Alexa Grasso shocks Maycee Barber with explosive first-round finish in UFC Seattle co-main event. The UFC delivered another thrilling night of action on March 28, 2026, at the Climate Pledge Arena, as Alexa Grasso faced surging contender Maycee Barber in a high-stakes flyweight co-main event.
Starting from 2025, Alexa Grasso has been trying to rebuild after losing her championship status. Her most recent outing came in May 2025, where she faced rising contender Natalia Silva. Grasso struggled to deal with Silva’s speed and eventually losing by unanimous decision. That defeat followed her 2024 title loss to Valentina Shevchenko, also by decision, in their trilogy bout.
On the other hand, Maycee Barber has been building strong momentum since 2025. Her latest fight came in December 2025, where she defeated Karine Silva by unanimous decision, extending her winning streak.
Earlier in 2025, Barber was scheduled to headline against Erin Blanchfield, but the fight was cancelled at the last minute due to a medical
The fight opened with both fighters showing urgency. Barber came forward early, applying pressure and looking to establish control, while Grasso stayed composed, using her movement and striking to find openings.
Just moments into the exchange, Grasso landed a clean and powerful right hand that caught Barber flush and dropped her to the canvas. Sensing the finish, Grasso immediately followed up on the ground, locking in a choke as Barber attempted to recover.
it all happened quickly and very fast and Barber couldn’t defend it, Barber was overwhelmed, and the referee stepped in as she went unconscious, bringing the fight to an end.
The finish came in the first round, marking a huge statement win for Grasso in their rematch.
“Thank you so much everyone that’s here, I hope you enjoyed the fight. Thank you for the love. I’m back. Alexa without injuries is a different Alexa and I’m so happy.”
“Of course my striking is always the first weapon, but I was training so hard to get a finish by submission because I train jiu-jitsu a lot, so I wanted to finish.”
“I know it’s again to climb the mountain and I’m here to do everything the UFC says, but I would truly love to bring UFC to Guadalajara. Noche UFC to my city. That’s my biggest dream, please, please.”
Another interesting fight on the card saw Michael Chiesa delivered a quick and dominant performance, submitting Niko Price in the opening round.
The fight started with Niko Price looking to engage early, quickly initiating a grappling exchange and trying to take control. However, Michael Chiesa stayed composed and immediately turned the position in his favor. In the scramble, Chiesa smoothly took Price’s back and secured both hooks.
Once he got into that dominant position, it was only a matter of time. Chiesa worked patiently, slipped his arm under the chin, and locked in a tight rear-naked choke. Price had no way out and was forced to tap just over a minute into the round, giving Chiesa a quick and dominant finish.
While the co-main event delivered fireworks, the night also had its fair share of drama outside the action, as Bruce Buffer mistakenly announced the wrong winner in a bizarre moment that briefly confused fighters and fans alike.
A rare and chaotic moment unfolded on the preliminary card when veteran announcer Bruce Buffer mistakenly announced the wrong winner.
After a three-round heavyweight bout, Marcin Tybura was initially declared the winner by unanimous decision. However, confusion quickly spread as it became clear the result had been read incorrectly.
Moments later, officials intervened and Tyrell Fortune who had actually won the fight was called back into the octagon. Buffer then issued an apology and correctly announced Fortune as the rightful winner by unanimous decision.
The unusual mix-up left fans stunned and briefly overshadowed the action inside the cage, highlighting a rare human error in an otherwise smooth event.
Main card
Joe Pyfer def. Israel Adesanya via second-round TKO (4:18)
Alexa Grasso def. Maycee Barber via first-round KO (2:42)
Michael Chiesa def. Niko Price via submission (RNC) (R1, 1:03)
Lerryan Douglas def. Julian Erosa via first-round KO (3:33)
Yousri Belgaroui def. Mansur Abdul-Malik via third-round TKO (3:39)
Terrance McKinney def. Kyle Nelson via first-round TKO (0:24)
UFC Seattle Prelims
Tofiq Musayev def. Ignacio Bahamondes via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-27)
Lance Gibson Jr. def. Chase Hooper via first-round TKO (2:56)
Tyrell Fortune def. Marcin Tybura via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Casey O’Neill def. Gabriella Fernandes via first-round KO (3:11)
Navajo Stirling def. Bruno Lopes via second-round TKO (4:05)
Ricky Simon vs. Adrian Yanez ruled majority draw (29-28, 28-28 x2)
Alexia Thainara def. Bruna Brasil via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
