Maycee Barber Bio
Maycee Kaye Barber, born on May 18, 1998, is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the women’s Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Nicknamed “The Future,” she has built a reputation as one of the division’s most aggressive strikers since turning professional in 2017. Training out of Sacramento, California, Barber is a 2nd degree black belt in Karate and holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Rener and Ryron Gracie. As of May 2026, she is ranked among the top contenders in the UFC women’s flyweight division.
Early Life and Background
Maycee Kaye Barber was born in Greeley, Colorado, and raised in a family that supported her athletic ambitions from an early age. Her father, Bucky Barber, has spoken publicly about the family’s decision to invest heavily in her training after recognizing her potential in combat sports. In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Bucky Barber explained the philosophy behind the family’s commitment, noting that the better she became as a fighter, the less damage she would take inside the cage. The Barber family began traveling across the United States so that she could train with top coaches and compete against high-level opposition during her formative years.
Barber began pursuing mixed martial arts at a young age, setting her sights early on a professional career. She developed her striking foundation through Karate, eventually earning a 2nd degree black belt in the discipline. She later added grappling to her skill set and currently holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Her younger brother, Wyatt Barber, is also a mixed martial artist and has been signed to Bellator, continuing the family’s presence in the sport.
Path to MMA
Barber’s path to professional mixed martial arts began in the amateur circuit, where she quickly demonstrated finishing ability. Her amateur record includes a first-round knockout victory that helped establish her reputation as a prospect to watch. This early success opened the door to professional opportunities, and she signed with Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), a well-regarded developmental promotion on the North American MMA scene.
Competing in LFA allowed Barber to face experienced opposition while continuing to refine her striking and grappling. Between 2017 and 2018, she built an unblemished record inside the LFA cage, winning by a mix of submissions, decisions, and a technical knockout in her final appearance with the promotion. Her performances in LFA ultimately earned her an invitation to Dana White’s Contender Series, the UFC’s proving ground for unsigned talent. A third-round stoppage of Jamie Colleen in the summer of 2018 secured her a UFC contract and launched the next phase of her career.
Maycee Barber Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
Maycee Kaye Barber made her professional debut against Itzel Esquivel at LFA 14 on June 23, 2017, and she submitted Esquivel with a first-round armbar. She followed that win with a unanimous decision victory over Mallory Martin at LFA 22 in September 2017 and a first-round submission of Kaila Thompson at LFA 33 in February 2018. Her final LFA appearance came against Audrey Perkins at LFA 39 on May 4, 2018, where she recorded her first professional knockout via second-round technical knockout.
Later that summer, Barber accepted a slot on Dana White’s Contender Series 13, where she faced Jamie Colleen on July 17, 2018. Barber earned a third-round stoppage, a performance that convinced UFC matchmakers to offer her a contract. Those early results, a blend of submissions, decisions, and a growing finishing rate, signaled that Barber was ready for the sport’s biggest stage.
UFC Breakthrough (2018–2020)
Barber made her UFC debut on November 10, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 139 against Hannah Cifers, and she won by second-round TKO. She added a second-round technical knockout of JJ Aldrich at UFC Fight Night 148 in March 2019 and a first-round TKO of Gillian Robertson at UFC on ESPN 6 in October 2019. The three-fight UFC winning streak established her as a rising name in the women’s Flyweight division.
Her first major setback came on January 18, 2020, at UFC 246, when she lost a one-sided unanimous decision to veteran Roxanne Modafferi. Barber then took a year-long hiatus to recover from a knee injury before returning at UFC 258 on February 13, 2021, where she dropped a unanimous decision to Alexa Grasso. The two losses in a row forced Barber to regroup, and she subsequently made a significant team change.
Team Alpha Male Era (2021–Present)
After leaving Fort Collins MMA and Roufusport in 2021, Barber relocated her training to Sacramento and joined Team Alpha Male. The move produced immediate results. She won a controversial split decision over Miranda Maverick at UFC on ESPN 27 on July 24, 2021, and followed that with a unanimous decision win over Montana De La Rosa at UFC Fight Night 205 on April 23, 2022. Later that summer, she stepped in on short notice against Jessica Eye at UFC 276 and earned a unanimous decision victory, while also using the bout to negotiate a new UFC contract.
