Roxanne Modafferi is known for playing the role of spoiler, and UFC 246 was no different.
On Saturday, Modafferi (24-16 MMA, 3-4 UFC) dominated Maycee Barber (8-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), a 10-to-1 favorite, to win by unanimous decision.
The women’s flyweight bout closed out the UFC 246 preliminary card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+ and ahead of the main card on pay-per-view.
After a dominant first round by Modafferi, a pivotal moment in the fight occurred in the opening seconds of the second. Modafferi landed a glancing shot on Barber, who immediately grabbed her left knee as she hit the canvas.
Once she got the mount, Modafferi sliced open Barber’s forehead. The bleeding was excessive. Despite losing position for a brief moment, Modafferi used her slick grappling skills for a reversal of her own. As she hobbled to the stool in Round 2, Barber was a crimson mess.
In between rounds, the cageside doctor performed a quick physical examination on Barber’s knee and revealed a “small, partial ACL tear” to the referee. The fight was allowed to continue, though, and Modafferi took advantage, turning in another dominant round en route to victory.
“She cried out, but she kept going like a true warrior, and I respect that very much,” Modafferi said. “And my coaches told me to capitalize on it. In here, you have to be a little merciless until the ref pulls you off.”
Of her strong performance, Modafferi said, “I wanted to prove that I’m not just a veteran gatekeeper. I’m still getting stronger, and I belong in the top 10.”
Modafferi, 37, has competed as a professional since 2003. Over the past 17 years, she’s fought around the world for well over a dozen promotions. Since her UFC debut in December 2017, she’s alternated wins and losses.
The loss marks Barber’s first of her professional career. The defeat is a step backwards for Barber, 21, who has set out to break Jon Jones’ record as the youngest UFC champion in the promotion’s history.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 246 results include:
- Roxanne Modafferi def. Maycee Barber via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
- Sodiq Yusuff def. Andre Fili via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Askar Askarov def. Tim Elliott via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Drew Dober def. Nasrat Haqparast via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:10
- Aleksa Camur def. Justin Ledet via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Sabina Mazo def. J.J. Aldrich via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
