Maycee Barber returns for the primary time in over a yr this Saturday and plans to make Erin Blanchfield pay for her current feedback.
Barber and Blanchfield battle in the primary occasion of UFC Vegas 107 in a pivotal flyweight matchup. Barber makes her first look since a call win over Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299 in March 2024, however after that victory, Barber was hospitalized for 9 days with an sickness she nonetheless has loads of questions on, and due to the lingering results, she was compelled to withdraw from the UFC Denver important occasion towards Rose Namajunas this previous July.
Main into the battle, Blanchfield admitted having considerations Barber might not make it to the battle. Days earlier than her return, “The Future” responded to these feedback.
“I believe that Erin stated that as a result of Erin has completely nothing else to say,” Barber instructed MMA Combating. “I don’t actually know what she might say that’s like that imply. I’ve tried to rack my mind and take into consideration, oh, nicely, she’s gonna say [this or what]. What else might she say?
“Effectively, she will’t say something. I imply, I suppose that’s her solely concern is that I may not make it to the battle, which doesn’t make a variety of sense, apart from me being sick however that’s previously. I took a battle and I’ve by no means pulled out of a battle for any cause apart from well being points. So I believe it’s fairly ignorant, however that’s actually about it.”
It’s been an extended street again to the octagon for Barber, who is ready to make her twelfth promotional look. The 27-year-old is driving a formidable seven-fight win streak, and hasn’t tasted defeat in practically 4 years.
Barber feels robust and able to make her case for a title shot towards Valentina Shevchenko, and has been listening to the entire adjustments within the division since she final competed. After coming by means of a tough stretch, Barber sees issues clearly as she recounts when she made it to the opposite facet of her sickness.
“I really feel blessed, actually,” Barber stated. “I really feel excited, I’m greater than prepared and actually, I’m simply grateful that I’m getting to do that once more. …
“It was a variety of like forwards and backwards, ‘Are you good? You’re good. No, you’re not good. You’re good, no, you’re not good,’ however it didn’t occur till like December, or January [where I felt I could take a fight]. So I obtained to begin coaching in like November, December time.”
Blanchfield suffered a setback at UFC Atlantic Metropolis in March 2024 dropping a lopsided determination to Manon Fiorot in the primary occasion. “Chilly Blooded” bounced again with win over Namajunas to keep up her spot within the contender line, however Barber is keen to take it for herself.
“I don’t care who’s in entrance of me,” Barber defined. “I’m able to put all of them away and, and get my spot for the belt. I’ve by no means turned down a battle and I’ve by no means stated no. I’ve by no means walked away from something, and there was like 5 completely different names that had been thrown at me, however the one one which caught, I believe the one one which made sense — whether or not it was like from an harm perspective or matchup perspective, I believe all of it added up — it was Erin and so I took it and right here we’re.
“I believe it was the very best alternative within the UFC’s eyes, I believe. It doesn’t actually matter to me. They threw out a number of opponents, however it was all simply sort of like, ‘What do you consider this one? What do you consider this one?’ After which when Erin was supplied, I [said] sure, and he or she stated sure.”
Barber says she plans to name for a title shot with a victory on Saturday — which she plans to make emphatic, memorable, and bloody.
“That it was a massacre and that it wasn’t it wasn’t a forwards and backwards brawl,” Barber stated. “So I plan on hurting Erin and I plan on ending her in a dominant means and getting my spot.”
