December 10, 2024 8:45 pm ET
Maycee Barber is hoping to make her return to the UFC within the first half of 2025.
Barber (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was scheduled to headline her first UFC occasion in opposition to former champion Rose Namajunas this previous July in Denver, however she pulled out lower than three weeks out due to health complications.
Barber later revealed that she was plagued with Epstein-barr virus, which left her severely bodily compromised and unable to coach to full capability. She now appears to be like to place all that behind her and bounce into one other coaching camp quickly.
“The whole lot’s going nice now,” Barber mentioned on “Morning Kombat.” “It has been an extended journey. I used to be so bummed when – properly, initially, I used to be so excited to battle Rose as a result of not solely was I preventing Rose, however I used to be additionally preventing in Denver the place I made my UFC debut. So for me, it was my first essential occasion.
“It was a really enormous alternative for me, and I used to be so excited after which I used to be devastated after I was advised, ‘Hey look, you’re not going to battle on this card.’ Clearly the well being is extra necessary. So I used to be very devastated, however I’ve made numerous progress coming ahead, and I can’t wait to be again.” The flyweight contender, who has received six in a row, is aiming to compete once more by early subsequent yr. Barber’s successful streak features a TKO finish of Amanda Ribas and, most lately, a unanimous decision over former title challenger Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299 in March.
“Yeah, really I used to be simply messaging with Mick (Maynard), and Hunter (Campbell) known as me, as properly,” Barber mentioned. “I’m hoping for April, actually. I imply, I do know it nonetheless is just a little methods out, however for me, that’s the timeline that I used to be given and so initially, I believed I used to be going to be till July, August of subsequent yr, nevertheless it’s trying extra like April.”
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