Rising UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber was removed from her scheduled main event bout against Erin Blanchfield at UFC Vegas 107 last weekend. This decision came against the wishes of the fighter herself, who reportedly wanted to compete despite a significant health scare.
Minutes before Barber and Blanchfield were slated to make their walk to the octagon, Barber suffered a seizure backstage. This serious medical incident prompted UFC staff to arrange for her immediate transportation to a Las Vegas hospital. Consequently, the UFC Vegas 107 main event was abruptly canceled in a bizarre turn of events at the Apex facility.
Following the cancellation, Erin Blanchfield publicly criticized Barber, labeling her as ‘super unprofessional.’ However, sources from Barber’s team indicate that the flyweight contender was determined to proceed with the fight, doing everything possible to make the walk even after experiencing the severe health issue.
Maycee Barber`s Coach Clarifies `Pull Out` Narrative After UFC Vegas 107 Cancellation
In a recent social media post, Maycee Barber’s head coach, Cody Donovan, shed light on the events that unfolded behind the scenes at UFC Vegas 107.
Donovan stated, “For the record, Maycee did not pull out of her fight. 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 later provided a positive health update just hours after the event, promising her fans she would ‘come back stronger’ from the incident. It`s worth noting that leading up to this scheduled main event, Barber had already been sidelined since her victory over former title challenger Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299, also due to various health issues.
Erin Blanchfield has since walked back her initial harsh post-event comments, clarifying that her remarks about unprofessionalism were directed towards Barber`s failure to make weight on Friday, where she missed the mark by 1.5 pounds, the first time in her career.
Blanchfield had also made a comment suggesting Barber’s ‘life is a complete mess,’ a remark that drew significant reaction from the UFC fanbase. In response, Barber reassured her supporters that her life is stable and viewed the health scare merely as a temporary setback.
Meanwhile, Erin Blanchfield is expected to potentially face another top contender as she continues her pursuit of a UFC title shot. UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has expressed interest in a potential superfight against strawweight queen Zhang Weili. As for Maycee Barber, the specific timeline for her return to the UFC remains uncertain following this medical emergency.
Rupert Hartwell 
Benedict Kingsley