Maycee Barber was transported to a local hospital following her devastating knockout loss to Alexa Grasso at UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Pyfer on March 28, 2026 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. Her team has confirmed the flyweight fighter is recovering well after a terrifying finish that left her unconscious on the canvas.
The end came at 2:42 of the opening round with the fighters exchanging strikes on the feet. Grasso blasted Barber with a vicious punch that twisted her entire body around and sent the 27-year-old flyweight down to the canvas. Grasso followed with another punch before grabbing a rear-naked choke, but Barber was already unconscious as referee Mike Beltran rushed in to stop the fight.
Following the finish, Barber grabbed onto the referee out of instinct but then rolled over to the mat where she laid motionless for several minutes as medical personnel tended to her. Barber eventually sat up and left the cage under her own power before she left the arena for treatment.
Team Provides Update From Hospital
Late Saturday night, Barber reposted a message from her boyfriend Oscar Herrera, who posted from the hospital on Instagram.
“Part of the game,” Herrera wrote. “Congrats to Alexa, we got caught but are OK. Will be back soon, thanks for everyone checking in.”
Barber’s striking coach Guilherme Faria also posted an update after the fight was finished.
“Not our night,” Faria wrote. “This is the fight game and sometimes things don’t go our way. No blame, no excuses, just lessons. We learn, we grow and we come back stronger. God is good all the time.”
Barber has not released her own statement on the fight yet.
Second UFC Appearance After Medical Issues
The fight served as Barber’s second appearance in the UFC after medical issues kept her sidelined for over a year and a half. That included another scary situation when she passed out backstage just moments before she was scheduled to walk to the octagon for a fight against Erin Blanchfield in May 2025.
Barber got the help she needed and finally returned this past December where she earned a unanimous decision over Karine Silva at UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2 to extend her overall winning streak to seven in a row. She then booked the rematch against Grasso, who defeated her via decision in their first encounter over five years ago.
The knockout loss on Saturday ended that run and dropped Barber’s professional record to 15-3. She now looks to recover from this fight before looking towards her future in the UFC flyweight division.
There were plenty of people placing doubt on Alexa Grasso in her UFC Seattle co-main event against Maycee Barber; however, Grasso put those doubts, and her opponent, to bed.
With one single strike, Grasso had one of the most brutal knockouts in women’s MMA, scoring a first-round finish.
The two traded for the first couple of minutes, attempting to find each others range while exchanging kicks. The two appeared to be even, as Barber tried to press the pace, but Grasso was more than ready to battle back.
Then, Grasso flashed a right hand, only to crack Barber with a left. Barber was out from the second the punch landed, even as Grasso took the back and looked for a choke.
This was a rematch from UFC 258, which saw Grasso score a decision win over Barber.
This was Grasso’s first win since upsetting Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC women’s flyweight title at UFC 285. Grasso entered this fight off a loss to Natalia Silva at UFC 315.
Barber had won seven straight before tonight’s loss.
UFC Seattle’s headliner will see a former middleweight champion attempt to prove he is still a top talent in the division, while a rising star looks to make his biggest stride toward a future title shot.
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will face Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Seattle, which takes place on March 28 at the Climate Pledge Arena.
UFC CEO and President Dana White confirmed the news in an announcement on Instagram Live.
Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer Headlines UFC Seattle On March 28
This fight is perhaps a must-win for Adesanya, who enters with three straight losses and four defeats in his last five fights. Adesanya, a former two-time champion, has not recovered since losing the title to Sean Strickland in one of the UFC’s biggest upsets at UFC 293.
Adesanya was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia last February, marking the first time he was finished in a non-title fight.
Pyfer has risen up the UFC’s middleweight ranks since coming into the promotion off his known 2022 Dana White’s Contender Series appearance. Pyfer is 6-1 in the Octagon, most recently submitting Abus Magomedov at UFC 320 in October.
The UFC Seattle co-main event will see Alexa Grasso facing off with Maycee Barber. This will be a rematch from UFC 258, which saw Grasso take a unanimous decision.
Grasso is winless in her last three fights, which include the latter two fights in her women’s flyweight title trilogy with Valentina Shevchenko. Grasso comes into this fight off a loss to Natalia Silva at UFC 315 this past May.
Barber has won seven straight since losing to Grasso. After medical issues kept her away from the Octagon for nearly two years, Barber defeated Karine Silva at UFC 323.
