Athletes
EVERYTHING IS COMING TOGETHER FOR DANIEL BAREZ
Spanish Veteran Ready To Start Moving Forward In Flyweight Division Prior To Welcoming His First Child
As Daniel Barez readies to make his third trip into the Octagon this weekend in a showdown with undefeated Brazilian prospect Andre Lima, there is a different level of motivation propelling him into the Octagon, as soon after he wraps up his fight this weekend, the 36-year-old Spaniard will become a father for the first time.
“I’m pretty excited to have my first child,” said the dad-to-be, beaming as he talked about the impending arrival of his unborn child. “This is good time with my fight and having my baby 10 days after. I want to be there supporting my girlfriend, as well, but everything is going well.”
That wasn’t how Barez was feeling heading into his last appearance.
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Matched up with Victor Altamirano last fall in Paris, Barez came away with a unanimous decision win, his first in the UFC, but said in his post-fight interview backstage that he was coming from “a very s***** time in my life,” with the triumph and all that contributed to it giving him a tremendous sense of pride.
Asked about the comments earlier this week, the veteran flyweight elaborated on what had transpired.
“It was really hard physically because I got my skull injured and had surgery,” explained Barez, who competed on Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS), dropping a split decision to Carlos Hernandez. “But the psychological impact was bigger for me. I thought my career was over.”
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The injury took place during the BJJ Europa Cup event in Barez’ hometown of Valencia in October 2023, just a few months after he dropped his promotional debut to Jafel Filho in London. Reporting of the incident was sparse in North American MMA circles, but according to reports from those in attendance, Barez was allegedly struck in the face with a medal by the son of one of his former coaches, resulting in a significant horseshoe-shaped gash at the end of his left eyebrow.
The attack, injury, and subsequent recovery time needed explains why Barez remained out of competition for a little more than a year following his loss to Filho, and brings clarity to his admission that the psychological impact of the event took an even greater toll on him than the injuries he sustained.
Not only is there trauma to contend with from a situation like this, but to come so soon after finally realizing your dream of competing on the biggest stage in the sport, it can feel like everything is being taken away from you through no doing of your own.
Thankfully, Barez recovered and returned to action, and his win over Altamirano in September brought him newfound belief in himself and his skills.
“My first objective was to sign with UFC, then to get my first victory,” began Barez, who posted four straight stoppage wins between his DWCS appearance and debut in London to garner the call to the Octagon. “That was unlocking bigger confidence because there is something that tells me that I belong in this company, and I have the level to be here.
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“That (boosts) my confidence.”
Saturday’s matchup with Lima is a fascinating one and comes at a time when a great deal of attention is being focused on the flyweight division.
In the last 18 months, a host of fresh, young names have started to work their way forward in the division, making a push into the rankings and showing that they’re on the cusp of challenging the veteran class that has long populated the Top 15. Lima is very much a part of that promising wave of fighters climbing the ranks, having garnered a trio of victories in his 2024 rookie campaign to advance his record to 10-0 overall.
Though he had fewer UFC appearances than his adversary on Saturday, Barez lines up alongside the veteran set more than he does the younger class, having amassed a 17-6 record in a professional career that began in November 2012, when Lima was 13 years old.
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After an uneven early run of results, the Spaniard has won 11 of his last 13 appearances, with seven of those wins coming inside the distance, and he firmly believes that his experience is significantly more important than his age, both this weekend and going forward.
“Things happen when they have to,” he said when asked about arriving on the UFC stage more than a dozen years into his career. “When the chance came, I took it. Regardless of my age, I’m in a pretty good shape; I train with people of all ages.
“My experience is what counts more than age, and I have more fights than my opponent; so I’m used to challenges everywhere.
“Fighting Andre Lima, he’s undefeated and younger,” continued Barez, sharing his thoughts on his opponent. “But more than that, I noticed qualities on my opponent, and I’m faster than him.”
His point about timing is, well, timely, as Spanish competitors are undeniably having a moment right now in the UFC, with former featherweight champ Ilia Topuria leading the way, supported by his brother, Alexandre, lightweight finisher Joel Alvarez, and Barez.
As you would expect, helping to elevate the profile of his home country and the talent coming out of Spain at MMA’s top tier is a point of pride for the long-time martial artist.
“I’m very proud,” he said of being a part of this Spanish surge in the UFC. ”There were a few fighters before, and now I’m joining the list. I have had a long career in martial arts, and I’m thankful to represent Spain.”
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More than anything, though, he’s thankful for the opportunity to continue doing what he loves; to compete this weekend before returning home to welcome his first child.
And once the little bundle of joy arrives, the new dad would like to get back to work, and ideally add his name to the list of talents pushing forward in the division, as well.
“I’d like to fight twice this year,” offered Barez, who will surely take some family time following this weekend’s contest and is likely to target a return in the final third of the 2025 calendar. “And I just wanna fight against someone (ahead) of me who helps me to go up in the rankings.”
UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs Dolidze 2 took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 15, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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