What happened at UFC Vegas 107 wasn’t just unfortunate—it was a failure. A systemic, preventable, negligent failure. We live in a world where we have the attention span of goldfish, but the Maycee Barber fiasco should not be forgotten.
Let’s be crystal clear: Barber is dealing with serious health issues, and for that, she deserves nothing but empathy and support. But that truth can exist alongside another: this entire situation was a colossal, multi-layered disaster that absolutely should not be swept under the rug.
If this was an isolated incident and truly an anomaly, then it can be treated in the aforementioned fashion – it’s not. Rumors of seizures, including one in the gym, swirled Denver circles for weeks prior to the fight. This was confirmed by Chael Sonnen via a reported conversation with an unnamed coach from Barber’s corner. Sonnen reported that Barber’s coach said their mistake was not made that night, but that the mistake was made in that they knew this three weeks ago and they tried to push through it hoping that it would pass.
This Wasn’t a One-Off — It Was a Pattern
Barber reportedly suffered multiple seizures during her training camp. That alone should’ve raised red flags. But worse yet, she allegedly suffered another episode earlier in the fight week during the weight cut, and still, the decision was made to move forward.
This culminated in a seizure during warm-ups in the locker room, in front of the athletic commission, just minutes before her co-main event bout with Erin Blanchfield. That’s not just unfortunate timing—that’s the result of reckless decision-making.
I do not blame Barber for wanting to fight. But, in this case, her team failed her. Her team failed her by letting it get all the way to that point where an episode happened during the warm-up in the locker room minutes before the fight in front of the commission.
Let’s not sugarcoat this: that is gross negligence. There are lines you don’t cross when it comes to fighter safety, and Barber’s team didn’t just cross them—they trampled them. Fighting is a profession with a 100 percent chance of brain damage occurring, so to let a fighter with actively, frequently presenting neurological issues entertain fighting (no matter how large or small their fight purse is), is an inexcusable dereliction of duty.
Compassion and Accountability Can Coexist
This isn’t about attacking Maycee Barber. As mentioned, she wanted to fight, and that tenacity is why she made it to the UFC and became a top contender at a young age in the first place. But a fighter’s job is to fight. It’s the job of the coaches, the managers, and the cornermen to protect them from themselves.
Whether you like her or not, she is a fighter at her core. I understand the warrior ethos to go out there and chase glory by any means necessary. But, she also has to know that a swollen brain and fighting are like oil and gasoline.
You can feel for Barber and still hold her and her team accountable for allowing her to walk the tightrope of danger for the sake of a paycheck or an appearance. That’s not care. That’s carelessness.
The thought of ‘it’s happened before and she’s pushed through and been fine’ is so short-sighted, selfish, and stupid that it makes you wonder how much of the big picture was thought of in the process.
Even Her Critics Should Be Concerned
This saga also robbed Erin Blanchfield of a moment she earned. She prepared for a main event. She made weight. She was healthy. She showed up. The same can’t be said for Barber—again.
And while Blanchfield’s post-fight comments calling Barber “unprofessional” drew some criticism, there’s context to consider:
If it were an isolated incident, then yes, Erin’s comments are in poor taste. However, as mentioned, it’s not – they’ve been an on-going issue.
Let’s not forget that Barber missed weight by 0.5 pounds—despite being out for over a year—and pulled out of a previous main event just over a week before she was supposed to face Rose Namajunas in Denver last July.
No matter which way you skin the cat, back-to-back main event pull-outs due to medical issues is not a good look.
At some point, intent doesn’t matter. Outcomes do. Just ask Nicco Montaño, a former champion, whose career was derailed under eerily similar circumstances.
Title Implications Were on the Line
This wasn’t just another card filler. The UFC had Valentina Shevchenko cageside. Dressed up. Mic’d up. Ready to scout her next opponent. This was a high-stakes moment for the flyweight division—and it fizzled before the walkouts even began.
This fight meant something and had implications on the line. With Shevchenko also on the desk panel for the post-fight show, the platform was there to start selling the next fight for the next challenger.
Blanchfield got her show and win money, sure. But she lost an opportunity that a fighter only gets a few times in their career. With an emphatic performance, she likely would have punched her ticket to a title shot. Either fighter would’ve likely gotten the nod with an impressive victory.
Again, logistically, you don’t have the champion Valentina all dolled up cageside and then on the desk post-show if it didn’t.
Maybe the Best Time for the Worst Thing
In a twisted way, the seizure happening in the locker room instead of inside the Octagon might have been the best-case scenario for a horrible situation. Because had Barber gone through with the fight and suffered an episode in-cage, it would have been a black eye on the sport seen by millions.
What would have happened if she started seizing or worse inside the octagon? That is literally the WORST possible scenario for everyone worldwide.
This moment is now forcing a larger conversation—and hopefully, forcing those close to Barber to intervene and get her the help she clearly needs.
The Fighter Mentality vs. Reality
No one wants to be the fighter who pulls out. No one wants to admit their body is breaking down. But this isn’t about ego or optics anymore. It’s about health, longevity, and humanity.
Maycee Barber is young. She’s talented. She still has time. But if these health issues aren’t taken seriously by those around her, that time could run out fast. She is 27-years-old with a lot of life to be lived still beyond the cage.
She needs help, this is forcing help to be gotten.
Final Thoughts
You can support Maycee Barber and still demand better for her. You can love her fight style and still call out her and her team. You can empathize with her struggle and still recognize that what happened at UFC Vegas 107 cannot be normalized.
Because if we let it go, if we pretend this is just part of the game, we are setting up more fighters for disaster. And next time, we might not be so lucky.
Let’s be loud enough that this doesn’t get buried. Fighter safety isn’t a luxury—it’s the bare minimum.
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