Maycee Barber reportedly wished to continue fighting even after experiencing a seizure backstage at UFC Vegas 107.
UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber was withdrawn from her planned main event bout against Erin Blanchfield at UFC Vegas 107 last weekend. This decision was made despite the rising fighter`s reported desire to compete.
Just moments before Barber and Blanchfield were scheduled to enter the arena for the main event, Barber suffered a seizure behind the scenes. This medical emergency prompted UFC staff to arrange for her transport to a hospital in Las Vegas. The main event of UFC Vegas 107 was subsequently canceled in an unusual turn of events at the Apex facility.
Following the cancellation, Blanchfield initially criticized Barber as `super unprofessional,` contributing to the perception that Barber had withdrawn from the fight. However, according to Barber’s team, the UFC flyweight did everything she could to proceed with the fight, even after facing a significant health scare.
Maycee Barber’s coach addresses the `pull out` narrative surrounding UFC Vegas 107 cancellation
In a recent post on Instagram, Barber’s head coach, Cody Donovan, provided details about what transpired backstage at UFC Vegas 107.
“For the record, Maycee did not pull out of her fight,” Donovan stated regarding Barber. “She refused to surrender in spite of what was happening to her medically. As a coaching staff, we decided to call the doctor in. Even as she begged us not to.
“What we saw was just too dangerous. I am proud of the bravery she showed in the face of a medical emergency. Most fighters would have ran for the door.
“When they tell the story of Maycee Barber, this will be the Goliath that she got to overcome on her road to greatness. God is good.”
Barber shared a positive health update just hours after UFC Vegas 107 concluded, vowing to `come back stronger` from the incident. Prior to the scheduled main event, Barber had not competed since her victory over former title challenger Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299, due to several prior health issues.
Blanchfield has since clarified her initial strong remarks made after the event, explaining that she was referring to Barber’s issue with missing weight on Friday. Barber missed weight for the first time in her career by 1.5 pounds.
Maycee Barber responded to Erin Blanchfield’s ‘unprofessional’ comment after UFC Vegas 107
Blanchfield also suggested that Barber’s ‘life is a complete mess’ after the UFC Vegas 107 bout was canceled, which drew strong reactions from UFC fans. Barber has since assured her supporters that her personal life is stable and views the health scare simply as a temporary setback.
Meanwhile, Blanchfield may potentially face another top contender following UFC Vegas 107 as she continues her pursuit of a potential UFC title shot. The current UFC flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko, has expressed interest in a super fight against strawweight champion Zhang Weili.
Blanchfield could be matched against the No. 1 contender, Natalia Silva, who recently secured a dominant win over Alexa Grasso last month at UFC 315. As for Barber, her timeline for returning to the UFC remains uncertain.
Jack Thornley