"I sent it to my management team and I was like, 'Look y'all better not say nothing'" - Chris Barnett details totalling his Mitsubishi Mirage ahead of UFC 279
UFC heavyweight Chris Barnett's wild encounters aren't limited to the octagon. The fighter detailed wrecking his car prior to his UFC 279 fight against Jake Collier.
Speaking to Daniel Cormier and Ryan Clark on the DC & RC Show, Barnett recollected his crazy accident in his Mitsubishi Mirage:
"You know what's crazy? Before this fight actually, I totaled my little car. Like I had a little Mitsubishi Mirage. A deer decided, he was like, 'Hey, you ready for some real training?' I was like, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa!' The whole airbags, all the impact and everything. Yeah, literally totaled the car. I sent it to my management team and I was like, look, y'all better not say nothing, all right? I'm fine, look we good, airbags went off but we are all right."
Barnett further praised his team for their concerns and for not being sycophantic towards him:
"And they were like 'No man, are you good?' I said 'Trust me, there's nothing that I can go through this camp that I went through last camp that can outdo that.' So having that positive mindset and that drive to keep pushing is literally because of the team that I got around me, man. I don't have the yes men, I have the 'Well why would you do that?' I got the dudes that are literally going to check me real quick if I'm being goofy. They've been killing me worse than anything you know."
Catch Chris Barnett's full comments on the DC & RC show:
Chris Barnett wins brutal duel with Jake Collier
Chris Barnett's prelim fight against Jake Collier at UFC 279 was a reminder of what he was capable of. It also was an exemplary display of resilience from the Taekwondo black belt.
With two losses in his first three UFC fights, Barnett needed a result in this fight. His weight-cutting failure made this bout the heaviest in UFC's modern era at 532.5 pounds. However, the former middleweight fighter Collier did not hold back an inch.
Collier comfortably won the first round as 'Beastboy' was subjected to immense punishment. All bloodied and busted, Barnett was threatened with a doctor's stoppage if he failed to protect himself in the remaining rounds.
Chris Barnett exceeded all expectations when he not only took the offense to his opponent but also managed to mount and overwhelm him. This shift in momentum reinvigorated Barnett and he eventually got the finish and his second win in the UFC.
Watch the complete fight highlights on YouTube: