Macy Barber will return this Saturday for the first time in over a year and will have Erin Blanchfield pay her recent comments.
The battle between Barber and Blanchfield in the main event of UFC Vegas 107 was in a critical flyweight matchup. Barber made his first appearance since deciding Catlinselminara at UFC 299 in March 2024, but after that victory, Barber was hospitalized for nine days with an illness that still asks many questions.
Once in the fight, Blanchefield admitted he was concerned that Barber might not get caught up in the fight. A few days before her return to Japan, “Future” responded to those comments.
“I think Erin said that because Erin has nothing else to say to him,” Barber told MMA Fighting. “I really don’t know that she can say something like that means it. I tried to stuff my brain and think about it.
“Well, she can’t say anything. I think her only concern is that I might not be in the fight. That doesn’t really mean much except that I’m sick, but it’s the past. I’ve had a fight.
For Barber, it was a long journey into the octagon, where he was set to make his 12th promotion. The 27-year-old has been on an impressive seven-game winning streak and has not experienced any losses in nearly four years.
Barber feels ready to make her point in the title shot against Valentina Shevchenko and has been paying attention to all the changes in the department since she last competed. After passing through a rough stretch, Barber looks at things clearly when he speaks when he reaches the other side of the illness.
“To be honest, I feel blessed,” Barber said. “I’m excited. I’m ready and honestly thankful to do this again.
“It was like an exchange. “How are you? No, no, you’re not good. You’re not good, no, you’re not good.”
Branchfield lost his biased decision to Manon Fiorot in the main event in March 2024 at UFC Atlantic City. “Cold Blood” bouncing off in a victory over Namajunas to keep her spot on the contender line, but Barber wants to take it for himself.
“I don’t care who’s in front of me,” Barber explained. “I’m ready to clean up all of them, and get my place for the belt. I’ve never turned down a fight, I’ve never left anything. There were five different names that were abandoned by me.
“I think it was the best opportunity in the eyes of the UFC. That really doesn’t matter to me. They abandoned multiple enemies, but it all came out, ‘What do you think about this? What do you think about this?’ And when Erin was offered, I (said) yes, and she said yes. ”
Barber says she is set to call out the title shot with a victory on Saturday. She highlights it, plans to make it memorable and bloody.
“It was a Brad Bass and that was not a back and forth brawl,” Barber said. “So I’m going to hurt Erin and I plan to finish her in a dominant way and get my spot.”