Pat Barry’s official GLORY debut has been confirmed.
The former UFC heavyweight will face former professional boxer and fellow GLORY debutant Zack ‘The Black Warrior’ Mwekassa (10-1-0, 9 KOs) at GLORY 16 DENVER in a reserve fight for the Heavyweight Contender Tournament taking place on that same card.
The winner of the Barry vs. Mwekassa fight will be called up to replace one of the Contender Tournament finalists should they be too injured to continue after their semi-final bout.
Barry (15-5-1, 9 KO’s) has a background in the Chinese striking system of San-Shou and has competed as a kickboxer in K-1 and Chuck Norris’ World Combat League. He also competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship in his Mixed Martial Arts phase.
Mwekassa comes from Congo in Africa. By coincidence that is also the homeland of Cheick ’Kongo’ Ouedraogo, with whom Barry had an action-packed and an award-winning fight in 2011.
‘The Black Warrior’ has never been the distance, stopping his opponents in all of his victories and being stopped in all of his losses.
Mwekassa won the WBF Intercontinental Cruiserweight Title in 2007 and came close to winning the WBF World Cruiserweight Title in 2008, losing only when his opponent staged an incredible comeback after being knocked down several times.
“This fight is a classic style vs. style match,” says Cor Hemmers, GLORY Head of Talent Operations.
“Barry is well known for having brutal leg-kicks, he has stopped a lot of opponents that way. Mwekassa comes from a professional boxing background so obviously his hands are his most dangerous weapon.
“They both have a lot of finishes and they are both the type of fighter who goes out there looking for the KO. I think we can expect an explosive GLORY debut from them in this fight.”
GLORY’s next event takes place Saturday April 12 in Istanbul, Turkey and features a four-man light-heavyweight tournament with the World Championship Title on the line.
Tyrone Spong (90-5, 60 KO’s), Gokhan Saki (79-16, 56 KO’s), Nathan ‘Carnage’ Corbett (57-4, 45 KO’s) and Saulo Cavalari (28-2, 18 KO’s) will battle it out in a night of knockout action which will leave only one of them standing as champion at GLORY 15 ISTANBUL.
GLORY 15 ISTANBUL will air in the US on SPIKE TV and will be broadcast to over 150 territories worldwide.
