Wayne Barrett recently lost at Glory 18 in a fight that he was expected to win. We caught up with him to find out what went wrong and what's next for the Fightlab-sponsored fighter:
Hi Wayne. Thanks for taking some time out of what must be an extremely busy time for you right now. What have you been up to since we saw you in action at Glory 18?
I have been angry and back to training and rehabbing. Thinking about revenge and getting better as a fighter as well as embarrassing the fact that I have to destroy my next opponent.
In Jason Wilnis, you were fighting a guy that had been on a two-fight losing streak and needed a win more than anything. Do you think that being the underdog gave him a psychological advantage?
I have to be an honest fighter and tell the truth; with the adjustments in Glory and talks of multiple scenarios I was not taking Glory 18 serious. They offered me multiple names and things just didn’t seem real. So I was training but not intensely so he did to me what I do to guys whom under estimate me. He made me pay for my moment of unprofessionalism.
You obviously studied Wilnis’s style and technique before the fight, what were you expecting and did he surprise you that night?
Nothing he did surprised me he had very hard kicks and his defence was extra tight. He caught me at the end of the 1st round when I was trying to just relax I opened my guard to settle in and he struck. I was hurt and didn’t recover till end of 2nd; the second knock down he didn’t connect on the hook I was just still out of it and a bad injury I needed to recover.
Wilnis dropped you in both the first and second rounds. Did you ever feel like you were in trouble, especially the second time?
The first one was definitely a surprise shot but the second round was no actual connection that’s why he tripped over me his momentum carried him. I was still cloudy. The first shot was more I didn’t see it. He does not have devastating power but he was very solid and when his feet are planted he is like a little tank. Very strong legs but he needs to be planted, as I knew prior. It was his night and I wasn’t myself.
We’ve seen you in action previously and it was almost as though we saw a different Wayne Barrett back on November 7 from the guy that we’ve come to know. Did you feel totally yourself that night or was there something not quite right?
I don’t want to take anything away from Jason or make excuses I was not my self at all. Every fighter has injuries of some kind. I just had to learn that night that every fight is important and I couldn’t go into any fight the way I went into this one at all. I felt so ashamed because I saw how stationary he was but I could not hit hard, or move like I normally do from my injury. But again I’m fighting guys on top of the sport and he gave me a fire that I needed.
We know it’s a bit clichéd but what have you learnt from your loss to Wilnis and is there anything you’ll change going forward?
I have learned a lot, and I want to thank Wilnis for giving me what I needed to evolve and that’s anger, desire, and purpose. Fighting comes easy to me I never had to try hard he made me realize that opportunity needs to be met with hard work for a good out come. I’m big Andre Ward fan and he always says it and now I know what he means. I had the opportunity of a lifetime and I failed. It hurts me a lot. I will never in danger myself like that again by not being ready.
You looked all set for a title shot against Artem Levin had you won at Glory 18. What’s Wayne Barrett’s game plan now?
Show people that the last fight was a mistake. I’m sure a ton of guys think now they can beat me lol but I’m no punk and I have the skill to beat them all. Now I do what ever I have to in order to get the shot back.
We read somewhere that you were an aspiring psychologist in your younger years Wayne. Has that had any bearing on your fighting career? Advantageous opponent insights perhaps?
Fighting is about believing in yourself and understanding yourself and your opponent. What really helps in the ring is training and wanting to show the man in front of you he doesn’t belong on your level.
You’re obviously still a strong contender in the Glory World Series but have you ever considered fighting in any other promotions/organisations?
2015 will be a year where I expand I want to live the real fighters life. I want to fight at least 6 times next year more if I am healthy.
Finally, your only other professional career blemish came at the hands of Joe Schilling. Would you want to settle the score once and for all with a third match up against your fellow American?
I am on a mission to right all the wrongs in my career so Joe & Jason are on the list. Jason more than Joe at this point.
Thanks for your time Wayne and we hope to see you back in the ring very soon…
