Tag: Maycee Barber

UFC on ABC 5 results: Maycee Barber batters Amanda Ribas to finish savage bloodbath

Maycee Barber and Amanda Ribas were drenched in blood at UFC on ABC 5 as a wild sequence led to the end of the fight.

Shortly after flyweight contenders [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] and [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] stepped into the cage Saturday, blood poured down on the canvas.

In the UFC on ABC 5 co-main event, Barber (13-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) defeated Ribas (11-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) by TKO at 3:42 of Round 2 to cap off a wild back-and-forth brawl. The card took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.

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After a first round that saw Ribas battered while she attempted a leg submission, Barber started off a finishing combination with a head kick in Round 2. Ribas had Barber hurt briefly, but Barber turned the tides rapidly.

After the stunning high kick, Barber pushed forward and swarmed Ribas, who eventually dropped to the canvas. Barber hopped on top and pounded away at Ribas, who remained conscious but was unable to intelligently defend herself to the liking of referee Keith Peterson.

Barber was covered in blood as Peterson pulled her off Ribas and she let out a primal roar. After the stoppage, Ribas rose to her feet and gave Peterson a double thumbs up.

With the victory, Barber has won five in a row as she continues her quest to avenge a loss against now-UFC women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso.  On the flip side of the equation, Ribas falls to 1-2 in her most recent three fights.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ABC 5 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 5.

UFC on ABC 5: Amanda Ribas vs. Maycee Barber odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ABC 5 odds between Amanda Ribas vs. Maycee Barber, with expert MMA picks and predictions.

In a women’s flyweight bout on the main card, Amanda Ribas and Maycee Barber meet Saturday at UFC on ABC 5 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ABC 5: Ribas vs. Barber odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The prelims are on ESPN/ESPN+ at 11:30 a.m. ET, with the main card on ABC/ESPN+ at 3 p.m. ET.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

Ribas has alternated wins and losses in each of her previous 5 bouts. She bounced back from a split-decision loss to Katlyn Chookagian in mid-May 2022 to pick up a unanimous-decision win over Viviane Araujo at UFC 285 in March.

The 29-year-old Brazilian has ended up going the distance in 5 of her past 7 fights since a submission win in her UFC debut over Emily Whitmire in late June 2019.

Barber takes the walk to the octagon with a 4-bout win streak in tow. That includes a split-decision win over Andrea Lee last time out on March 25.

Each of Barber’s past 6 fights have ended up going the distance, including a February 2021 loss to Alexa Grasso, the new No. 1 ranked pound-for-pound women’s fighter after the retirement of Amanda Nunes. The last time Barber had a fight finish inside the distance was a 1st-round KO/TKO win over Gillian Robertson in late 2019.

Ribas has a slight 1-inch reach advantage, while Barber stands 2 inches taller. The significant strikes margin goes to Ribas at 4.80-to-4.27, while the difference is rather negligible in terms of significant strike-accuracy percentage. Ribas is a little better in the takedown department, leading 2.16-to-1.23, while also posting a 52.0% takedown-accuracy percentage to just 37.04% for Barber.

UFC on ABC 5: Ribas vs. Barber odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:23 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Ribas -200 (bet $200 to win $100) | Barber +168 (bet $100 to win $168)
  • Over/Under: 2.5 rounds (Over -200 | Under +154)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes -186 | No +146)

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UFC on ABC 5: Ribas vs. Barber picks and predictions

Records: Ribas (11-3-0) | Barber (12-2-0)

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

Barber (+168) burst onto the UFC scene, and she was the “Future.” However, losses to the far more experienced Grasso and Roxanne Modafferi (January 2020) showed she has some holes in the game.

Barber has won the past 4 fights, all going the distance, including wins over the likes of veteran Montana De La Rosa (April 2022) and Jessica Eye (July 2022), as well as a solid win against Miranda Maverick (July 2021). The 25-year-old Barber is positioned for a run up the rankings, and a potential title shot, if she can keep it on the rails.

However, Ribas (-200) might be the toughest fighter Barber has seen to date. The Brazilian has fought the best of the division in her 4-year UFC career, and Barber will have to wait a little longer to make a further jump.

You can’t risk 2 times your potential return on Ribas, however. AVOID and let’s get a little more creative for some wagers with better value.

Over/Under (O/U)

Yes (-186): Will the fight go the distance? is also a little too expensive for my liking.

Instead, RIBAS BY POINTS (+110) is easily the best value on the board if you are backing the favorite. Neither of these combatants have posted very many finishes lately, and I don’t expect one here, either.