UFC flyweight Maycee Barber has gone public with strong criticism of referee Mark Smith following her controversial victory over Karina Silva at UFC 323, declaring she no longer feels safe with him officiating her fights.
During the bout, Silva landed an illegal upkick while Barber had grounded knees. Despite the apparent foul, Smith assessed it as “not a hard blow” and issued no point deduction. Barber revealed the true impact of the strike in a post-fight interview with MMA Fighting.
“As soon as she hit me, I just remember my face and my neck feeling like I hit my funny bone. And I was like, everything’s tingly,” Barber explained, adding that upon reviewing footage she was visibly wobbled by the illegal strike.
Barber’s criticism of Smith was direct and unfiltered: “From my perspective now, I’m like, to me, I’m like, I don’t want him reffing my fights at all. I don’t feel safe in there with him anymore. I don’t feel like he’s a fair, a very fair ref.”
The 27-year-old also raised concerns about the disparity between fighters and officials when it comes to consequences for poor performance.
“He can have a bad day at work, but he’s going to get paid regardless. So, it kind of sucks that we have us athletes that have to go in and have people that can have off days and still get paid and risk our jobs,” Barber stated.
Adding to the officiating controversy, Barber revealed a timer malfunction during Round 2 that her coach brought to her attention post-fight.
“The guy that was in control of the timer, he forgot to hit the timer. So there was a spot where there was like 10 seconds at the end of the round where the triangle shouldn’t have even happened,” she explained.
Smith’s officiating at UFC 323 drew widespread criticism, with fans and fighters calling his performance “dreadful” after a questionable stoppage in the Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira bout earlier on the card.
Despite the controversies, Barber secured the unanimous decision victory in her first fight in 21 months and is already targeting a quick turnaround.
Maycee Barber looked sharp in her return to the Octagon at UFC 323, defeating Karina Silva by unanimous decision after 21 months away. The flyweight contender has now revealed her unconventional approach to conquering ring rustāand it starts with eliminating negativity entirely.
Speaking with MMA Fighting following her victory, Barber explained that she expected to perform well despite the extended layoff. Her confidence stemmed from a rigorous training philosophy that never allows for true time off.
“When I am out, whether I’m injured or not, like I’m either training mentally or I’m training physically. This is my life. And this is a career that I chose that we don’t have an on season, off season. We have, this is an everyday thing,” Barber explained.
Rather than worrying about ring rust showing up on fight night, Barber believes it appears in campāwhere it can be corrected.
“I think that if I was going to have ring rust, it probably would have been in sparring and it probably would have been in training. There were some sparring rounds that I had that I was like, ‘Oh yeah, my timing is off.’ But that’s what camp is for,” she said.
Barber credited her coach, Ghee, for his meticulous attention to detail in correcting any issues that emerged during preparation.
“My coach Ghee, he’s like on top of things. If something’s off, we’re going to fix it. If my jab timing is off, he’s going to go through and dial it in. We did plenty of training to make sure that everything was at the right time and we peaked at the right time,” she explained.
Perhaps most notably, Barber takes an aggressive approach to protecting her mental space. She actively removes anyone who introduces doubt or negativity into her preparation.
“I never even let the whole ring rust entry even into my head. If someone tries to bring in negative energy, I’m just like, they’re gone. I just don’t even let that stuff enter my head. Bad energy is not necessary. It’s not for me,” Barber stated.
When asked about sparring intensity, Barber laughed and offered a glimpse into her killer instinct: “Not me. I try to kill them all and they all know it.”
The approach clearly paid dividends as Barber looked like she hadn’t missed a beat against Silva, earning a decisive victory to restart her championship campaign.
UFC star Maycee Barber has spoken about why she believes any issues regarding weight cuts are now firmly in the past.
Following a long spell on the shelf due to injury, Maycee Barber is set to return to the cage later this year at UFC 323. She will battle Karine Silva and if she’s able to pick up a comprehensive victory, there’s every chance that she could be just one or two more wins away from a championship opportunity. Of course, one of the big parts of earning that would be proving that she’s 100% healthy.
Maycee Barber has struggled with both weight cuts and injuries in her career, leaving some to wonder whether or not she’ll truly be able to live up to her potential. Alas, it certainly feels like the 27-year-old is starting to come out the other side of it, which can only be a good thing for the women’s flyweight division.
In a recent interview, Barber spoke candidly about her health problems and any role that had in her weight cuts in the past.
