Maycee Barber Bio
Maycee Kaye Barber (born May 18, 1998) is an American mixed martial artist competing in the women’s Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Fighting out of Sacramento, California, she is recognized by the ring name “The Future” and trains with Team Alpha Male. As of October 2025, she is ranked #5 in the UFC women’s flyweight rankings.
Barber began her professional career in 2017 and has compiled a record that reflects a versatile skill set, with victories by knockout, submission, and decision. A second-degree black belt in karate with a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, she blends crisp striking with a developing ground game. Her quick climb through the rankings has made her one of the most talked-about contenders in the 125-pound division.
Early Life and Background
Maycee Kaye Barber was born on May 18, 1998, in Greeley, Colorado. She grew up in a household where martial arts were a central focus, and her father, Bucky Barber, played a key role in shaping her early training. According to her father, the family committed significant time and resources to traveling across the United States in order to sharpen her skills and reduce the damage she might take in competition.
Barber began pursuing mixed martial arts at an early age and quickly set her sights on becoming a professional fighter. Her karate roots gave her a strong foundation in striking, while supplementary training introduced her to grappling and submissions. This blend of disciplines helped her stand out in regional circuits and laid the groundwork for her professional transition.
She has a younger brother, Wyatt Barber, who is also a mixed martial artist and has been signed to Bellator. The siblings share a competitive bond, and their shared commitment to combat sports has been a defining element of the Barber family’s identity.
Path to MMA
Barber’s path to professional mixed martial arts ran through the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), one of the leading developmental promotions in North America. She made her professional debut against Itzel Esquivel at LFA 14 on June 23, 2017, winning by first-round armbar submission. The performance immediately signaled her potential as a finisher.
Between 2017 and mid-2018, Barber strung together a series of victories inside the LFA cage, including a unanimous decision over Mallory Martin and first-round submissions that highlighted her grappling instincts. Her final LFA appearance came against Audrey Perkins at LFA 39 on May 4, 2018, a second-round technical knockout that marked her first professional knockout win. The streak drew national attention and set the stage for a shot at the UFC roster.
That opportunity arrived on Dana White’s Contender Series 13 on July 17, 2018, where Barber faced Jamie Colleen. She earned a third-round stoppage, a performance good enough to secure a UFC contract. The deal launched her into the top tier of women’s mixed martial arts at just 20 years old.
Maycee Barber Career
Early UFC Career (2018–2019)
Barber made her UFC debut on November 10, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodríguez, where she stopped Hannah Cifers by TKO in the second round. The win announced her arrival in the promotion and gave her an early signature moment in front of a national audience. Her aggressive style and finishing instincts quickly made her a fan favorite.
Through 2019, Barber added victories over JJ Aldrich and Gillian Robertson, both by technical knockout. The three-fight UFC winning streak pushed her into the flyweight conversation and established her as a prospect to watch heading into the new decade.
Setbacks and Comeback (2020–2022)
Barber’s first major setback came on January 18, 2020, at UFC 246, when she dropped a one-sided unanimous decision to Roxanne Modafferi. Months later, a knee injury forced her into a year-long hiatus, and a February 2021 return against Alexa Grasso at UFC 258 ended in another unanimous decision loss. The consecutive defeats tested her resolve and prompted a reassessment of her training setup.
She responded with a hard-fought, if controversial, split decision win over Miranda Maverick at UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw in July 2021. After a series of canceled bookings, Barber returned in April 2022 at UFC Fight Night 205 and defeated Montana De La Rosa by unanimous decision. A July 2022 win over Jessica Eye at UFC 276 closed out her prevailing contract, and she re-signed with the UFC later that year.
Ascension in the Flyweight Division (2023–2024)
In 2023, Barber put together her most consistent stretch in the UFC. She took a split decision over Andrea Lee at UFC on ESPN 43 in March and followed it with a statement-making second-round finish of Amanda Ribas at UFC on ABC 5 in June. The Ribas win, secured with elbows and punches on the ground, earned Barber her first Performance of the Night award. She closed 2023 as one of the most active and improving fighters at 125 pounds.
