Maycee Barber suffered a rough weekend at UFC Vegas 107, though not in the typical way a UFC fighter can have a difficult Saturday night. Scheduled for a main event grudge match versus Erin Blanchfield with significant title implications, Barber was forced to withdrawal at the literal last second due to a mysterious medical emergency.
Immediately after the news broke, Barber was rushed to the hospital. Her opponent was left in front of the camera to deal with the situation, and she didn’t appear too pleased with “The Future.” Fair or not, Barber’s ranking has also taken a major hit, and it sure feels like she’s been pushed out of Flyweight title contention as a result of the medical issue.
It’s a bit reminiscent of Arman Tsarukyan’s back injury, which saw him withdrawal from his scheduled title shot versus Islam Makhachev the day before their bout. The UFC hasn’t been very sympathetic, pushing Tsarukyan to the back of the line despite never actually losing a fight.
In that case, at least, it felt as if Tsarukyan made the decision himself. According to Maycee Barber’s head coach, Cody Donovan, Barber didn’t want the medical team alerted to her issues at all. However, her coaches overruled her, and the doctors forced her out of the fight.
“For the record, Maycee did not pull out of her fight,” Donovan wrote on Instagram (h/t MMA Junkie). “She refused to surrender in spite of what has 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.”
If that’s really how it went down, Barber is being punished harshly for medical problems beyond her control. Hopefully, she can get her health sorted out and return to action, because the 27-year-old scrapper remains one of Flyweight’s better longterm contenders.
