In an unsurprising turn of events, Maycee Barber called off her fight with Erin Blanchfield seconds before walking out to the octagon.
The cancellation video aired moments before the walkout, and Erin Blanchfield was visibly livid. In the video, the broadcast team announced that Barber had been cleared by the medical unit. The news was devastating for Blanchfield, who revealed she had taken the fight despite Barber not making weight during weigh-ins.
“She needs to look at another division,” Blanchfield said about Barber. “She needs to fix her life. She needs to just fix herself. I think she’s a complete mess in every aspect of her entire life.
“I’ve never even had any other opponents miss weight before or act the way she does. It’s pretty crazy, especially at this level. You expect all the athletes to be professional, so it’s pretty wild.”
Blanchfield has previously disclosed her concerns about the fight, as Barber has a record of withdrawing from fights citing medical issues. This latest incident forced Blanchfield to say she won’t accept another matchup against Barber and is moving forward with her career.
“No, I would not want to book another fight with her,” Blanchfield said about Barber. “I would like to reassess, see who’s available. I still want to fight within the top five, still push towards that title fight. I think I need to talk to my manager, talk to Mick [Maynard], see what can happen.”
“I was literally in the doorway, already had everything gloved up, my corners were ready to go,” Blanchfield said. “Literally in the doorway, like getting ready to walk out, and then was told [the fight was off].
“I remember they said six minutes, and I was like, this feels like a lot longer. It didn’t feel like six minutes. No one said anything until Hunter [Campbell] came in and told me she was having a seizure and that she wouldn’t be able to compete.”
Barber, on the other hand, had her health to worry about. Following the cancellation, she shared a post on Instagram from the hospital.
“Not what I had planned for a Sunday post. Thank you to everyone for the prayers and support. I owe an apology to UFC, [UFC matchmaker] Mick Maynard, Dana White, [UFC matchmaker] Sean Shelby, and Erin Blanchfield. P.S.: My life is not messy; this is just a bad hand. We will get to the bottom of it all and be back.”
Although it was bad news for both fighters, Blanchfield received a pick-me-up from the UFC. The fighter was awarded her show and win money for UFC Vegas 107.