Maycee Barber discusses weight cutting and health concerns
“We put our bodies through a lot ā especially as females. Weāre asking them to train, perform, cut weight, and still function normally. At the end of the day, weāre still human. I donāt think my problems came from weight cutting; I think my health issues actually played a part in that cut.
“Iām one of those fighters who will go until someone tells me to stop, and unfortunately, this time it was my own body ā and the entire UFC ā saying, āYou canāt do this right now.ā”
It was back to the UFC APEX this past Saturday night, as the UFC held its May 31 Fight Night event — UFC Vegas 107: Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber in its headquarters.
The night ended up being history making in a way no one expected — the scheduled main event of the evening did not make the walk to the Octagon.
The planned main event between Blanchfield and Barber would have been a battle of top-five women’s flyweight contenders. Blanchfield has won 10 of her last 11 and was to come into this fight off a November win over Rose Namajunas. Barber, meanwhile, is on a six-fight win streak and would have competed for the first time since UFC 299 after battling several health issues during 2024.
Only nine bouts went ahead on the night — five on the main card and four in the prelims. The final event of the evening, the originally scheduled co-main event, saw Mateusz Gamrot compete in his first fight since his UFC 305 loss to Dan Hooker, as he took on L’udovit Klein.
The main card also featured Dustin Jacoby taking on Bruno Lopes, a women’s featherweight battle between Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson, and Zachary Reese facing DuÅ”ko TodoroviÄ.
Let’s now take in the good and the bad with this week’s edition of Hits and Misses!
I can’t say for certain that this was the worst card in the history of the UFC like some on a certain social media platform are saying. But after the entertaining Apex night that was the UFC Fight Night on May 17, this one, held in the same venue just two weeks later, definitely has to be up there for the Worst Card of 2025.
Firstly, “card subject to change” really came into play in this show. Andreas Gustafsson originally gets booked with Jeremiah Wells before an injury to Wells sees him replaced by Trevin Giles — only for Giles to be pulled on the day of weigh-ins after falling in the bathroom. Ramiz Brahimaj and Billy Ray Goff faced each other because their original opponents, Oban Elliott and Ko Seok-hyun, respectively, had visa issues. So, the UFC decided to play “le switcheroo.” Michael Aswell filled in on just days’ notice against Bolaji Oki after MarQuel Mederos fell ill.
And then of course came what happened in the main event — when Maycee Barber’s sudden medical issue resulted in her fight with Erin Blanchfield being canceled right before Octagon walks. The Fight Night became UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Klein IN RETROSPECT. That is insanity.
And it’s only after all that you can point to a lack number of fights, a lack of star power, and a lack of finishes.
Despite some entertaining evenings such as UFCs 314 and 315, as well as the Burns vs. Morales card of two weeks ago, UFC Vegas 107 provided us a stark reminder that the sport of MMA is in a recession period — and that (even some WWE fans may tell you) the UFC under TKO’s rule just may be providing us the darkest modern timelime in this promotion.
Hit – Jordan Leavitt Reminds Us How Entertaining He Can Be
Only one finish came on the preliminary card, and fortunately it was such a highlight, as Jordan Leavitt pulled off a quick submission of Kurt Holobaugh.
Both men are great grapplers, but Leavitt proved he was the better fighter on this night. He not only was the one who initiated the ground battle, but he dominated with top pressure but putting Holobaugh to sleep with a choke.
On top of that, he had a solid worm celebration that he showed off following his victory.
Leavitt hasn’t been the most dominant since bursting onto the UFC scene from Dana White’s Contender Series, but he’s had some great finishes. In addition to this one against Holobaugh, he’s also earned bonuses from his slam KO of Matt Wiman and his finish of Victor Martinez.
This was Leavitt’s first fight after missing all of 2024, and he reminded fight fans just how exciting he can be to watch here.
Miss – Ketlen Vieira’s Weight Issues, Macy Chiasson’s Performance
Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson was a fight I had my eye on solely based on their names alone in this card that didn’t have the greatest of star power. Unfortunately, their name values and their status as top-five bantamweight contenders couldn’t save a fight that ultimately proved to sound a lot better on paper.
It was a one-sided slaughtering on the side of Vieira. After landing some powerful strikes early on, Vieira was dominant on the ground for most of the fight, overwhelming Chiasson with top pressure and strong positioning, limiting most of Chiasson’s offense. It wasn’t until the closing stages of the last round that Chiasson tried to blitz and overwhelm Vieira on the feet — and even then it wasn’t enough.
