Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Maycee Barber bled all over the canvas because of Roxanne Modafferi's extraordinary performance.
- Maycee Barber, a 21-year-old touted as an athlete who could potentially become the youngest-ever UFC champion, had her dreams crushed by a classy veteran fighter on Saturday.
- Roxanne Modafferi overcame an underdog status to out-work and out-experience her younger opponent, besting her with extraordinarily high-level jiu jitsu.
- Modafferi dropped Barber in the second round and made her bleed all over the canvas. Barber suffered a knee injury so bad she hobbled out of the arena with the assistance of her team.
- Modafferi said she hoped her family and friends made big money from her upset victory.
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LAS VEGAS - A 21-year-old American's dreams of becoming the UFC's youngest-ever champion were crushed on Saturday by a classy flyweight veteran in one brutal and bloody win.
Before the bout, Maycee Barber was being touted as an athlete who could potentially become the youngest-ever UFC champion. Business Insider spoke to her on Thursday in Las Vegas, and she confirmed her ambition of being a "record-breaker" to us.
Roxanne Modafferi, her older opponent, stood in her way.
Modafferi told us she'll hand her her first loss and show everyone new moves on fight night Saturday.
On January 18 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, on the last bout of the preliminary UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy card, the magnificent Modafferi did just that.
Barber was a -1000 favorite before the night, but shortly into the fight it was clear Modafferi was not only on top, but dominant, showing a vast difference in Octagon intelligence by out-working and out-experiencing the younger fighter with extraordinarily high-level jiu jitsu.
Modafferi knocked Barber down in round two, made her bleed all over the canvas, and before the third round began, there was a question mark over whether Barber could even continue, with the doctor saying she had suffered a small ACL tear.
Watch the knockdown here:
The judges scored the fight as a dominant victory for Modafferi with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 30-26.
Barber, meanwhile, had to be helped out of the arena because her injury was so bad.
After her win was announced, Modafferi said she was relived and satisfied to have bounced back from a loss, to score her win on Saturday. "I hope my friends and family made some big money from this fight!" she added, in a reference to her underdog status.
"I have many plans now, not sure which one will come first, but I'll fight anyone. I'm not afraid of anyone in the flyweight division … I want to keep winning and keep improving."
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DROPPED! 👊@RoxyFighter putting Maycee down in R2! #UFC246 pic.twitter.com/mgkR1oIH7Q
- UFC (@ufc) January 19, 2020On her way backstage, @MayceeBarber receives consolation from her mother in the crowd ❤️ #UFC246 pic.twitter.com/YVP1I2AL2D
- ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 19, 2020