UFC: After strong return, Maycee Barber aims to settle old score against flyweight champion Alexa Grasso

Once touted to become the youngest champion in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Maycee Barber's stint in the MMA company has not gone as per plans. Injury played a major role in preventing it but the American made a successful return last week (March 26) after recovering from a ‘partially torn rotator cuff’ and secured a split decision win against Andrea Lee.

“I actually came out with a partially torn, rotator cuff. So I had like a few weeks where I could not train with my right arm. I had to heal up little bit and I'm back,” Barber told hindustantimes.com in an exclusive interview.

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It was Barber's first fight of the year but her focus remains on the current Women's flyweight division champion Alexa Grasso. Barber was humbled by the current champion back in February 2021 and she now looks to settle the score whenever given a chance.

Starting the fight on a slow note, Barber then lost the first two rounds but showcased her good fighting instinct in the final round.

“I would love to fight her back whether she has the title or not. I definitely want to fight her again. I feel like that fight was one that I'm not the most proud of. But at the same time she's such a great fighter that I definitely want that fight back. And I'm gonna get it and I'm excited for that,” said Barber.

It has not been very long since Grasso has held the belt in the flyweight division. Squaring off against Valentina Shevchenko earlier this month, Grasso forced the former champ to tap and snatched the title from her.

Grasso's achievement makes Barber proud, who also called the former as the “most underrated” fighter in the flyweight category. She was also confident that either Grasso or Brazilian MMA fighter Taila Santos had the potential to dethrone Shevchenko.

“I think that she (Grasso) earned it, she deserves it and I'm happy for her. She works really hard and I feel like she was one of the most underrated in the division in my opinion. Because I've always thought that she was probably one of the best in the division. And that was even before she was even challenging for the title.

“I thought for sure that if someone was to win the title against Valentina, the top two people that I thought was after watching Taila Santos and then Alexa Grasso. Those two were the ones that I saw that could dethrone Valentina and Alexa was able to do it. So I think that's amazing that she was able to achieve her goals and as a female athlete I completely support that. I think that's incredible.”

Talking about her journey, Barber admits that it didn't go as per plans but she is proud to see herself ‘still chasing’ for the belt.

“I definitely wanted to set the bar high. I want to set my goals so far because I feel like it's really cool when you can set something that no one can achieve or no one can attain, or very few can attain, and I wanted to be one of those people. Obviously life had other plans for me and and that's okay. But I'm thriving and I'm still chasing that title. I'm still only 24, so there's so much for me to be able to accomplish.”

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