On the Vieira side of the things, it was a strong performance. Unfortunately, part of the problem with this fight is that it took place at a weight class the UFC doesn’t do anything with anymore (not like they did much with it in the first place either) — women’s featherweight. The two were scheduled to face off at 135, but the fight was moved to 145 on the day of weigh-ins because of “weight management” issues on the side of Vieira.
If this fight had taken place at its originally intended weight class, I think there would have been a lot more talk about her being in line to face the winner of next week’s Julianna Pena vs. Kayla Harrison title fight. There still can be, but the weight management issues will definitely bring that into question. This is especially after how May also saw weight management issues get involved in Jose Aldo’s retirement fight with Aiemann Zahabi.
Meanwhile, for Chiasson, this was just a brutal outing. This was definitely a step back after a 2024 that saw her earn performance bonuses in finishes of Pannie Kianzad and former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva. You just have to hope it was an off night, she dusts off and gets back to the planning room and can get back to her recent powerful self in her next outing.
Hit – Dustin Jacoby Delivers Some Needed Violence
When this card needed a wake-up call, Dustin Jacoby was the one to deliver it. He also had one of the only finishes on the night, pulling off a quick, powerful victory over Bruno Lopes.
Jacoby rocked Lopes with a jab. Then he did more damage with an elbow. Then a couple of hooks started a wild flurry against Lopes, who was up against the fence, before Lopes crumbled to the mat for an easy first-round finish.
After getting knocked out by Dominick Reyes last year, which brought about four losses in five fights, things looked grim for Jacoby. But back-to-back knockout victories now show just how fun it can be to watch the former GLORY Kickboxing star.
Hopefully this is the start of him getting back to winning ways that he had when he came into the UFC in 2020.
Hit – From Injury To Shining Performance For Ramiz Brahimaj
If Jordan Leavitt had the great submission and Dustin Jacoby had the great KO, then Ramiz Brahimaj had the upset of the evening and the feel-good moment of it.
Brahimaj pulled off a strong submission victory of his own, taking out Billy Ray Goff. He got Goff down and to his back quickly before Goff stood up and got the fight in a clinch, landing a strong elbow in the process. Brahimaj, however, showed off slick submission skills by going from a guillotine choke attempt to a ninja choke that put Goff to sleep — ending things before the referee could.
Brahimaj was a major underdog going into the fight, and that just adds to the story of how a spinal injury could have ended his career just a couple of years ago.
A feel good moment for Brahimaj, and it’s hopefully more positive momentum that he can ride.
Miss – Erin Blanchfield And Maycee Barber Don’t Make The Main Event Walk
The main event promo package on ESPN+ had just finished airing. The camera transitioned back to the UFC APEX. But no music played. At first I’m sitting there thinking “Well, typical UFC on ESPN and a production botch” — only to then see that the commentary team was confused by no fighters making the walk out just as I was.
And when the camera transitioned back over to the UFC commentary team before a throw to a sudden commercial break, I just knew this fight wasn’t happening. And indeed it didn’t.
Unfortunately, since COVID, we’ve seen instances of sudden cancelations of bouts during cards. Trevin Giles fainted moments before his scheduled bout with Kevin Holland. Chas Skelly was already in the Octagon when his February 2021 fight with Jamall Emmers was scrapped due to Emmers suffering back spasms. We’ve seen several instances in this five-year timespan where fighters are pulled on the day of the event due to illness or some sort of medical issue.
But if we’re talking exclusively main event fights, we haven’t seen a thing like this happen since UFC 24 in March 2000, when Kevin Randleman slipped backstage and received a concussion, canceling a scheduled heavyweight title bout with Pedro Rizzo — ruining the whole “First Defense” tagline of that card.
As of press time, we have no official word as to what happened other than a last-minute medical issue. Blanchfield claimed in an interview on the broadcast that Barber suffered a seizure but she wouldn’t entertain a re-scheduling with Barber due to Barber’s “unprofessionalism.”
If it’s true Barber suffered a seizure for whatever reason, Blanchfield’s call of someone being “unprofessional” feels dirty. But simultaneously, you have to feel for her, being ready to go after all her work and preparation — only for the fight to be called off as she’s getting ready to make the walk. Fortunately, she did reportedly receive her show and win money.
Also, it’s such a shame that Barber goes through this after battling a litany of health issues stemming from Epstein-Barr that included a nine-day hospitalization, with Barber’s health getting so bad to the point she felt she was going to die. And now, here we are. And knowing how brutal the MMA fanbase, let alone the whole industry, can be, this historic circumstance — combined with her weight miss and Blanchfield’s doubts Barber would make it to the cage — may end up being a bad PR time for her.
