UFC newcomer Dean Barry has opened up on his struggles with anxiety and the inspiration of Conor McGregor ahead of his UFC debut this weekend.
The road that leads fighters down the path of reaching the Ultimate Fighting Championship is often a turbulent one. The promotion is known for playing host to the best of the best in mixed martial arts and that’s one of the many reasons why it’s viewed as the endgame for hopeful prospects - including Dean Barry.
With four cancelled fights in 2021 and a 4-1 pro record, ‘The Sniper’ is chomping at the bit to prove himself to the masses as the next great star out of Ireland.
His opponent this weekend is the one and only Mike Jackson, the man who took on Mickey Gall and CM Punk in his two previous outings.
For Barry, though, getting to this point was a harder venture than it is for most, as he told GiveMeSport.com in an exclusive interview.
“I’d just become a new father and I was going through a lot of stuff with my son, a lot of custody stuff with him, so I was in a really bad place. I hadn’t seen him in like six months. I was going through a really hard time with that and I lost my granny in COVID, and my granny was like my mum, she was my rock.”
“I went through so much stuff at the time and I was getting denied visas, there was no work, and I was just in a really bad place in my life.
“I was drinking really heavily - I’m not saying I was a mad drinker but I was going out partying a week or two out from a fight, I was drinking and stuff because I was escaping things in my life.
“Now I live a really healthy life. I barely ever drink, I hardly ever go out, I’m with my son all the time and my girlfriend, we’re having a baby. I’m just really happy and content with my life at the minute. My mind is real healthy.”
In addition to his personal setbacks, Barry didn’t hold back when discussing the stress that comes with this line of work.
“Fight week is very stressful. I don’t think people realise the anxiety we go through on fight week, it’s crazy man, I can’t describe it.
Via: @deanbarrymma on Instagram
“It happens to me every fight week, I get really bad, I can’t sleep. I think oh am I good enough, is he gonna beat me, did I do enough, all this stuff goes through your head. It’s like a pit in your stomach, I can’t explain it, and it just cripples you bro, it’s the worst feeling.”
The McGregor effect
Of course, when you think about Irish MMA, Conor McGregor will forever be known as the main man.
His influence has spread across the nation and for Dean, embracing that makes all the sense in the world.
“At the end of the day if you don’t take inspiration from what he [McGregor] has done in the sport, you’re crazy. I mean, look what he has done. He’s a multi-millionaire two-weight champion, he’s had some fantastic fights, he’s brought some fantastic nights for Ireland, for all of us to watch.
“I was a big fan watching his fights growing up before I did MMA, I’d always stay up and watch. When Conor was fighting, it’d be a crazy night with your friends.”