UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber needed less than a round to put an exclamation point on her MMA debut.
Maycee Barber will face Erin Blanchfield in the UFC Vegas 107 main event this Saturday at the Apex. She’ll make her return to the Octagon after various issues postponed her comeback, following a win over former title challenger Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299.
Barber is one of the top stars in the UFC flyweight division with six consecutive wins, including recent victories over Amanda Ribas and Andrea Lee. An impressive finish over Blanchfield could potentially make a strong case for a title shot against Valentina Shevchenko.
But before Barber debuted in the UFC Octagon, she had to fight her way into the promotion via Dana White’s Contender Series and LFA. In her professional MMA debut at LFA 14, Barber showcased the nasty style she’d use to attract the attention of the UFC matchmakers.
Maycee Barber snapped Itzel Esquivel’s arm for quick finish in MMA debut
Barber faced an intriguing challenge against Itzel Esquivel in her professional MMA debut in June 2017, in a highly-anticipated strawweight clash. Just seconds into the fight, Barber wasted little time utilizing her wrestling, securing a big takedown on Esquivel.
During a wild scramble against the fence, Barber transitioned beautifully into an armbar attempt, leaving Esquivel with little room to escape. Barber stretched out Esquivel’s left arm in a nasty submission before Esquivel’s arm visibly snapped.
It was a wild ending to Barber’s first appearance in the cage after garnering immense hype for her age and experience level. She went on to win three more fights in LFA before getting the call to compete on DWCS in 2018.
Barber secured a UFC contract by finishing Jamie Colleen with elbows in her DWCS bout. She won her first three UFC fights with three consecutive knockouts, including finishes over Gillian Robertson and JJ Aldrich.
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Maycee Barber could face UFC 315 star with a win at UFC Vegas 107
If Barber is victorious this weekend at UFC Vegas 107, a No. 1 contender bout could be on the horizon for the talented 27-year-old. A recent winner at UFC 315 could potentially make a lot of sense for her next opponent with a win over Blanchfield.
UFC flyweight contender Natalia Silva made a statement in defeating former champion Alexa Grasso earlier this month at UFC 315. Silva has repeatedly called out Barber during their UFC tenures, and a matchup could finally be in the mix.
Shevchenko could be on a collision course with UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili in a super fight later this year. Weili hinted at a ‘destined’ matchup after watching Shevchenko’s gritty win at UFC 315.
Barber is knocking on the door of a flyweight title shot, and she has the opportunity to earn another highlight-reel finish this weekend at UFC Vegas 107.