With cast removed, UFC heavyweight Pat Barry anticipates May return

Sakara=Excitement · 01-04-2010, 08:21 PM

With cast removed, UFC heavyweight Pat Barry anticipates May return | MMAjunkie.com

Quote:

Pat Barry (5-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is just happy he doesn't have to shower with a Glad bag over his right arm.

The 30-year-old UFC heavyweight badly broke his thumb fighting former training partner Antoni Hardonk at UFC 104 in October and has been avoiding the gym until today, when he teaches a kickboxing class at the Duke Roufus MMA Academy in Milwaukee.

Barry didn't trust himself not to hit something had he gone back any sooner.

"I have to learn how to use my hand again, pretty much," Barry today told MMAjunkie.com (mmajunkie.com). "The muscle memory is going to come back. There was a little bit of atrophy, but my thumb was completely broken."

The New Orleans native was given a 14-week sentence for a cast, but he was paroled in six. Barry has been out of the mold for two weeks, but he will need extensive physical therapy before he can lay hands on anything.

Still, he wants to take it easy and not rush things. And with $134,000 earned in salary and bonuses for his Hardonk victory, Barry can afford to take it slow, even if most of that purse went to service existing debt.

Meanwhile, Barry has been traveling around the country doing appearances for his sponsor, TapouT.

With the win over Hardonk, the former World Combat League veteran and K-1 kickboxer is now 2-1 in the UFC. After discovering his grappling limitations in a setback against Tim Hague this past May, Barry says his mat work is now steadily improving and is confident that his first experience on the ground will assist him in future fights.

As to when he'll be back in the octagon, Barry originally anticipated a March date but has given himself a few months leeway for a guaranteed return.

"I'm saying absolutely by May, but if the right opportunity comes around, we'll go from there," Barry said. "I'm aiming for March or April – as soon as I can – but I'm not going to rush it. I need my hand to punch people in the brain."