Skip to content

Modafferi hands 10-1 favorite Barber 1st pro loss

Jeff Bottari / UFC / Getty

Roxanne Modafferi pulled off an early candidate for the biggest upset of the year at UFC 246 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

The veteran handed top prospect Maycee Barber, 21, the first loss of her pro career via unanimous decision. Modafferi, a 10-1 underdog, pummeled "The Future" in their women's flyweight bout.

The judges scored the fight 30-27, 30-27, and 30-26 for "The Happy Warrior."

Modafferi dominated Barber in all areas, obtaining top position on the ground and landing big shots on the feet. She rocked Barber in the opening moments of the second round, but the Roufusport fighter recovered and made it to the end of the 15-minute affair.

Barber suffered a small, partial ACL tear when Modafferi tagged her, according to TSN's Aaron Bronsteter. Barber was seen on the broadcast grabbing her knee after stumbling to the mat.

Modafferi, 37, has alternated wins and losses in her past six outings. She challenged for the inaugural women's 125-pound belt after a stint on "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2017 but fell to Nicco Montano by a five-round decision. Modafferi made her professional MMA debut in 2003.

Barber signed with UFC after a win on Dana White's Contender Series in the summer of 2018. She scored finishes in her first three Octagon bouts.

This was only the second time Barber had gone the distance in her nine-fight pro career, which dates back to 2017.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox