"She's on a level where these girls can't catch her" - Maycee Barber on Valentina Shevchenko's current divisional dominance
One of the UFC's brightest prospects, Maycee Barber, is set to make her second UFC octagon appearance this weekend when she takes on Miranda Maverick at UFC Vegas 32.
The flyweight division is full of talent and the champion, Valentina Shevchenko, has risen above all other fighters at 125 lbs, becoming one of the UFC's most dominant champions, regardless of weight class or gender.
In a recent interview with Sportskeeda MMA's Andrew Whitelaw, Barber was asked her thoughts on whether she would one day fight Shevchenko for the belt, as well as her divisional dominance in general.
"I feel like she will if she doesn't decide to retire. I feel like she could be the one and we'll be ready when that time comes. There's no denying she's a dominant champion. I've been around her and trained around her a little bit. She's on a level where these girls can't catch her right now. It's going to take someone special and someone who is just as dedicated, just as determined and just as skilled if not more," stated Maycee Barber.
Should Maycee Barber wish to live up to her nickname and accomplish her goals of becoming a world champion, Valentina Shevchenko will likely be standing in her path at some point along the way.
Barber, aptly nicknamed 'The Future,' began her UFC career by tearing through her first three opponents. However, she then hit a hurdle, dropping back-to-back decision losses to Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso. Should Barber defeat Miranda Maverick, it will catapult her right into the mix of the 125 lbs women's division.
Watch Maycee Barber's interview with Sportskeeda MMA's Andrew Whitelaw below:
Maycee Barber discusses whether her future is at flyweight or straweight
While Maycee Barber is currently competing in the UFC women's flyweight division, she has previously fought at strawweight. When asked if there was any chance of her cutting back down in the future, Barber said:
"Obviously for this fight i'm one hundred percent at flyweight. But I could see myself getting a little more dialed in. The whole reason why I changed from one fifteen to one twenty five is because the way that I cut to one fifteen was not ideal. It wrecked my metabolism. So I was forced to move up to one twenty five... But I could also see myself going back down to one fifteen for the right fight in the future."
Before she can look into a future at strawweight, Maycee Barber must first overcome Miranda Maverick this weekend at UFC Vegas 32.