The sudden main event cancelation was just the cherry on top of the gross sundae that was the May 31, 2025 UFC Fight Night event.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, something always can happen to leave you in shock. And UFC Vegas 107 had such an event.
The scheduled main event bout between Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber was canceled just before the fighters were scheduled to walk out for the fight. ESPN had just played the main event promo package but neither fighter appeared for entrances.
After a long commercial break, the UFC commentary team announced that Barber had suffered a medical issue and was pulled from the fight by the UFC’s medical staff at the last minute.
Blanchfield claims that Barber suffered a seizure prior to walkouts.
Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber Main Event Scrapped Right Before Walkouts At UFC Vegas 107
This was to be Barber’s first fight since her victory over Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299. Barber had battled various health issues over the past year, including a bout with Epstein-Barr that resulted in her being hospitalized for nine days.
Barber had missed weight by half a pound the day before the event. Blanchfield had suggested earlier in the week that Barber may not make it to the fight — and said in a backstage interview immediately after the cancelation that she would, at the word of her coaches, not entertain any sort of re-scheduling with Barber.
There has been one other occurrence where the UFC lost its main event during the card itself. UFC 24 was originally scheduled to be headlined by UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman defending his title against Pedro Rizzo until Randleman slipped on the concrete floor backstage, hospitalized with a concussion.
Blanchfield has won 10 of her last 11 bouts, with her sole loss in the span coming against recent title challenger Manon Fiorot. This would have been Blanchfield’s first fight since her win over Rose Namajunas in November.
Barber was to have entered this fight on a six-fight win streak.
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!Ā
In the main event, women’s flyweightsĀ Erin BlanchfieldĀ and Maycee Barber were set to clash, however the fight was canceled just as the fighters were about to enter the cage. In the co-main event,Ā Mateusz GamrotĀ faced off with Ludovit Klein in a lightweight matchup.Ā
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee BarberĀ was canceled due to medical issue with Barber
Mateusz Gamrot def. Ludovit Klein via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Ramiz Brahimaj def. Billy Ray Goff via submission: R1, 3.16
Dustin Jacoby def. Bruno Lopes via KO: R1, 1.50
Ketlen Vieira def. Macy Chiasson via unanimous decision (29-28×2, 30-27)
Zachary Reese def. Dusko Todorovic via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Preliminary Card
Allan Nascimento def. Jafel Filho via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Jordan Leavitt def. Kurt Holobaugh via submission: R1, 1.39
Bolaji Oki def. Michael Aswell via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Alice Ardelean def. Rayanne Dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2)
Preliminary Card Highlights
Jordan Leavitt def. Kurt Holobaugh
Jordan Leavitt submitted Kurt Holobaugh in the first round.
UFC Vegas 107 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekendās lineup.
The upcoming event takes place Saturday, May 31, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
A top-5 flyweight contenders battle will top off tonight’s action, as former title challenger Erin Blanchfield takes on Maycee Barber.
Also making the walk on Saturday will include Mateusz Gamrot and L’udovit Klein (who battle in the lightweight co-main event), as well as Dustin Jacoby, Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson.
UFC Vegas 107: Blanchfield vs. Murphy Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 107 (as of 1:30pm ET on 5/31), courtesy ofĀ DraftKings.
Main Card:
Erin Blanchfield (-238) vs. Maycee Barber (+195)
Mateusz Gamrot (-155) vs. ĽudovĆt Klein (+130) Ramiz Brahimaj (+320) vs. Billy Ray Goff (-410)
Dustin Jacoby (-192) vs. Bruno Lopes (+160)
Ketlen Vieira (+114) vs. Macy Chiasson (-135)
Zachary Reese (-198) vs. DuÅ”ko TodoroviÄ (+164)
Preliminary Card:
Jafel Filho (+102) vs. Allan Nascimento (-122)
Kurt Holobaugh (+200) vs. Jordan Leavitt (-245)
Bolaji Oki (-470) vs. Michael Aswell (+360)
Rayanne dos Santos (-205) vs. Alice Ardelean (+170)
Maycee Barber isn’t looking to edge out a win on points when she enters the cage and she looks to win with emphasis against Erin Blanchfield at UFC Vegas 107. As she prepares to headline UFC on ESPN 68, Barber is taking part in all of the normative fight week proceedings and fielded questions by on-site reporters at the fighter media day. When touching on aspects of her preparations leading into this fight as well as what her intentions are for this contest, Barber said,
“I’ve been staying busy. I’ve been training. I’ve been working my butt offāwhether it’s in the gym or at home, like with the health stuff. We’ve just been doing everything possible to get back to 100% and back here to be able to put on a performance.”
