[autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] avoided a third straight loss by the narrowest of margins Saturday when she edged [autotag]Miranda Maverick[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 27.
After dropping back-to-back fights, Barber (9-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) was in a must-win scenario against Maverick (9-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC), despite being just 23. It was tooth and nail over three rounds, but in the end two of the judges thought her work was better and gave her the split decision with a pair of 29-28 scores. A third judge scored the fight for Maverick.
The women’s flyweight bout was part of the UFC on ESPN 27 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
Both women came out trying to test the other’s range. Maverick loaded up heavy on head and body kick attempts, while Barber skirted around the outside and looked to move in and out with punching combinations. Maverick’s pressure started to breed success in the latter minutes of the round when she found her range and a home for the better blows.
Maverick tried to pick up right where she left off in the second frame. She closed the distance on Barber with straight punches and kicks, while Barber did her best to counter and step in with bigger shots that were off the target. They tied up in the clinch toward the midway point of the round, and that allowed some momentum for Barber as she landed some good shots from in close. Maverick broke away late, though, and managed to secure a takedown that led her to back control, but she couldn’t finish a rear-naked choke attempt.
With momentum on her side going into the final round, Maverick ensured she stayed sharp. Barber tried to make it ugly by pushing inside to force the clinch and throw big punches, and she managed to land a good one with roughly three minutes left. It set up a Barber takedown, and some control on the mat and against the fence in what was her biggest moments of the fight. Maverick was definitely struggling late, and the judges seemingly found that to be the determining aspect in scoring the fight in her favor.
Despite the controversy, Barber said she thought she won the fight, and targeted former UFC women’s flyweight title challenger Jessica Eye with a callout.
“I did actually (think I won the decision), especially with that last round,” Barber said in her post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. “Jessica Eye is No. 8 (in the UFC rankings). I would like that fight.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 27 results include:
- Maycee Barber def. Miranda Maverick via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Adrian Yanez def. Randy Costa via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:11
- Brendan Allen def. Puna Soriano via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Nassourdine Imavov def. Ian Heinisch via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:09
- Mickey Gall def. Jordan Williams via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:57
- Julio Arce def. Andre Ewell via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:45
- Sijara Eubanks def. Elise Reed via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:49
- Diana Belbita def. Hannah Goldy via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
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