Maycee Barber facing lengthy absence with full complete ACL tear

UFC flyweight prospect Maycee Barber experienced the first loss of her professional MMA career on Saturday, losing a lopsided and bloody decision to 16-year veteran Roxanne Modafferi on the UFC 246 undercard.

Unfortunately, that’s not where the trouble ended for Barber.

Mid-way through the first round, the 21-year-old seemed to injure her knee. Between the second and third rounds, the cage-side physician could be heard telling referee Jason Herzog that Barber sustained “a small, partial ACL tear,” and that she was “fine.” Despite the doctor conceding that Barber was injured, the fight continued until the final bell.

Speaking to ESPN, the official broadcast partner of the UFC, Barber’s father confirmed that the fighter sustained a complete ACL tear.

“We think she injured it in the first 10 seconds,” Barber said of his daughter’s injury. “She stepped on Roxanne’s foot as she backed up and felt a pop. You can see the knee give out on the side. She went back and started fighting and trying to do things and I noticed she was flat in a way I’ve never seen before.”

With this severe injury, Barber is expected to spend nine months on the sidelines, which is of course a major barrier to her goal of becoming the youngest champion in UFC history.

That being said, Barber assured post-fight that her goals have not changed.

“Tonight may not have gone my way but there is not a single piece of regret in me,” Barber wrote on Instagram. “I am so blessed to live the life I have and I thank God everyday for the people in it.

“The outcome of this fight may not have happened according to plan but my goal of beating Jon Jones record and being the youngest champion in UFC history stays the same.”

What do you think the future holds for Maycee Barber after UFC 246?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 1/20/2020.