“The Future” will make Ribas work hard, but in the present, it’s going to be the Brazilian fighter by a whisker, even potentially by split decision.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and us on Facebook.

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Maycee Barber happy Alexa Grasso bumped up to No. 1 pound-for-pound spot: ‘I’m out here working to claim that’

Maycee Barber sees UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso’s success as a good reflection on her.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] sees UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag]’s success as a good reflection on her.

Winner of her past four in a row, Barber’s (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) most recent setback came to Grasso by decision at UFC 258 in February 2021. Grasso went on to dethrone Valentina Shevchenko in a stunning upset at UFC 285 in March.

With Amanda Nunes retiring, Grasso (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) is now the No. 1 pound-for-pound female fighter, and Barber is happy for her achievement.

“I think it’s great,” Barber told MMA Junkie and other reporters Wednesday at UFC on ABC 5 media day. “It is cool to see other women have success and especially all the girls that I’ve fought, the better they do the better it continues to look on, not just me, them too. I’m happy for her. At the end of the day, I want to see every woman and everybody have their chance at achieving their dreams and their goals. I know that mine will come. I’m happy for her, but at the same time I’m out here working to come and claim that.”

Barber meets Amanda Ribas (11-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC on ABC 5 co-main event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The main card airs on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

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Grasso is expected to run things back with Shevchenko. If the former long-reigning champ reclaims her title, a trilogy could be on the horizon which would momentarily put the division on hold.

So would Barber prefer if Grasso retained her title? “The Future” says not necessarily.

“Yes and no,” Barber said. “I feel like I’m gonna control the things that I can control, and that’s going out and winning over Amanda and continuing to train and evolve, so that when my time comes, I’m ready. Whatever happens, happens. I think it would be cool to see a new champ in there, so for Alexa to continue to win, I think that would be awesome.

“At the same time, she has a tough fight with Valentina. That isn’t an easy out. Valentina was the champ for so long for a reason, and I think it’s an exciting fight to see the second one. I don’t know if I want to watch the same fight three times, but seeing the rematch will be good for sure.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 5.

Maycee Barber: Julianna Peña heckling Amanda Nunes in retirement speech was ‘just cringey’

Maycee Barber wasn’t a fan of how Julianna Peña conducted herself during Amanda Nunes’ retirement speech at UFC 289.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] wasn’t a fan of how [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] conducted herself during [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag]’ retirement speech.

Nunes (23-5 MMA, 16-2 UFC) hung up her gloves after retaining her bantamweight title against Irene Aldana at UFC 289. In attendance was Peña, who was Nunes’ original opponent before withdrawing due to a rib injury.

While Nunes was making her farewell speech, Peña (11-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) was screaming at her and hurling boos from across the stands. Peña even said she wanted to storm the octagon, until her coach advised otherwise.

“The only thing I didn’t like was how much Julianna was talking crap,” Barber told MMA Junkie and other reporters Wednesday at UFC on ABC 5 media day. “That was the only thing that was like, that’s just cringey. But, that was probably the only thing that I thought about the retirement that I didn’t like, and I wish Amanda all the success in the world.”

Peña’s frustration stems from expecting to complete her trilogy with Nunes next. “The Venezuelan Vixen” scored a shocking submission upset of Nunes to claim the 135-pound title at UFC 269, but Nunes regained her belt with a dominant decision in their immediate rematch at UFC 277.

Barber thinks Peña should just be grateful that their series ended 1-1, implying that the rubber match wouldn’t have gone well for her.

“I think that was very stupid,” Barber said. “You never know what’s going on in someone’s life. And if she wanted to call it done, she called it done. Who’s to say you can’t retire? If Amanda hadn’t retired and she fought Julianna, I think that Julianna got out very easy on that, having the shot at keeping the belt.”

Barber returns to action Saturday at UFC on ABC 5 to face Amanda Ribas in the co-main event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The bout airs live on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 5.

UFC on ABC 5: Emmett vs. Topuria media day interviews

Watch the live stream for the UFC on ABC 5: Emmett vs. Topuria media day in Jacksonville, Fla.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The UFC returns to network television this Saturday with a key featherweight showdown.

In the main event of UFC on ABC 5, unbeaten rising contender [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] takes on former interim title challenger [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag], as he looks to get one step closer to UFC gold.

But before the two battle it out at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Topuria and Emmett will spoke to the media, along with 10 other fighters competing on the card, at Wednesday’s media day.

Above you can find the live video stream for the media day, and below each individual interview from the fighters.

Maycee Barber arrives at UFC on ABC 5 with golden opportunity to reach next level

UFC on ABC 5 could determine a lot about the direction of Maycee Barber’s career.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – UFC women’s flyweight [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] may have hit her stride, but now she really has an opportunity to announce herself as a serious contender.

