel trailer with my truck. [PowerBar]: So we drove all the way to Florida and then the journey started right away. And [PowerBar]: yeah, here I am now three years later.
[MM-EH Andy]: It’s funny how this, what you went through to do that, it can be translated [MM-EH Andy]: across all sorts of different types of people, like it’s not just a fighting [MM-EH Andy]: specific thing, but some people, they make that big decision, they’re gonna
[MM-EH Andy]: make a big move somewhere for the betterment of their life for whatever reason. [PowerBar]: Yeah. [MM-EH Andy]: And I think it takes a special kind of person to make that kind of decision [MM-EH Andy]: because, you know, it must’ve been a pretty scary thing to do, was it?
[PowerBar]: Oh, for sure, and you know, sometimes we have to jump off the plane without knowing, [PowerBar]: you know, if you have a safety or a parachute, you know, you just have to figure [PowerBar]: out, you know, along the way. So I’m the type of guy who likes to put myself
[PowerBar]: out of my comfort zone and just try different things and just see what kind [PowerBar]: of opportunity I can create when I allow myself to just try different things. [PowerBar]: So yeah, I was not very scared to try this time, but still it was a lot of unknown.
[PowerBar]: I just trust my instinct. I know myself. I’m more self-aware now as I’m getting [PowerBar]: older, more wisdom. So I feel like I’m in the right spot, like as an athlete, [PowerBar]: but also as a human being.
[MM-EH Andy]: talk a little bit about your daily life down in Florida, like where exactly in [MM-EH Andy]: Florida is Kilcliffe? What city? [PowerBar]: So yeah, the Kiel Cliff FC is in Deerfield Beach, Florida. So it’s kind of in
[PowerBar]: the middle between like West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. So I think it’s [PowerBar]: the perfect spot. It’s not too like crowded here, but it’s still, you know, that [PowerBar]: we have the beaches very close. Everything is like perfect. The weather, the [PowerBar]: environment, you know, the team. No, I cannot complain.
[MM-EH Andy]: When when fight fans watch fighting events like the UFC, they’ll see you fight. [MM-EH Andy]: They’ll see other fighters fight and they’ll see you 15 minutes, maybe 25 minutes [MM-EH Andy]: for a championship fight. And maybe they see an interview before or an interview
[MM-EH Andy]: after. But after that, they don’t really see what fighters go through, what their [MM-EH Andy]: lives are like. Talk a little bit about just what a normal day is like for [MM-EH Andy]: Mark. Mark Andre Berry on Florida, like what time do you wake up? What do you
[MM-EH Andy]: have? Do you have breakfast? You know, how often do you train? What do you do [MM-EH Andy]: when you’re [PowerBar]: Yeah. [MM-EH Andy]: not training? [PowerBar]: So yeah, no, it’s a very good like question and a lot of people don’t very see
[PowerBar]: the behind the scenes, you know, they just, they just see like the 15 minutes [PowerBar]: and you know, but most of the time we are like, we still are human beings. So [PowerBar]: we need to, you know, take care of yourself. in the right place mentally, physically.
