The UFC Vegas 107 event was dramatically altered when Maycee Barber pulled out minutes before her scheduled fight against Erin Blanchfield in the main event held last Saturday at the Apex. This unexpected withdrawal came after Barber failed to make the 126-pound limit just a day before the fight, but the bout was initially allowed to proceed after she forfeited 20% of her purse. Despite this, Barber was ultimately not medically cleared to compete, prompting the fight’s cancellation moments before her walkout.
Barber and Blanchfield’s tension was evident during the ceremonial weigh-in, where they exchanged insults. Blanchfield called Barber a “clown” for missing weight after Barber had made the same accusation against her earlier in the faceoff. The cancellation stunned fans and shifted the focus to the reasons behind Barber’s last-minute withdrawal.
Erin Blanchfield Had Foreseen Barber’s Fight Withdrawal
Erin Blanchfield, who entered the fight following a notable victory over Rose Namajunas last November, was eager to capitalize on this opportunity to move closer to a title shot. Maycee Barber, coming off a six-fight winning streak but inactive since March, aimed to climb the flyweight ranks with a win over Blanchfield.
However, the fight did not proceed as expected. Just prior to Barber’s entrance, the UFC broadcast team announced that Barber was not cleared to fight due to medical concerns, canceling the bout. Blanchfield condemned the withdrawal as “super unprofessional” but also speculated the cause to be a seizure, given Barber’s history of health issues over the past year.
Reflecting on the situation, Blanchfield had expressed concern about Barber’s reliability days before the event. She said,
“Yeah, a little bit of a worry (that Barber will withdraw),”
and added,
“Maycee is someone that has pulled out of fights pretty frequently. She has a history of that. There’s always a worry but that could happen with anyone at the same time,”
—Erin Blanchfield, MMA fighter
Financial Compensation and Future Plans After Fight Cancellation
With Barber missing weight and then withdrawing, Erin Blanchfield was awarded both her show and win money, as confirmed by KOreps. She also received 20% of Barber’s purse because of the weight issue. Despite this compensation, the 26-year-old Blanchfield indicated that she does not wish to face Barber in a rescheduled bout, instead opting to pursue a different opponent moving forward.
The cancellation of this headline fight not only disrupted the UFC Vegas 107 event but also raised questions about Barber’s health and the impact of last-minute withdrawals on the promotion. Blanchfield’s warning days prior to the fight and the eventual cancellation underscore ongoing challenges fighters face regarding medical clearance and weight management at the elite level.