Latest news with #Blanchfield
Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
UFC fighter who withdrew at last minute breaks silence after rival's dig
Maycee Barber has hit back at Erin Blanchfield's 'unprofessional' jibe after she was forced to pull out of their UFC Fight Night main event due to a seizure UFC sensation Maycee Barber has fiercely responded to Erin Blanchfield's jibe that her life is 'a mess' following a seizure that forced her out of their bout. The 27-year-old was set to headline UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex against Blanchfield on Saturday evening. However, in a shocking turn of events, the flyweight clash was scrapped just before their entrance due to Barber suffering a seizure backstage. Blanchfield didn't hold back in criticising her opponent after the fight was called off, branding Barber 'unprofessional' and dismissing any possibility of rescheduling their match-up. As Blanchfield's scathing remarks went viral online, it did not take long for her rival to issue a response. Barber, who had to pull out of the fight on medical grounds, stood by her professionalism. "Not what I had planned for a Sunday post. Thank you to everyone for the prayers and support," she said. "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." The fighter also shared images on social media showing her connected to ECG leads, as well as a snapshot from her hospital bed, underlining the seriousness of her condition. Following her social media update, it was evident that she wasn't fit to fight in Saturday's main event. Prior to the contest, Barber had a mishap at the weigh-in, clocking in at 126.5lbs. The top contender aimed to continue her impressive spell in the cage, bouncing back from consecutive losses to Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso in 2020 and 2021 with a six-fight winning streak, claiming victories over rivals such as Jessica Eye, Amanda Ribas, and Katlyn Cerminara. Despite brutally criticising her rival, Blanchfield has recently changed course on her scathing remarks towards Barber. In an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Blanchfield clarified her harsh comments after Barber's medical issues surfaced following Saturday night's fight card. 'She can't control medical issues that she's having, so that's not unprofessional. I meant more the weight miss on Friday and the way she approached it,' Blanchfield said. 'I believe she was offered more time to cut weight and didn't, missed weight and then still was acting the way she was at the weigh-ins. So that's more what I meant about being unprofessional…[being unreliable] I still stand by, she pulled out of the first [fight] and now this one. 'I know she has issues, but if she does have those severe medical issues, that's why I wouldn't want to be matched up with her again,' Blanchfield continued. 'I was caught up in the moment myself, she probably does have some issues…and she probably should've pulled out sooner so that I would've had another opponent. Not being honest about her condition wasn't the right thing to do.'
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Erin Blanchfield doubles down on criticism of 'unprofessional' Maycee Barber after UFC Vegas 107 health scare
Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber just wasn't meant to be. UFC Vegas 107 came to an abrupt end this past Saturday when Barber suffered a last-minute health complication directly before her walkout, which resulted in the fight's cancelation and Barber's hospitalization just as the two flyweight contenders were scheduled to walk out. Advertisement Blanchfield was critical of her rival in the immediate aftermath of the cancelation, calling Barber unprofessional. Barber also missed weight by a half-pound for the bout, tipping the scales at 126.5 pounds the day prior, which added fuel to Blanchfield's pre-fight concerns of Barber making the fight. Speaking on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show," Blanchfield clarified her comments. "She can't control medical issues that she's having, so that's not unprofessional," Blanchfield said. "I meant more the weight miss on Friday, and kind of the way she approached it. I believe she was offered more time to cut weight and didn't, missed weight, then still was acting the way she was at weigh-ins. That's more what I meant about being unprofessional. That, I still stand by. "I wouldn't want to be matched up with her again," Blanchfield continued. "This fight was our second time getting matched up. She pulled out of the first one, now this one. I know she had issues, but if she does have that severe of medical issues, she will be that kind of unreliable fighter, so that's why I wouldn't want to be matched up with her again." The flyweight duo has been linked since they were first set to fight at UFC 269 in 2021. Barber ultimately withdrew from that bout with an ankle injury and then dealt with an unknown health scare this past year. She hasn't fought since her unanimous decision win over Kaitlyn Cerminara in March 2024. Advertisement Blanchfield, 26, spoke to the media after the late UFC Vegas 107 cancelation, also commenting that she believes Barber has a lot to figure out with her "messy life." Admittedly still feeling the effects of the news at that time, Blanchfield believes better precautions could have been taken by Barber. "The whole life thing, I was caught up in the moment myself," Blanchfield said. "She probably does have some issues, because if she was having issues leading up into this fight, she should have pulled out sooner just so I would have been able to have another opponent, or maybe told the UFC she was having some problems so they can have a backup