[PowerBar]: So I like to do like different stuff, just to put myself in the good mood. I like [PowerBar]: to listen country music. Me and my wife, we like to cook a lot. So a fun fact [PowerBar]: about myself is before being a professional fighter, I did some culinary school. So I’m
[PowerBar]: a chef also. So I do really like enjoy cooking. I think I go to the grocery [PowerBar]: store like every day just to pick up some stuff fresh organic food Come back [PowerBar]: to my house and like just have fun cooking Yeah, so I woke up like at 7 a.m. In
[PowerBar]: the morning. We have two dogs. So I like to play outside with the dogs I like [PowerBar]: to enjoy having Like a cold plunge right away in the morning like very cold plunge [PowerBar]: just to wake up myself and then I do some stretching Then I have breakfast,
[PowerBar]: coffee, and it’s time to leave for the training. So I’m training every morning [PowerBar]: from 9am to like maybe 11. After that, come back home, just having a good rest. [PowerBar]: Sometimes I have a nap, just sleep between sessions. I eat and then I go back
[PowerBar]: like at 5, 5.30 to my second training of the day. and come back after that and then [PowerBar]: yeah just do normal stuff. Sometimes I like to play games with my wife, go take [PowerBar]: a walk with the dogs and it’s time to just to have a good night of sleep and
[MM-EH Andy]: Mm-hmm. [PowerBar]: do it again the next day. [MM-EH Andy]: When you’re going through the fight and pre-fight and post-fight cycle, like [MM-EH Andy]: leading up to a fight and when a fight’s over, does your intensity level for
[MM-EH Andy]: training change? So what I mean by that is after your fight and you go back [MM-EH Andy]: to the gym after a week or a few days or whatever it is, do you start off just
[MM-EH Andy]: taking it kind of easy and sort of build up during a fight camp? Or are you [MM-EH Andy]: sort of steady state where all your training, you’re the same intensity? [PowerBar]: No, so it’s different from for myself like it’s a lot of push and pull, you know
[PowerBar]: Now I’m in the push like face, you know I need to push hard because I have a fight [PowerBar]: but when I’m not in a fight, you know fight camp I like to just I like to go
[PowerBar]: in the morning just have fun like do my My job is to show up, get the work in, [PowerBar]: and then I can come back. And after that, I can enjoy life a little bit. Don’t
[PowerBar]: stress myself to go another session, absolutely. So if I feel like I can go, I go. [PowerBar]: Or I’m more like in the mood. If I feel like, OK, let’s do session, or more [PowerBar]: like specific work with a partner, or go for a private session with a coach, or.
[PowerBar]: But most of the time I like to allow myself to just calm down, go play golf, you [PowerBar]: know, go at the beach, just, yeah, just enjoying life between the training camps [PowerBar]: because for the last like five or four years I’ve been pretty active, like three
[PowerBar]: to four, like at least three fights a year. So, [MM-EH Andy]: Mm. [PowerBar]: you know, it’s, it’s hard on the body, mind, but yeah. I think I found the right, [PowerBar]: you know, just the right recipe for myself. So right now I feel like I can
[PowerBar]: just focus sometimes on quality work, sometimes I need to put more quantity, [PowerBar]: but for sure I’m more aware of what I need and what I want. [MM-EH Andy]: Would you mind talking a little bit about the training partners have at Kilkleff? [MM-EH Andy]: Like are there main training partners for you?
[PowerBar]: Yeah, so the Kill Cliff FC has been a huge game changer for me. Like at the beginning, [PowerBar]: you know, it’s kind of like a big ocean, you know, full of sharks, you know, [PowerBar]: and I know [MM-EH Andy]: Hehehe
[PowerBar]: that I’m a big shark, but I needed to just to see myself in this big ocean and [PowerBar]: just to try to figure out where I can be on that food chain, you know. And
[PowerBar]: now I feel like I’m one of the good leaders in the gym, you know, just by my… [PowerBar]: just by my attitude and just by the way that I’m carrying myself in and out [PowerBar]: of the gym. So yeah, we have a lot of high-level training partners in this room.
