UFC heavyweight Pat Barry announced Friday night that he is taking a hiatus from the sport of mixed martial arts in favor of returning to his kickboxing roots.

"After long discussions with our client Pat Barry over the recent weeks, he has come to the decision that he will be taking an indefinite leave from competing in MMA," his manager, Brian Butler, said in a prepared statement.

"Over the past few fights I've just had this sinking feeling in my stomach whenever I have stepped into the Octagon and I realize, I DONT WANT TO WRESTLE," Barry said in the same statement.

"Not saying I will never do MMA again, but right now I just want to hit people. MMA and the UFC have been great to me and I will always support the company and the sport. I want to thank all my fans, sponsors and haters for being with me on this journey and I look forward to what future holds."

His colorful personality and heavy hands made “Hype or Die” a big hit with the fans, but his questionable chin and lack of any grappling credentials has made Barry the loser in three of his past four bouts inside the Octagon.

Prior to trying his hard at mixed martial arts, the Grudge Training Center fighter compiled a respectable 18-6-1 record as a professional kickboxer.

In his 12 fights under the UFC banner, Barry earned two “Fight of the Night” and two “Knockout of the Night” bonuses for his efforts.

While noting is official, rumors have already begun to swirl that Barry’s management have reached out to GLORY kickboxing in hopes of negotiating a deal for their high-profile client.