Middleweight contender Marc-Andre Barriault is returning to action this month in the Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler headliner at UFC 303. The 34-year-old will take on a younger Joe Pyfer and will seek to register his first win in 2024. The fight is just around the corner and today, our attention will be on Barriault’s personal life.

It’s not like Marc-Andre Barriault is a newbie in Dana White‘s promotion because he’s been fighting under the UFC banner for well over 5 years now. He’s had an underwhelming run for sure, but the 34-year-old also had his good moments inside the Octagon. But what about the personal side of his life? Well, let’s uncover details of his family and his background first.

Marc-Andre Barriault’s nationality and ethnicity: Who are his parents?

Born on 18 February 1990 in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, Marc-Andre Barriault is Canadian by nationality. When it comes to his nationality, it could be a little tricky because his hometown has more than 88 ethnocultural communities. However, Barriault’s name suggests that he’s of French descent because most of the people in Quebec are of French Heritage, similar to UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre.

Meanwhile, there’s been no information available in the public domain about his parents. Marc-Andre Barriault has never shared a picture of his mother, but he did share one with his father on Instagram while training at the Kill Cliff FC gym in Florida.

Although Marc-Andre Barriault has lost more fights in the UFC than he has won, the Canadian fighter still has 10 career knockouts to his name and was a champion in other promotions. However, his previous job was totally different from what he’s doing now. ‘Powerbar’ was actually a culinary expert back in the day.

What did Marc Andre Barriault do before MMA?

In 2011, Marc-Andre Barriault decided to do a Gordan Ramsay, or to be more exact, start learning to cook and develop culinary skills, for which he studied in Quebec. Studying in the Central Canadian city proved to be a great decision for the then-21-year-old Barriault as he received the academic credential for pre-university and technical programs, known as DEC, in dietetics, and would soon also acquire a couple of diplomas that certified his culinary skills.

Interestingly, Marc-Andre Barriault would continue to work as a cook until 2021. That was the year when he moved to Florida to further his MMA ambitions. And where do you think the UFC middleweight star worked? Well, Barriault worked as a cook in a hospital located in Quebec, Canada. He decided to work in the same city where he received his certified degrees.

While culinary skills are one thing, fighting is another, and Marc-Andre Barriault needs this win against Joe Pyfer. Can he edge past the much younger and explosive fighter at UFC 303? Drop your comments below.