Erin Blanchfield did not hold back her frustration after Maycee Barber withdrew from their highly anticipated UFC main event at the last possible moment, verbally tearing into her opponent and questioning Barber’s professionalism and readiness for elite competition.
Erin Blanchfield’s Scathing Reaction to Maycee Barber’s UFC No-Show
The scheduled headliner at UFC Vegas 107 was abruptly canceled just minutes before the fighters were set to make their walk to the Octagon. According to Erin Blanchfield, UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell entered her locker room to inform her that Barber had suffered a seizure and would not be medically cleared to compete. The incident left the broadcast team scrambling for answers as the pre-fight video package played but no fighters appeared, forcing an unexpected commercial break while officials sorted through the confusion.
Erin Blanchfield, ranked among the top contenders in the women’s flyweight division, expressed disbelief and disappointment at how events unfolded. “I feel like I’m still in pretty much disbelief right now,” she told reporters post-fight.
“I feel like I was in disbelief yesterday when she missed weight because we knew about this fight since January. You could’ve been 50 pounds overweight and still made weight. So she missed weight, then she gets to Saturday. She gets to the locker room. I’m fully ready to go. She’s supposed to be ready to go. Supposedly, now she has all these health issues right when we’re supposed to fight. I think it’s pretty crazy. I think it’s pretty unprofessional. I wouldn’t want to fight her again.”
Barber had already missed weight by half a pound the previous day, surrendering 20% of her purse to Blanchfield and raising questions about her preparation and health. The tension between the two fighters, which had simmered since a previously canceled bout in 2021, escalated further during the ceremonial faceoff, requiring intervention from UFC officials.
Erin Blanchfield’s criticism intensified as she addressed Barber’s repeated setbacks. “She needs to look at another division. She needs to fix her life. She just needs to fix herself. I think she’s a complete mess in every aspect of her entire life,” Blanchfield stated bluntly. She also made it clear she has no interest in rescheduling the fight, echoing her coaches’ sentiment that Barber is “not on [her] level” and labeling the situation as “super unprofessional.”
Despite the cancellation, Blanchfield will receive both her show and win money from the UFC, a decision widely supported given the circumstances were beyond her control. As for her next step, Blanchfield remains focused on title contention and hopes to secure another top-five opponent as soon as possible.
The fallout from UFC Vegas 107 leaves the women’s flyweight division in a state of uncertainty, with Blanchfield’s title aspirations temporarily on hold and serious questions looming over Barber’s future in the sport.