“I think that this is a perfect opportunity for me to showcase my skills, to get a finish and get a dominant win, and continue my win streakāput it at sevenāand solidify my spot at the belt.”
“My goal in every performance is for people to wantānot just this one, but every single oneāI want them to be like, ‘Damn! She really goes out there and she goes for a finish. She goes out there to hurt these girls.’ And I think that’s what makes me dangerous. I don’t just want to go out there and fight these girls and win. I don’t want just a decision win. I want to go out there and hurt these girls, and make sure that they know that when they’re done with a fight with me, they never want to fight me again.”
Maycee Barber vs. Erin Blanchfield and the title challenger implications
Maycee Barber will test skills with Erin Blanchfield on May 31st in a clash that pits the number five ranked flyweight contender against the number four ranked 125 pounder, respectively. In a landscape where the number two and number three contenders in the division are coming off losses (Manon Fiorot and Alexa Grasso, respectively), this fight has a ton of divisional importance as far as creating a queue of title challengers for champion Valentina Shevchenko. While it seems like Shevchenko may next fight either number one contender Natalia Silva or strawweight champion Zhang Weili, the victor of Maycee Barber versus Blanchfield is certainly well positioned.
14 months on from suffering her first UFC defeat at the hands of Manon Fiorot, the 25-year-old American will look to stake her claim for a shot at the winner of the Frenchwoman’s title challenge against Valentina Shevchenko on May 10.
To do so, “Cold Blooded” must spoil the return of fellow countrywoman Maycee Barber (14-2). While a six-fight winning streak placed “The Future” in the championship conversation, health problems have kept her away from the cage since a victory over Katlyn Cerminara last March.
Barber will now have the chance to regain momentum in her maiden main event on MMA’s biggest stage, which the promotion announced for a UFC Fight Night inside the Apex on social media this week.
2024 has been an incredibly difficult year for UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber. At UFC 299 in March, the #4-ranked contender earned her sixth consecutive win by defeating Katlyn Cerminara via a unanimous decision.
Shortly after, she was hospitalized for nine days due to an illness that doctors couldn’t correctly identify. She later spoke in an interview on The MMA Hour about how at one point, she didn’t think she would be able to overcome this illness, going as far as to call her loved ones because she didn’t think she had much longer to live.
Over time, her energy started to slowly come back but a scheduled return in a main event against Rose Namajunas would come around too quick for her. Barber withdrew from the fight and was replaced by Tracy Cortez, writing on Instagram that after being told that she would be able to compete by July, she didn’t feel like her body was “even close” to being ready for a fight, let alone a five-rounder against a former champion.
In a recent interview with Morning Kombat, Barber gave a positive update on her progress and what it was like to miss out on the fight with Namajunas earlier this year.
“Everything’s going great now. It has been a long journey. I was so bummed when, well first of all, I was so excited to fight Rose because not only was I fighting Rose but I was also fighting in Denver where I made my UFC debut. So for me, it was my first main event, it was a very huge opportunity for me and I was so excited and then I was devastated when I was told, ‘Hey look, you’re not going to fight on this card’. Obviously the health is more important so I was devastated but I have made a lot of progress coming forward and I can’t wait to be back.”
She also gave a planned timeframe for her return and though it still seems far away, especially considering that she was originally booked to face Namajunas this past July, she’s ahead of her previous estimations.
“Yeah, actually I was just messaging with Mick (Maynard) and Hunter (Campbell) called me as well. I’m hoping for April honestly. I mean I know it still is a little ways out but for me, that’s the timeline that I was given and so originally, I thought I was gonna be until July, August of next year but it’s looking more like April.”
Most recently, Barber followed a a memorable, Performance of the Night-winning display opposite Amanda Ribas last year by getting the better of former title challenger Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299 in Miami this past March.
But while that result thrust the 26-year-old into the top five at 125 pounds and left her calling for a title shot, she’s since been struck down by factors away from the fight game.
Barber first experienced a mystery infection days on from her UFC 299 victory. After being hospitalized, the illness resulted in a bout of pneumonia. Having overcome that scare, she was booked to headline the UFC Fight Night in Denver against Rose Namajunas in July.