fighter. And been somewhat honest about her condition. I think that definitely wasn't right of her to do either. Then with everything that happened, it just kind of blew up." Barber took to social media on Sunday, sharing photos and videos of herself in the hospital. She issued a brief apology to both the UFC and Blanchfield, stating that the mishap was a "bad hand" but that her life isn't a "mess." Despite not fighting, Blanchfield confirmed that the UFC did reward her with her show and win purses, along with still receiving 20% of Barber's show money thanks to the weight miss. Advertisement "I wish she would have apologized even at the weigh-ins," Blanchfield said. "I thought she would have been a little bit more apologetic about missing weight instead of kind of doubling down. She's apologizing now, so I'll accept it. "It's bittersweet because it's like, at least I was able to get paid, so I'll still be able to take care of myself in that sense. But I fight because I do really love it. It is a job and getting paid is important, but it is a passion job for me, so it's still super deflating. I don't think I realized up until yesterday and today how sad it is. I'm so jealous that I wasn't able to fight — or even taking out my braids, everything was so weird having to do that without having fought. So yeah, that was pretty upsetting." Ultimately, Blanchfield is ready to move on and work her way toward a title shot. Before the fight, Barber was confident that a win would've put her in a prime position to earn an opportunity of her own. Blanchfield believed the same could've been said for her, but now she's targeting matchups with fellow top contenders like Natalia Silva or former UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso. Had Blanchfield vs. Barber occurred, Blanchfield expected to take her rival into deep water and win late. "I was kind of expecting her to come out hard," Blanchfield said. "The first round or two, I didn't know how her cardio was going to be for five rounds, I didn't know if she was kind of questioning that, so I was kind of figuring that she was going to come out and try to put me away right away. I was kind of prepped for her to come out hard and be able to be technical and try to work that aspect of my game, and then kind of beat on her as the rounds went. But yeah, I guess we won't be able to find out."
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Maycee Barber issues statement after late withdrawal from UFC Vegas 107 headliner
Maycee Barber breaks silence on UFC Vegas 107 medical emergency UFC women's flyweight contender Maycee Barber addressed her last-second withdrawal from the UFC Vegas 107 main event against Erin Blanchfield . The headlining bout was abruptly canceled on Saturday night, May 31, after Barber suffered a medical emergency moments before walking to the Octagon. According to the UFC broadcast team, confusion erupted after the final pre-fight promo aired and neither fighter made the customary walkout. Moments later, UFC officials confirmed Barber had experienced a medical issue in the locker room. The scheduled flyweight bout was called off, and Barber was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Also read: Maycee Barber pulled from UFC main event, Blanchfield slams her; here's what went wrong by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Remember Charlie Sheen's Ex-Wife? You Won't Believe What She Looks Like Now! Click Here Undo In a post shared on Instagram on Sunday, Barber issued her first public statement since the cancellation. 'Thank you to everyone for the prayers & support,' she wrote. 'I owe an apology to the UFC, Mick Maynard, Dana White , Sean Shelby, and Erin Blanchfield.' Barber added that she and her team are working to identify the cause of the medical incident and have not indicated plans to withdraw from the flyweight division. Live Events Erin Blanchfield reacts to canceled UFC Vegas 107 bout Blanchfield, also a top-five contender in the UFC women's flyweight rankings, expressed disappointment in the aftermath of the canceled main event. Hours earlier, she had publicly questioned whether Barber would follow through with the fight. In her own post-fight remarks, Blanchfield criticized Barber's professionalism, referencing Barber's earlier failure to make weight. Barber missed the flyweight limit by 1.5 pounds during weigh-ins, the first time in her UFC career she failed to hit the target. Blanchfield declined to commit to an immediate rescheduling of the fight. She instead encouraged Barber to consider a permanent move to the bantamweight division. UFC officials have not confirmed whether the bout will be rebooked. Also read: Michael Chandler hints at January 2026 UFC return fight with Conor McGregor UFC Vegas 107 fight week marred by cancellations and weight misses The cancellation of the Barber vs. Blanchfield headliner capped a tumultuous UFC Vegas 107 fight week. Multiple fighters failed to make weight, including Allan Nascimento, who went on to defeat Jafel Filho by unanimous decision. Another scheduled bout between welterweights Andreas Gustafsson and Trevin Giles was canceled after Giles reportedly sustained a head injury while cutting weight. Gustafsson has since been rescheduled to face Khaos Williams at UFC 316 in Newark. Barber had been set to make her first appearance since defeating former title challenger Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299. Her withdrawal marked one of the most abrupt main event cancellations in recent UFC history. Also read: Jordan Leavitt puts opponent to sleep in 99 seconds at UFC Vegas 107 No replacement bout was scheduled following the cancellation, and UFC Vegas 107 concluded without a main event.