Barber opened 2024 with a unanimous decision over Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299. A scheduled July 2024 bout with Rose Namajunas was canceled when ongoing health issues forced her to withdraw. The health scare, which struck shortly after UFC 299, involved pneumonia, strep throat, and a staph infection and led to a nine-day hospital stay. The episode briefly threatened her career but ultimately reinforced her determination to return.
2025 Season and Recent Form
Barber’s 2025 campaign was disrupted before it began. A scheduled May 31, 2025 main event against Erin Blanchfield at UFC on ESPN 68 was canceled minutes before walkouts after Barber withdrew due to a medical issue involving a seizure. The bout had been scheduled at a catchweight after Barber weighed in half a pound over the women’s flyweight non-title limit. Despite the cancellation, her position in the rankings remained intact, and she is scheduled to face Karine Silva on December 6, 2025, at UFC 323.
Driving Style and Strengths
Barber fights from a karate-based stance that emphasizes sharp, technical striking and forward pressure. Her second-degree black belt in karate gives her crisp kicks and clean punching combinations, while her purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has sharpened her grappling and submission threats. Training out of Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, she has leaned into a balanced game plan that blends aggressive striking with patient grappling exchanges.
Notable Events and Milestones
Barber’s UFC contract win on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018, her Performance of the Night finish of Amanda Ribas in 2023, and her rise into the top five of the UFC women’s flyweight rankings stand as defining moments. The 2024 health scare and her subsequent return to competition have added another chapter to her career, underscoring her resilience and long-term potential in the division.
Maycee Barber Career Wins
Across her professional career, Maycee Barber has built a record highlighted by finishes in all three phases of mixed martial arts. Her career totals include 6 wins by knockout, 2 wins by submission, and 2 wins by decision, reflecting a versatile and aggressive approach inside the cage.
UFC Highlights
Barber’s UFC resume includes stoppages of Hannah Cifers, JJ Aldrich, and Gillian Robertson, along with a defining second-round finish of Amanda Ribas that earned her a Performance of the Night bonus. Decision wins over Jessica Eye, Andrea Lee, Montana De La Rosa, and Katlyn Cerminara have shown her ability to grind out rounds when a finish is not available, helping her climb to the #5 spot in the women’s flyweight rankings.
Pre-UFC and Other Performances
Before reaching the UFC, Barber went unbeaten inside the LFA, capping her run with a second-round technical knockout of Audrey Perkins at LFA 39. Her professional debut win by first-round armbar submission over Itzel Esquivel at LFA 14 launched the streak that earned her a UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series.
Maycee Barber Family
Family Background and Fighting Lineage
Barber was raised in Greeley, Colorado, by her father, Bucky Barber, who played a central role in guiding her early mixed martial arts training. The family committed itself to her development, traveling across the country to expose her to high-level training partners and competition. Her younger brother, Wyatt Barber, has carried the family’s combat sports tradition into Bellator, giving Maycee a built-in training partner and confidant.
Personal Life
Barber lives and trains in Sacramento, California, where she represents Team Alpha Male. She has previously been associated with Fort Collins MMA and Roufusport during her developmental years. In mid-2024, she endured a serious health scare that combined pneumonia, strep throat, and a staph infection, leading to a nine-day hospital stay. The experience has been a defining off-the-cage moment in her young career.
2025 Season Performance
Maycee Barber entered 2025 ranked inside the top five of the UFC women’s flyweight division and on the cusp of a potential title eliminator. Her first booked step came on May 31, 2025, with a high-profile main event against Erin Blanchfield at UFC on ESPN 68. After weighing in half a pound over the non-title limit, the bout was set at catchweight but was canceled minutes before walkouts due to a medical issue involving a seizure, leaving both fighters without a resolution.
Despite the canceled bout, Barber’s standing in the 125-pound division remained strong, and she was quickly rebooked. She is currently scheduled to face Karine Silva on December 6, 2025, at UFC 323, providing a clear path back into the win column and back into the title conversation.
Training out of Team Alpha Male, Barber has continued to refine her karate-based striking while expanding her grappling depth, and her Performance of the Night win over Amanda Ribas in 2023 remains a benchmark for the kind of statement performances she is capable of delivering. A successful close to 2025 could position her for a marquee matchup in 2026.