Maycee Barber is ready to make a statement this weekend.
Barber (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) returns to the Octagon after more than a year on the sidelines to face fellow flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) in a five-round main event at the UFC Apex. With both fighters ranked inside the top five at 125 pounds, “The Future” believes a win on Saturday could earn her a shot at reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko.
"I believe that I should be next in line for the belt with a dominant performance, a dominant finish and putting my name out there and doing what I need to do," Barber told reporters at Wednesday's media day. "I think this is a perfect opportunity for me to showcase my skills and get a finish and get a dominant win and continue my win streak and put it at seven and solidify my shot at the belt."
Barber enters the fight on an impressive six-fight winning streak, a run that dates back to February 2021. During that stretch, she has earned victories over Gillian Robertson, Miranda Maverick, Jessica Eye, and Amanda Ribas. This weekend, as she takes on Erin Blanchfield, Barber has vowed to leave no doubt about her title credentials.
"My goal in every performance is for people to be like, 'Damn, she really goes out there and she goes for a finish and she goes out there to hurt these girls,'" Barber said. "I think that's what makes me dangerous. I don't want to just go out there and fight these girls and win. I don't want just a decision win. I want to go out there and hurt these girls and make sure they know when they get done with a fight with me, they never want to fight me again.
"I think Erin's a one-dimensional fighter and I think I've made that pretty known. She has her grappling and she has her wrestling ability, but aside from that, I don't think she's a great striker. She's not a finisher and she's not a dangerous fighter. She has some submission wins, but what makes me different from her is I go out there to hurt you and I go out there to make you bleed. I think that's what's going to be my advantage. I don't care where the fight goes. Whether it's standing or on the ground, I'm going to finish Erin Blanchfield."