New York Post
01-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
UFC fighter rips opponent after seizure causes last-second main event cancellation: ‘She's a complete mess'
The long-awaited women's flyweight main event between Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber at UFC Vegas 107 was abruptly canceled Saturday. Just minutes before the fighters were set to make their walkouts, Barber, who had already missed weight by half a pound the previous day, reportedly suffered a seizure backstage and was rendered medically unfit to compete. Blanchfield, visibly frustrated, did not hold back during a press conference. 3 Erin Blanchfield reacts backstage after her main event bout against Maycee Barber was canceled due to a medical issue with Barber during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on May 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Zuffa LLC 'She needs to look at another division,' Blanchfield said of 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.' Blanchfield added, '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.' She also expressed disbelief over the sequence of events, questioning Barber's professionalism. 'I feel like I'm still in pretty much disbelief right now. I feel like I was in disbelief yesterday when she missed weight because we knew about this fight since January. You could have been 50 pounds overweight and still made weight.' Blanchfield adds that she would not accept a rematch with Barber. 'No, I would not want to book another fight with her,' Blanchfield said. '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 [matchmaker] Mick [Maynard], see what can happen.' 3 Opponents Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber face off during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in at the New York New York Hotel & Casino on May 30, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Zuffa LLC The cancellation was a surprise for a very important fight within the division. Blanchfield, ranked No. 4 in the division, was looking to further solidify her position as a top contender. Barber, ranked No. 5, was on a six-fight winning streak and aiming to reestablish herself after a 14-month layoff. 3 Maycee Barber has her hands wrapped before her fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on May 31, 2025. Zuffa LLC Plus, Barber's status as a once-rising star has taken a hit in recent years, which included consecutive losses in 2020 and 2021. Barber's medical condition remained under evaluation.
USA Today
01-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Erin Blanchfield will get show money, win bonus from UFC after Maycee Barber debacle
Erin Blanchfield will get show money, win bonus from UFC after Maycee Barber debacle Show Caption Hide Caption Erin Blanchfield on Maycee Barber: 'She needs to fix her life' UFC on ESPN 68 winner Erin Blanchfield talks to reporters post-fight after Maycee Barber was ruled out of their in main event due to a medical issue. After what only can be described as an absolute debacle of a fight week, Erin Blanchfield will be paid both her show and win money from the UFC. Blanchfield (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was set to headline UFC on ESPN 68 on Saturday against Maycee Barber (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in a women's flyweight bout. The fight was canceled literally in the final minute or two before the fighters were set to walk to the cage from the back – leaving even the broadcast team unsure what was happening. No official reason has been given by the UFC or from Barber's side, and even the broadcast team speculated about the reason, including repeating a rumor that Barber suffered a seizure before she walked out. But the team also repeated the rumor that Barber was set to walk out, then turned around and walked back. Fight week featured some veiled comments by Blanchfield wondering if Barber even would show up to the fight. Friday, Barber missed weight by a half-pound – and despite having an opportunity to cut the additional weight with extra time and avoid paying a penalty to Blanchfield, she immediately said she was done cutting weight. At the ceremonial faceoffs just after the weigh-ins, the two had to be separated by matchmaker Sean Shelby, and their beef continued on social media later on in the day. But when fight time rolled around, Barber didn't make the walk. Her management said Blanchfield will be paid her win bonus from the UFC. But Blanchfield also was set to get a percentage of Blanchfield's purse because of her weight infraction. Because she didn't fight, that presumably won't come Blanchfield's way. Blanchfield said post-fight she is not interested in rebooking a fight with Barber, whose social media comments have been awash with criticism from fans. UFC on ESPN 68 had another cancellation at weigh-ins, and the Blanchfield-Barber fight scrapped meant the event wrapped with just nine fights, the most prestigious of which was the co-main event – that wound up being the headliner – at lightweight between Mateusz Gamrot (25-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and Ludovit Klein (23-5-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC), which Gamrot won by unanimous decision. Barber was set to fight for the first time in more than a year.