Barber continued her climb through the division with a split decision over Andrea Lee at UFC on ESPN 43 in March 2023, and a high-profile second-round finish of Amanda Ribas at UFC on ABC 5 in June 2023. The Ribas win earned Barber her first Performance of the Night award. She added a unanimous decision over Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299 in March 2024, cementing her status as a top contender. Outside the cage, Barber faced serious health challenges in mid-2024, spending nine days in the hospital with pneumonia, strep throat, and a staph infection, and later withdrew from a scheduled bout with Rose Namajunas due to ongoing health issues.
Style and Strengths
Barber’s game is built on a Karate-based striking foundation that emphasizes sharp combinations, distance management, and forward pressure. She complements her stand-up with a growing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu game, holding a purple belt under the Gracie brothers, and has shown the ability to threaten with submissions and ground-and-pound when fights hit the mat. The move to Team Alpha Male in Sacramento has refined her conditioning and grappling, allowing her to maintain her aggressive pace across three rounds.
Notable Events and Milestones
Barber’s signature results include her UFC debut TKO of Hannah Cifers, her first-round TKO of Gillian Robertson, and her career-defining finish of Amanda Ribas at UFC on ABC 5 that produced her first Performance of the Night bonus. She has headlined UFC cards, including a scheduled main event opposite Erin Blanchfield that was cancelled at weigh-ins in 2025 due to a seizure-related medical issue, illustrating both her drawing power and the physical demands of her career.
Maycee Barber Career Wins
Maycee Kaye Barber has built a professional record defined by finishes, decisions, and a steady climb through top-level competition. Her victories span LFA, Dana White’s Contender Series, and the UFC, with her finishing rate reflecting a fighter who has consistently sought to end bouts rather than let them go to the judges.
UFC Highlights
Inside the UFC, Barber has earned wins over Hannah Cifers, JJ Aldrich, Gillian Robertson, Miranda Maverick, Montana De La Rosa, Jessica Eye, Andrea Lee, Amanda Ribas, Katlyn Cerminara, and Karine Silva. Her most recent UFC victory came by unanimous decision over Karine Silva at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025. Earlier in her UFC tenure, the Ribas finish in June 2023 marked her first Performance of the Night bonus and stands as one of the defining performances of her career.
Other Wins & Performances
Outside the UFC, Barber’s wins include her four LFA victories, all finished inside the distance or by decision, and her third-round stoppage of Jamie Colleen on Dana White’s Contender Series that earned her a UFC contract. Across LFA, the Contender Series, and the UFC, her résumé reflects a fighter who has consistently met ranked opposition and delivered results.
Maycee Barber Family
Family Background and Fighting Lineage
Barber was raised in Greeley, Colorado, by a family that prioritized her development as a martial artist. Her father, Bucky Barber, played a central role in her early training and scheduling, traveling with her across the country to find the best coaching and competition. Her younger brother, Wyatt Barber, is also a professional mixed martial artist signed to Bellator, making the Barber family a notable fighting family within North American MMA.
Personal Life
Barber has spent much of her professional career training and living in Sacramento, California, where she is a member of Team Alpha Male. Outside of training, she has been open about the health struggles she has faced, including a serious 2024 hospitalization involving pneumonia, strep throat, and a staph infection, and a seizure-related medical issue in 2025 that forced her to withdraw from a main event with Erin Blanchfield at weigh-ins.
2025 Season Performance
Maycee Kaye Barber’s 2025 was defined by both opportunity and adversity. She was booked into a high-profile main event against Erin Blanchfield at UFC on ESPN 68 on May 31, 2025, a bout that would have positioned her firmly in the title conversation. However, Barber weighed in at 126.5 pounds, half a pound over the women’s flyweight non-title limit, and the fight was changed to a catchweight bout with a purse penalty. Minutes before the walkouts, Barber withdrew due to a seizure-related medical issue, and the bout was cancelled.
Barber returned to action later in the year and faced Karine Silva at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, and she won by unanimous decision. The victory allowed her to close the year with a result and re-establish momentum inside the women’s Flyweight division. Heading into 2026, Barber remains a ranked contender and a player to watch in the title picture, with the Blanchfield bout still pending as one of the most anticipated matchups in the division.
