Erin Blanchfield holds no unwell will in the direction of Maycee Barber however she’s not stuffed with remorse about lashing out at her opponent after studying that their combat was cancelled simply seconds earlier than strolling to the cage.
This previous Saturday night time at UFC Vegas 107, Blanchfield was standing within the doorway about to march to the octagon for her predominant occasion combat when UFC chief enterprise officer Hunter Campbell stopped her and shared the unlucky information that Barber suffered a medical emergency and the bout was off. Afterwards, Blanchfield lashed out at Barber and mentioned she wanted get issues so as as a result of “she’s a whole mess in each side of her complete life.”
Whereas Barber disagreed with that assertion after issuing an apology for falling out of the combat, Blanchfield doesn’t have any regrets about how she handed the state of affairs contemplating how all the things performed out that night time.
“I don’t want her any sickness,” Blanchfield informed MMA Preventing. “We’ve had our backwards and forwards however it’s purely about preventing. I used to be simply upset. I imply as somebody that loves competing, I’ve been competing as a child, I need to do this so after I received that shut and couldn’t do it, it’s simply so disappointing. It nearly feels defeating in a way. So it did really feel like fairly intense to go do media proper after that.
“I feel I used to be justified being upset within the second. Now it’s been a few days, she’s apologized and it’s no matter. I wish to transfer on from that combat and get one thing else going.”
Blanchfield admits she was nearly in shock when she first discovered that the combat was off. It truly took her a couple of moments to totally grasp the information that she wouldn’t be competing and her night time was achieved with out throwing a single punch.
“When [Hunter Campbell] informed me the combat was off, I really feel like I used to be nonetheless in disbelief,” Blanchfield mentioned. “They’re like ‘let’s take your gloves off’ and I used to be like no, I can’t, I haven’t fought but! I can’t take them off. It was trippy for positive.
“I really feel prefer it’s simply very deflating. You’re simply left with all this pent up power and feelings and able to go after which all of it simply has nowhere to go. It’s simply type of like all nonetheless pent up. So it was fairly bizarre leaving the APEX with out having any kind of reduction. Like win or lose, you continue to went via one thing for those who fought. It was type of bizarre going via that.”
Weeks earlier than the combat was speculated to happen, Blanchfield informed MMA Preventing that she had considerations about reserving the matchup in opposition to Barber after she fell out of a beforehand scheduled matchup after which sat out for over a yr coping with a mysterious medical situation.
Barber known as the feedback “ignorant” however Blanchfield undoubtedly wasn’t making an attempt to be confirmed appropriate with what occurred this previous Saturday night time.
“I used to be involved main as much as the combat,” Blanchfield mentioned. “I believed perhaps per week or two weeks out from the combat [she might drop out] like she’s achieved earlier. I didn’t anticipate by the point we received to combat week and that we mainly went via all the things, I imply she was even on the enviornment, able to go. That I didn’t actually anticipate.
“I do know she had some kind of well being downside within the locker room however it’s type of out of her management. I suppose I knew I had mentioned it beforehand however by the point the combat was so shut, I didn’t suppose it was going to occur then.”
As soon as the combat was cancelled, the UFC in the end paid Blanchfield her full paycheck together with a win bonus plus it seems she nonetheless took a share of the Barber’s purse after she missed weight the day earlier than the occasion was scheduled to happen.
“Positively appreciative the UFC did the fitting factor, they had been capable of pay me out,” Blanchfield mentioned. “Like my present and win cash. I nonetheless received a part of her cash for lacking weight. In that means, they nonetheless squared away with me however I might have undoubtedly nonetheless needed to carry out and to have the ability to show myself within the division. I suppose I’m going to have to attend till one other time for that.
“I nonetheless received the cash — I imply I did do mainly all the things. I simply couldn’t do the final half as a result of she wasn’t accessible or wholesome. However hopefully we’ll determine it out quickly.”
Contemplating all the things that unfolded at UFC Vegas 107, Blanchfield ultimately preventing Barber would create fairly a storyline for the promotion however it’s not one thing the 26-year-old New Jersey native has plans to revisit.
Whereas she hopes Barber will get the assistance she must ultimately return to motion, Blanchfield is transferring ahead together with her profession and specializing in new alternatives.
“I undoubtedly don’t plan on rebooking together with her,” Blanchfield mentioned. “That is the second combat that fell via and I do know she’s had her issues however that’s a part of the explanation — if she is that unwell and wishes time or can’t be constant or dependable due to it — that’s one thing that I don’t need to be concerned in.”