Ongoing health issues saw the Colorado native withdraw, however, and she’s now lifted the lid on her continuing struggle to return to fitness and get past the issue, which Barber says 15 doctors have been unable to diagnose.
“A bit of transparency. The last several months have been some of the most mentally challenging, frustrating, and discouraging times that I have experienced,” Barber wrote on Instagram. “I have worked with over 15 different drs and medical professionals searching for answers and a path back to not just fighting but the gym itself. Iāve been staying patient, praying daily and trusting in the fact that God has a plan and a purpose for everything in life. But to be honest itās hard and it hasnāt gotten easier.
“Iāve had so many ups and downs and been told so many different things about what could be going on. So many emotions going into each day and many days where Iām mentally exhausted and just want to sleep,” Barber continued. “I never thought that I would be in a position where I feel so close to the belt while feeling so far away at the same time. I definitely didnāt see the path to being a Champion looking like this but nonetheless I will continue to push forward and I WILL BE THE FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION. Itās on Godās time not mine. š¤”
When the #4-ranked contender does recover and make her return to the Octagon, the flyweight division will have significantly shifted.
Valentina Shevchenko returned to the throne by avenging her past defeat to Grasso at UFC 306 last month, and “Bullet” is expected to face the challenge of France’s Manon Fiorot next year.
Beyond that, Namajunas seemingly has the chance to book her first shot at two-division glory should she get the better of Erin Blanchfield in Edmonton this weekend for her third victory of the year.
And in the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Amanda Lemos vs. Virna Jandiroba, MMA News has you covered with this weekās updates to the official UFC rankings.
Menās Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Womenās Pound-for-Pound:Ā Jandiroba’s submission of Lemos in Saturday’s main event has advanced both her divisional and P4P ambitions. The Brazilian has debuted in the latter list at #13, one spot behind the climbing Kayla Harrison. The defeated Lemos, meanwhile, has dropped three positions to #15, while flyweight contender Maycee Barber has fallen out entirely.
Womenās Strawweight: At 115 pounds, Jandiroba finds herself two spots better off at #3 courtesy of her efforts at the Apex. Lemos has made way for that rise and now occupies her recent opponent’s formerly occupied #5 place.
Flyweight: Bruno Silva mounted a memorable comeback this past weekend to knock out fellow American Top Team standout Cody Durden. He’s been rewarded with an entry into the 125-pound rankings at #15, with his defeated teammate now out of the top 15.
Bantamweight:Ā While he’s had to wait an extra week, Montel Jackson’s 18-second knockout of Da’Mon Blackshear in Denver has netted him the #15 position in the division. His arrival has led to the removal of longtime veteran contender Pedro Munhoz.
UFC flyweight Maycee Barber wishes Roxanne Modafferi wouldn’t have retired before a potential rematch against her.
Barber is set to face Montana De La Rosa at an upcoming UFC Fight Night event on April 23. She got back in the win column with a decision win over Miranda Maverick in her last fight at UFC Vegas 32.
Barber’s first setback in the UFC came against Modafferi at UFC 246, as she lost the fight via unanimous decision and suffered a gruesome leg injury. She had to be carried out of the arena by her teammates following the fight’s conclusion.
Modafferi announced her retirement before her last fight at UFC 271 against Casey O’Neill. Despite losing via a split decision, Modafferi seemed content to have her MMA career come to a close.
“I meant to make a post to congratulate Roxy on a great career,” Barber said. “Obviously as a fighter who fought her, and busted my knee up, I tried to get that fight back and asked for it back. But she was at the last fight of her career and she definitely wanted one that was gonna be in her favor, and I completely understand that.”
Barber went on to explain why the Modafferi rematch being off the table going forward is a bit of a nuisance.
“Yeah, I mean, part of you is like, as a fighter, it sounds like a loss. But at the same time, I know how that fight went out (against Modafferi). So it’s not like one, you know, if you go out and get beat down and you lose on a healthy body, and you’re like, ‘Dang, I lost, I wanna get that back.’ I know I was compromised and I know where my heart was and how my body was. Honestly, that was her fight to win. Good for her. I’m not gonna lose sleep over it.”
The loss to O’Neill was Modafferi’s third straight on her way out of the sport. She last won against Andrea Lee last September via unanimous decision.
Barber is looking to be a mainstay in the flyweight division for years to come, similar to her former rival Modafferi. She’ll look to continue her momentum later this year as she gets ready to make her 2022 debut.
How do you think Maycee Barber will perform in 2022?
