Maycee Barber says Paige VanZant is avoiding fight because she ‘doesn’t want her face damaged’

Maycee Barber has her next opponent in mind but isn’t confident it will happen

The undefeated 20-year-old is currently recovering from a broken thumb, but spoke to Luke Thomas on The MMA Hour and explained why Paige VanZant would be an ideal next opponent.

 “She doesn’t want to fight me, she doesn’t want to lose,” Barber explained. “She wants to keep building her name and getting wins under her. And this is a fight she could possibly lose — and she knows that. I think that’s why. Also, given my history in fights, I go to finish and I usually cut people up. She also doesn’t want to have her face damaged. Why her? Because she’s already said no and that’s a really good fight, you know? For me, anyway. I know that she doesn’t want to fight me. Last I checked, she was No. 14 in the division of the flyweights. And since we’re both in the flyweight division, I feel like it’s a good fight.”

Barber (7-0) has got off to an impressive start in her UFC career finishing both of her opponents. Most recently she stopped of J.J. Aldrich via second-round TKO at UFC Nashville. The Factory X standout has stopped her last five opponents and has only gone the distance once in her career. Barber feels VanZant hasn’t fought many fighters like her before.  

 “She’s a high-paced fighter, got skills and she’s very athletic. But I’m me and I go to finish. She hasn’t fought a ton of girls that go out to just finish. There’s one thing about being a fighter who is technically good and then there’s someone who has like a malicious intent to finish a fight and I possess that. And there’s only a few girls who possess that. I know that I’m one of them and I feel like Tatiana Suarez is another girl who’s a finisher. She goes out to hurt you. We’re few and far between as fighters who fight like that.”

Maycee Barber plans on returning to the cage in August or September. Would you like to see her fight Paige VanZant?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 4/22/2019.