Barber meets Amanda Ribas on Saturday at UFC on ABC 5, with the stage set for her to do something special at a packed VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. With a win, Barber, who’s No. 11 in the official UFC rankings, would push her winning streak to five, and she’d do it in a co-main event spot against No. 9 Ribas in front of a network television audience.

It’s a relatively quick turnaround for Barber, who most recently beat Andrea Lee by split decision on March 25 at UFC on ESPN 43. But she said after talking with UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, it just made sense for her to get back in there against an opponent ranked above her to hopefully continue her climb.

“I feel great,” Barber told MMA Junkie and other reporters Wednesday at UFC on ABC 5 media day. “… It’s nice to have a quick turnaround and be back here on a co-main event spot.”

Barber, 25, once spoke of becoming the youngest champion in UFC history, but those dreams were dashed when she blew out her knee in a shocking lopsided loss to Roxanne Modafferi in January 2020. That was followed by a unanimous decision defeat to current women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso 13 months later. But since those setbacks, Barber has rebounded nicely with four victories in just under two years.

Perhaps if she does something spectacular Saturday, Barber could be on the short list of candidates for a title shot.

“I think that’s definitely a possibility,” Barber said. “I have been chasing that rematch. Obviously that’s something I want back from Alexa Grasso.”

Barber can’t look past Ribas, though. Since wins in her first four UFC appearances, the 29-year-old Brazilian has alternated results in her past four. She most recently dominated Viviane Araujo to win a lopsided decision and is looking to build on that in hopes, herself, of getting to a title shot.

Ribas, like Barber, moved up from strawweight to flyweight. Barber said she’s considering a move back down, and so is Ribas. The result of Saturday’s fight seemingly could be a crossroads for both women.

“I don’t know. Because I fought at 115, as well. I moved up to 125 for health reasons,” Barber said. “For me, I really enjoyed that move up, but I also feel like this could be the fight where I solidify the idea of going back down to 115. I know that she’s thinking of going back down, and I think this fight will help her make that answer in her mind of what she wants to do.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 5.

UFC on ABC 5 pre-event facts: Neil Magny on cusp of UFC’s 21-win club

Check out the numbers behind UFC on ABC 5, where Neil Magny can become the ninth fighter in history to join UFC’s 21-win club.

The UFC will travel to Jacksonville, Fla., for the fourth consecutive year Saturday with UFC on ABC 5, which takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena with a main card that airs on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

A matchup of ranked featherweight contenders serves as the main event of the card. [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) will attempt to rebound from his failed bid at the interim title in February when he takes on undefeated rising star [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC).

For more on the numbers behind the lineup, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC on ABC 5.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (April 3-9)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from April 3-9.

UFC books top-10 flyweights Maycee Barber and Amanda Ribas for June 24 event

Ranked flyweights Maycee Barber and Amanda Ribas will battle it out in June.

Ranked flyweights [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] and [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] will battle it out in June.

Barber (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) meets Ribas (12-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at a UFC event on June 24 which doesn’t yet have a publicly known venue or location.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie after an initial report from Combate.

Barber is enjoying her best UFC run. Currently on a four-fight winning streak, the Team Alpha Male fighter most recently edged out Andrea Lee by split decision two weeks ago at UFC on ESPN 43.

Winner of two of her past three, Ribas is coming off a unanimous decision win over Viviane Araujo at UFC 285 in March. The Brazilian is 1-1 since she returned to 125 pounds.

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With the addition, the UFC’s June 24 lineup includes:

  • Kleydson Rodrigues vs. Tatsuro Taira
  • Maycee Barber vs. Amanda Ribas

UFC on ESPN 43 medical suspensions: Cory Sandhagen faces more time off than Marlon Vera

Four fighters were given 180-day medical suspensions by the Texas commission after UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio.

Four fighters face 180-day medical suspensions as a result of UFC on ESPN 43 bouts, but headliners [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] and [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] are not among them.

UFC on ESPN 43 took place this past Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio. The event was overseen by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which suspended all 20 fighters for medical reasons after their bouts, according to a list published Wednesday by the commission.

CJ Vergara, Daniel Pineda and Lucas Alexander all won their bouts, but walked away with 180-day suspensions, as did Steven Peterson, who lost his retirement bout to Alexander.

It’s important to note fighters can return sooner than the expiration date of their medical suspension should they receive proper medical clearance from a doctor. In addition, the TDLR does not list reasons for medical suspensions – just durations.

Scroll below to see the full list of UFC on ESPN 43 medical suspensions.