UFC middleweight Marc-Andre Barriault‘s UFC career so far has been a mixed bag. Having lost more fights than he has won in the promotion (where he is 5-6 and 1 no contest), the Canadian is coming off a tough, split decision loss against Chris Curtis at UFC 297 in January this year.

Now, to keep his championship hopes alive, he is gearing up to face promising newcomer Joe Pyfer on the prelim card of UFC 303 on June 29. Ahead of this consequential bout for his career, let us take a look at the meaning and significance of his tattoos.

Marc-Andre Barriault’s ‘Jungle Beast’ Tattoo

Marc-Andre Barriault hails from Quebec, the same region as MMA GOAT contender Georges St-Pierre. And like the former legendary champion, Barriault, too, has a tattoo on his chest, even though they differ vastly in size. The first and most prominent tattoo the 34-year-old has, his piece de resistance is a tattoo that goes from his left wrist, up his forearm, and shoulder, and goes right to his chest.

This centerpiece is an amalgamation of many elements and motifs, mostly wildlife. And the Canadian middleweight has even christened this tattoo with the apt name ‘Jungle Beast’ because of this. The tattoo features a rhinoceros on his lower forearm, which stands for strength, resilience, and stability. Above this rhino, on his forearm, he has an elephant, symbolizing wisdom, loyalty, and good luck and fortune.

His left bicep has another fierce animal, the gorilla inked on it, embodying the values of leadership, love of nature, and dedication to family. The Quebec native has the bear, one of the fiercest predators in the world, tattooed on his chest, which represents ferocity, courage, wisdom, and healing in various cultures. The final animal in his ‘Jungle Beast’ tattoo is the humble raccoon, which, while smaller and less fierce than the other animals, still holds significance for Barriault, as it stands for adaptability, intelligence, curiosity, and resourcefulness.

Along with this centerpiece, the 34-year-old also has wings inked on his back, which is one of the most common tattoos and stands for freedom and liberation.

Barriault inspired by Sean Strickland’s UFC 293 victory over Israel Adesanya

As we have seen, Barriault has had a chequered stint in the UFC so far. However, he is determined to become champion once again. The Canadian, after all, was a two-division champion (middleweight and light heavyweight) in TKO, the promotion he fought for before joining the UFC. One thing especially has strengthened his resolve and belief that he could become champion in the UFC: Sean Strickland becoming champ.

“To see those guys Sean and Dricus fighting for the title, especially Sean winning the title last time, it proves me that everything is possible. So why not me? I’ve been in huge fights before. I’ve been a champion in my previous promotion, TKO, so I know what it takes to be a champion. I just need to, like I said, be myself, be confident, do the hard work, and fight hard,” Barriault told the press before UFC 297.

Strickland, of course, had defeated then-champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 last year, in what was perhaps the biggest upset in UFC history. And seeing ‘Tarzan’ defy all the odds and expectations has convinced the Canadian that one day he could become a UFC champion, too. Do you think Marc-Andre Barriault will kick-start his winning journey in the promotion from UFC 303? Let us know in the comments below.