Maycee Barber believes she wasnāt sufficiently developed as a mixed martial artist to become the youngest ever UFC champion.
Barber, who made her promotional debut in 2018 as a 21-year-old, had long been touted to become the youngest ever to take UFC goldāa record held by Jon Jones, who won the light heavyweight belt at the age of 23 years and 243 days.
The Contender Series alum experienced a rapid rise through the flyweight division, winning her first three fights via TKO in blistering fashion. Comparisons to Ronda Rousey were made, and it seemed Barber was destined to soon challenge for the title.
However back-to-back unanimous decision losses to Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso, in between lengthy layoffs due to an ACL injury, saw Barberās rapid rise through the flyweight ranks halted. āThe Futureā returned to action with a win over Miranda Maverick in July last year, but as she approaches her 24th birthday this May, the chance to break Jon Jonesā record has all but passed her by.
Maycee Barber gets back into the win column against Miranda Maverick last July. Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Barber Says She Wasnāt Ready To Become Youngest Ever Champ
As she prepares to return to the Octagon against Montana De La Rosa in April, Barber spoke exclusively with MMANews about her missed opportunity to go down in the UFC record books. The #14 ranked flyweight was philosophical about how her career has panned out, explaining that she needed to grow as a fighter before she could become champion.
āHonestly, when I tore my ACL, I was thinking about it,ā she says. āBecause I was like, me being the youngest champion, it didnāt seem as feasible. Because obviously, I was gonna be out for a whole year. And that kinda messes with the timing and everything. But the thing that I learned was: maybe I wasnāt ready to become champion at that age. Maybe there is so many more lessons that I had. Maybe there was so much more growth that I had to do as a striker, as a wrestler, as a grappler.ā
Barber says that becoming the youngest ever UFC champ was a personal ambition that she was ātrying to achieve for everybody.ā Failing to reach that goal, the 23-year-old explained, has attracted some haters. But itās this pressure from fans that Barber says helps her progress towards her goals, so sheāll continue to dream big and share her ambitions publicly.
During her extended layoff, Maycee says she also realized that simply dreaming about becoming the youngest ever champ, and nothing other than that, was somewhat short-sighted.
āThe other thing that I also learned is; when having that goal, I feel like that was the goal that I set,ā she says. āThat was the goal for me that I was like, thatās what Iām gonna go after. And I didnāt really plan anything after that. Because I definitely had that feeling, I was like, āWell, wait. So Iām not gonna get that. So obviously, Iām not achieving that. And I was just like, so, waitā¦whatās next?ā
PHOTO: FIRSTSPORTZ
Barber says that while she’s won’t be erasing Jon Jones’ name from the record books, youth is still very much on her side, and she’s got plenty of ambition to make a huge impact in the UFC.
āSo for me, it was kinda a realization of like, Iām still freakinā 23,” she says. “Urijah [Faber] tells me this all the time: āI didnāt start fighting or training until I was 24ā And to me Iām like, āOh, yeah, I am young. I am young. And Iām 9-2, soon to be 10-2 as a professional fighter and however many in the UFC at 23 years old. And I just have so much potential and so much growth. And the thing that Iām gonna do in this life, and in this career, and in this platform is gonna be huge, and this is literally just the beginning.ā
What do you think? Can Maycee Barber make it two wins in a row against Montana De La Rosa?
Barber most recently defeated Miranda Maverick in a split decision win at UFC Vegas 32. Before that, she had lost back-to-back lopsided Octagon appearances against Alexa Grasso and Roxanne Modafferi.
Barber will face a tough test in De La Rosa, who knocked out Ariane Lipski at UFC Vegas 28 and holds previous wins over Rachael Ostovich and Nadia Kassem. She is another solid flyweight prospect who, like Barber, is looking to make a name for herself in the division.
The Barber/De La Rosa matchup will be joined by several intriguing matchups on April 23, including Jessica Andrade vs. Amanda Lemos and Clay Guida vs. Claudio Puelles. The venue for the event has yet to be announced as well as the official main event.
Barber began her professional MMA career with a perfect 8-0 record, including three-straight wins to begin her UFC tenure. After earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, she showcased elite power for a flyweight and earned the praise of the UFC brass.
Despite her back-to-back losses to Modafferi and Grasso, UFC president Dana White remained confident that Barber could turn it around. After a controversial win over Maverick in his last outing, she’ll look to make a statement against De La Rosa.
How do you think Maycee Barber will fare in her return against Montana De La Rosa?
