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Former UFC heavyweight Chris Barnett signs with Power Slap after UFC release

Chris Barnett, released by the UFC in 2025 following back-to-back losses, has signed with Power Slap. The 40-year-old combat sports veteran carries a 23-10 MMA record and an opponent is yet to be named.

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Former UFC heavyweight Chris Barnett signs with Power Slap after UFC release
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Chris Barnett is moving from the octagon to the Power Slap podium. The promotion announced on Wednesday that the former UFC heavyweight has signed a deal to compete, with an opponent and date still to be confirmed.

Barnett, 40, holds a 23-10 record in MMA and has been a fixture in combat sports since making his professional debut as a heavyweight in 2009. His UFC tenure ended in 2025 after consecutive losses to Hamdy Abdelwahab and Kennedy Nzechukwu, capping a 2-4 run with the promotion. Among the highlights of that spell was a Performance of the Night-winning knockout over Gian Villante.

Known as “Beastboy”, Barnett wasted little time finding his footing after parting ways with the UFC. In December, he returned to winning ways with a 61-second knockout of Johnathan Miller under the Karate Combat banner.

Power Slap — the competitive slapping organisation founded by UFC president Dana White — will not be an entirely alien environment for a fighter of Barnett’s varied background. Over the course of his career he has competed in MMA, boxing, kickboxing, and bare-knuckle boxing. He also crossed into submission grappling in 2019, when former UFC star Yoel Romero submitted him with a kimura.

No timeline has been set for Barnett’s Power Slap debut.

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