Maycee Barber has aspirations of becoming the youngest champion in UFC history. That record is currently held by light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
The 21-year-old was on a roll, undefeated in her mixed martial arts (MMA) career, heading into UFC 246 last week. Barber headlined the UFC 246 preliminary card against Roxanne Modafferi. Many expected Barber to easily get the victory against the longtime MMA veteran, however, Modafferi dominated the fight for a unanimous decision win.
During the bout, Barber suffered a torn ACL that greatly impaired her ability to stand or fight properly. In fact, her father, Bucky, suggests the only reason his daughter lost to Modafferi was because of the injury. Now, Barber herself has issued a comment on the matter. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Barber said she still has eyes on becoming the youngest champion in UFC history.
”The loss has not shifted my goals in the sport at all,” Barber said. “It has added more goals to the pre-existing ones. I’m still gonna be the youngest champion in UFC history.”
Typically, a return to action from an ACL tear takes anywhere from six to nine months. With that being said, Barber is fully expecting to fight again in 2020 before the year is up.
”I am hoping to make my return and fight again by the end of 2020,” Barber said.
Barber also teased that she and Modafferi could run things back down the road. “The Future” seems desperate to prove what she and her team have been saying all along – that she’s better than “The Happy Warrior.”
”Roxanne is a phenomenal competitor, so I don’t doubt she will still be taking care of her business,” Barber said. “She and I will cross again, and I’ll have the opportunity to prove to everyone what my team and myself already know.”
Barber proceeded to detail exactly when in the fight she knew her knee had been compromised, and explained how the pain got worse over time.
”I realized that the muscles surrounding my knee were starting to want to protect it,” Barber said. “Round two started, and I realized the pain had gotten worse (and the) instability had gotten greater. I don’t remember a lot, but I remember being slow and seeing her jab come and wanting to step back.
“With that half a second extra of thinking, she caught me with the jab. I still stepped back, but my leg wasn’t there. The stability had left me.”
What do you think about Barber still wanting to be the youngest champion in UFC history after her ACL tear?
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