[PowerBar]: It depends which opponent you have to fight in order to have some specific training [PowerBar]: partners, but most of the time I have some guys that I like to work with. I [PowerBar]: have Aung La N Sang who’s gonna be with me in my fight. He’s the former ONE FC
[PowerBar]: 2-Division champion. So he’s like, he’s a very nice guy. He’s always there to [PowerBar]: help each other. And he’s been a champion for a long time. So this guy knows [PowerBar]: what it takes to be at the best. So yeah, and we have guys like Brandon Allen,
[PowerBar]: we have Gregory Rodriguez, RoboCop. There’s a lot of middleweight actually in this [PowerBar]: gym, but we all know that we’re here for the same reason. We know that we are [PowerBar]: training partners for now and if one day we have to fight each other, you know,
[PowerBar]: it’s going to be time for business. But for now, we just try to, you know, help [PowerBar]: each other be the best and represent the gym. [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah. Aaron Jeffrey, who fights for Bellator and who you know, he told me once
[MM-EH Andy]: that he really enjoys going down to first Sanford and now Kill Cliff because [MM-EH Andy]: as much as he loves his gym, Niagara Top Team, fantastic gym, they just don’t have [MM-EH Andy]: as many big guys as he needs because he’s a bigger guy as well. So are you when
[MM-EH Andy]: it comes to scale level for size wise, are you still one of the bigger guys [MM-EH Andy]: at Middleweight or are there enough training partners for you at that weight class? [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah. [PowerBar]: Myself, I feel like, you know, I’m not the biggest middleweight even in the UFC,
[PowerBar]: but I know I know where I am You know, I know what one of my qualities I’m durable. [PowerBar]: I’m have a good great cardio, you know, I’m tough I’m always willing to learn [PowerBar]: so, you know, I think that does the thing that all the other guys can enjoy
[PowerBar]: You know training with me and it’s a lot of give-and-take, you know, sometimes [PowerBar]: I’m there I’m the hammer, sometimes I’m the nail, and it’s okay like that, you [PowerBar]: know, it’s how we grow. So, no, I feel like we have the best team right now [PowerBar]: for me to evolve.
[MM-EH Andy]: How does it work for you as a Canadian training full time in the States? [MM-EH Andy]: Is it like a special kind of visa or something? [PowerBar]: Yeah, so as long as I’m fighting for the UFC, you know, they provide me a P1
[PowerBar]: visa So it’s like visa for athletes or artists [MM-EH Andy]: Mmm. [PowerBar]: So yeah, so as long as I’m in the UFC I can do I can stay here to train and fight [PowerBar]: but I’m not allowed to do other work other than [MM-EH Andy]: Yep, [PowerBar]: training fighting [MM-EH Andy]: yep.
[PowerBar]: but Since I’m here I started working with an attorney to have my green card. So [PowerBar]: I’m supposed to have the final answer like very soon after the fight. Probably [MM-EH Andy]: Oh [PowerBar]: I’m going to be approved for the green card. So for me and my wife, we can start
[PowerBar]: another business or just, you know, [MM-EH Andy]: Yep. [PowerBar]: start a life here because we want to stay here for as long as we can. And I feel [PowerBar]: like, you know, that’s my place, even though I’m still representing Canada.
[PowerBar]: But for now, I feel like for my career and for myself, I’m in the right spot [PowerBar]: right now. [MM-EH Andy]: Now, speaking about representing Canada, this next UFC we’re fighting in Canada, [MM-EH Andy]: I think it’s, is it the first time for the UFC for you?
[PowerBar]: It’s the first time for me in Toronto, but I fought three other times in Canada. I did my debut in Ottawa back in 2019, and then I fought in Edmonton, and then I fought [PowerBar]: – my last fight was in Vancouver, last June.
[MM-EH Andy]: Do you find there’s a difference in the crowd and the reception for you in Canadian [MM-EH Andy]: U.S.E. crowds as opposed to elsewhere? [PowerBar]: I mean, for myself, I’m not like a pressure guy. I like to stay in the moment,
[PowerBar]: just make sure that I’m aware of myself and know what I’m gonna do. And I’m [PowerBar]: kind of enjoying the crowd after the fight when I realized what’s going on outside [PowerBar]: of the octagon [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah. [PowerBar]: and just be in the moment and be proud of myself.
