Maycee Barber, a top UFC flyweight contender, opened up about a medical emergency that forced her to withdraw from her UFC Vegas 107 main event against Erin Blanchfield on May 31, 2025, in Las Vegas. In an ESPN interview, Barber described the incident, suspected to be a pseudo-seizure linked to her autonomic nervous system, but noted that no definitive answers have been found. She expressed confusion about her health and career, emphasizing the need for clarity before returning to the octagon, with the UFC supporting her pursuit of specialized medical evaluations.
Barber’s Account of the Incident
Barber recounted the chaotic moments before the fight, stating:
“I hate going back and being like we have no answers but we’re not entirely sure what happened. Obviously, there was a medical emergency. We’re not quite sure what it was, what it is but there was something that happened. I don’t exactly remember everything but there was an event that happened in the back when I was warming up and the doctor, the commissioners, everybody saw it and the commissioners, I guess they were asking me if I was OK and I was saying I was.”
She described the confusion, adding:
“They didn’t think that I was and so they kept asking the coaches — and again, I’m not entirely sure because it’s hard for me to remember everything that happened — but from what I was told, the coaches were like ‘we’re not quite sure.’ So they were trying to figure it out and they ended up all going and getting the doctor and the next thing I know, I was in the back of an ambulance and being transported to a hospital. Then I stayed there, doing a bunch of tests trying to figure out what was going on.”
Maycee Barber, born May 18, 1998, in Greeley, Colorado, holds a 14-2 record in MMA. She debuted in the UFC in 2018, defeating Hannah Cifers at UFC Fight Night 139. Known for her aggressive striking, Barber built a six-fight win streak, including a knockout of Jessica Eye at UFC 276 in 2022 and a unanimous decision over Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299 in March 2024. Her losses were to Roxanne Modafferi in 2020 and Katlyn Cerminara in 2022. Barber has faced health challenges, including a nine-day hospital stay after UFC 299 due to pneumonia, strep, staph, and Epstein-Barr virus infections.
Erin Blanchfield, born May 4, 1999, in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, has a 12-2 record. She joined the UFC in 2021, defeating Sarah Alpar at UFC Fight Night 192. Blanchfield’s grappling led to wins over Molly McCann and Jéssica Andrade, but she lost to Manon Fiorot at UFC Atlantic City in March 2024. The Barber fight was a chance to climb the flyweight rankings.
Barber provided insight into the suspected cause, stating:
“I was told it looked like my autonomic nervous system might have been having an issue. They said it looked like a pseudo-seizure is what I was told. But there’s no answers. There’s really nobody who is like, ‘This is exactly what it was.’ It’s just a lot of ‘we need to run tests and we need to get some answers.’”
A pseudo-seizure, or psychogenic non-epileptic seizure, mimics epileptic seizures but stems from psychological or neurological issues, potentially involving the autonomic nervous system, which regulates involuntary functions like heart rate.
Her head coach, Cody Donovan, revealed Barber’s determination, noting she begged not to alert medical staff despite the emergency, showcasing her bravery. The UFC, led by executive Hunter Campbell, halted the fight for safety, and Barber was hospitalized for tests, with no clear diagnosis yet.
Barber expressed her frustration, saying:
“I guess I’m just really confused to be honest. As far as my career and everything goes, the only thing that will determine that is us finding out what it was. What’s going on or what the issue was. Whether it is a nervous system issue or whatever it is, because at the end of the day, the health is first. We have to figure out that before I can be like ‘oh yeah, let’s take a fight’ or before the UFC will even consider offering me a fight.”
The UFC is arranging consultations with top specialists to diagnose the issue, and Barber’s return remains uncertain until answers are found. Her recent health struggles, including infections and a missed weight of 126.5 pounds at the UFC Vegas 107 weigh-in, have raised speculation about a possible weight cut connection, though no evidence confirms this.
The cancellation, announced moments before Barber’s walkout, stunned fans and Blanchfield, who was told by Campbell that Barber may have had a seizure. Blanchfield later criticized Barber’s professionalism, prompting Barber to respond on social media, denying her life was “messy” and apologizing to the UFC, matchmakers, and Blanchfield.
Valentina Shevchenko, UFC women’s flyweight champion, suggested the incident might relate to Barber’s weight cut, calling for better preparation, a view some fans echoed online. However, Barber’s team has not confirmed this, and tests continue to explore the cause.
Barber’s immediate focus is on her health, with ongoing tests to determine the cause of the pseudo-seizure-like event. The UFC’s support underscores their commitment to her safety, but her career is on hold until a diagnosis is reached.