[MM-EH Andy]: It’s funny how the fans have impressions and ideas of fighters and what they’re like. [MM-EH Andy]: And the impression of you, rightly or wrongly, is that you are mainly a striker, [MM-EH Andy]: same as Charles Jourdain. So I have to tell you personally, as you know, I’m
[MM-EH Andy]: a journalist, but I’m also a fan. I love watching the fights. My happiest moment [MM-EH Andy]: was a couple of years ago when you and Charles were fighting in the same fight [MM-EH Andy]: card and you both got submission victories in the same night. I was just over
[MM-EH Andy]: the moon when that happened. [PowerBar]: Yeah, that was a crazy night for us. I know, you know, this fight, my back was [PowerBar]: against the wall. I was coming off a knockout loss, you know, and I took the fight
[PowerBar]: like on, I think, 11 days notice. And I went there and I just said to myself, [PowerBar]: Mark, just go and just do your things. Don’t think too much, just do. And yeah, I [PowerBar]: think this is where I’m at my best, when I’m not overthinking and I’m just doing.
[PowerBar]: And this is what happened. He gave me his neck. I sing the choke. And yeah, that [PowerBar]: was my first ever professional submission victory. And I was very proud of myself. Yeah. [MM-EH Andy]: You should be. It was it was really impressive to watch and [PowerBar]: Yeah.
[MM-EH Andy]: it made a lot of people very happy. So let’s go on now to this UFC. You’re fighting [MM-EH Andy]: Chris Curtis. Now, to be honest, very open, honest with you, I don’t really [MM-EH Andy]: pay attention to much MMA unless it’s Canadian. Like I pay attention to Canadian
[MM-EH Andy]: events and I really only watch UFCs that have Canadian fighters in them. So [MM-EH Andy]: I don’t really know much about him. In fact, I don’t know anything about him [MM-EH Andy]: other than that he’s successful and that a lot of people think he’s very funny.
[MM-EH Andy]: He’s like a comedian. Tell me what you know about Chris Curtis and what you [MM-EH Andy]: think about him as somebody you’re coming up against. [PowerBar]: Yeah, no, I like the guy he’s a character, you know, he’s in the same, you
[PowerBar]: know the same crew of a strong Strickland so Those guys like to talk a lot, they like [PowerBar]: to have the spotlight, but in a fight it’s another game. For myself, I don’t [PowerBar]: let anything…
[PowerBar]: I’m not trying to do too much things, I just want to be in the moment and don’t try [PowerBar]: to play those games with those guys because… [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah, yeah. [PowerBar]: I’m not that type of guy. I like to stay humble and I like to just fight hard.
[PowerBar]: And yeah, Chris, I have a lot of respect for this guy, especially because, you [PowerBar]: know, he accepted the fight to fight me. I’m not even ranked and he’s ranked, so [PowerBar]: I think he… It’s not like a win-win situation for him. I’m coming hard, I’m coming
[PowerBar]: to win, you know. coming to take his spot in the rankings. [MM-EH Andy]: Mm-hmm. [PowerBar]: So yeah, huge respect for the guy. I know he’s gonna be there to fight hard, he’s [PowerBar]: durable. He’s a veteran, you know, he has more than 35 or I think 40 professional
[PowerBar]: fights. [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah, yeah. [PowerBar]: So yeah, he’s a OG and I’m very happy to test myself against this guy. [MM-EH Andy]: If you could talk to yourself after the fight, like post fight, Marc Andre, [MM-EH Andy]: how would you explain to yourself what you think a perfect fight would be against
[MM-EH Andy]: Chris Curtis? What would that mean to you? [PowerBar]: Yeah, you know, I know my style and even though we are, you know, planning [PowerBar]: like a specific game plan for this fight Uh, I know like i’m more like i’m relying
[PowerBar]: more on my instinct, you know most of the time uh, but I think In my previous [PowerBar]: fight we can see like i’m getting more comfortable more mature more fighting [PowerBar]: IQ So I just want to keep going like that like showing that i’m smart I don’t
[PowerBar]: need to take unnecessary damage just to take one and to give one. I can be [PowerBar]: like the guy who leads the dance and you know do some damage and yeah be more [PowerBar]: smart and when the time comes to just bite in the mouthpiece and just exchange
[PowerBar]: I know I can do but I want to be proud of myself no regrets at the end of the [PowerBar]: fight win or lose I just want to have the feeling that I left inside in the
[PowerBar]: cage. for myself, for the crowd and for the UFC and then I can move on and [PowerBar]: keep working. [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah, for sure. So let’s best case scenario, you have an outstanding performance, [MM-EH Andy]: you have a really impressive victory over Chris Curtis. He’s ranked, you’re not
[MM-EH Andy]: ranked currently. So where does that put you? I guess into the rankings, what [MM-EH Andy]: do you think? And what would that look like for you for your next fight? [PowerBar]: Yeah, I mean right now the ranking doesn’t mean nothing, I think, because you
[PowerBar]: know we saw guys you know not even rank jump in the ranking or guys are already [PowerBar]: ranked and then it’s kind of you know it’s I don’t think it’s gonna matter for [PowerBar]: me. I just want to have a good performance, I just want to take you know every fight like
[PowerBar]: it’s my last fight you know because this is where I’m at my best. [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah. [PowerBar]: If I’m ranked after this fight, if I can take a spot, I’m gonna be very happy. [PowerBar]: But I’m kinda, I’m in the weird spot because there’s some guys before me that
[PowerBar]: already beat me. Guys like Anthony Hernandez, Jun Young Park, those guys beat [PowerBar]: me a couple years ago. And if I won this fight and I take the spot, it’s gonna [PowerBar]: be like. I don’t know, we’ll see after the fight, [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah, yeah.
[PowerBar]: but for sure I’m just going to look forward and we’ll see what the UFC offers me [PowerBar]: after this fight next. They know that I’m always willing to take fights even [PowerBar]: though it’s a last minute fight or a [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah.
[PowerBar]: big fight in Canada or even here in Florida, we don’t know. [PowerBar]: The Miami card looks great, but that’s going to be too short between those [MM-EH Andy]: Yeah. [PowerBar]: fights. So I’m going to take my time after and just figure out what’s next [PowerBar]: and we’ll see.
[MM-EH Andy]: Fantastic. Okay, Mark Andre, that’s all I really, any questions I have. I just [MM-EH Andy]: like to thank you so much for speaking with us. You know, I know it’s always [MM-EH Andy]: busy leading up to the fight. So I do truly appreciate your time. Thank you
[MM-EH Andy]: so much. And I was wondering if there’s anybody like to thank or any last minute [MM-EH Andy]: words. [PowerBar]: Yeah, my pleasure. I’m always willing to meet with you guys and have a good chat. [PowerBar]: Yeah, for myself, I’m just inviting you to watch the UFC 297 in my country, Canada.
[PowerBar]: I’m very happy to represent Canada even though I’m in the US right now. But yeah, [PowerBar]: other than that, I just want to give a huge shout out to my gym in Canada, [PowerBar]: Pat Noll Martial Arts. [MM-EH Andy]: Yep.
[PowerBar]: with my long-time trainer and mentor Sifu Pat Marcel. He’s gonna be there with me [PowerBar]: in the fight. [MM-EH Andy]: Great. [PowerBar]: And also all the guys down here in Florida at Kelkif FC. So yeah, I can wait.
[PowerBar]: I can wait to, you know, represent my roots, represent my new team and just have [PowerBar]: fun. And yeah, enjoy the show, guys. [MM-EH Andy]: Well, thank you again, Marc-André. Good luck at USC 297. I’m sure Canada will [MM-EH Andy]: be cheering for you. [PowerBar]: Thank you.
[MM-EH Andy]: Okay, that was awesome. So I’m going to stop the recording [PowerBar]: Yep. [MM-EH Andy]: and then I
