The main card women’s flyweight bout at UFC Vegas 32 between Maycee Barber and Miranda Maverick ended in controversy. Despite a tight clash that went the distance, many fans and fellow fighters felt Miranda Maverick won the fight. However, the judges didn’t see things that way and awarded the victory to Maycee Barber.
Barber broke her two-fight skid by winning out a split decision despite many believing she lost two of three rounds. Unlike other instances, almost the entire MMA community was up in arms about the decision and they voiced their displeasure on Twitter. Maverick was favored coming into the fight and was red hot in her UFC run to date.
28-29
29-28
29-28Maycee Barber does enough to score a split decision victory at #UFCVegas32 👏 pic.twitter.com/gtqMxVcC76
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) July 25, 2021
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MMA Twitter has something to say about Barber vs Maverick
Fans had earmarked Maverick vs Barber as the quintessential prospect vs prospect match-up as both women were coming into their own. They had each witnessed the spotlight at different points in their nascent UFC run and this bout will be talked about for a while now. Some social media users classified this contest as a Robbery and the conversation surrounding it will only continue.
Wth . Split dec was crazy , then Macy Barber won . Wow . Call the cops . Robbery ! 😬😬😬 am I wrong ? #UFCVegas32
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) July 25, 2021
OMG…. these judges are absolute trash. Miranda Maverick just got robbed, she won the first two rounds clearly. Unreal. Horrible decision. #UFCVegas32
— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) July 25, 2021
Bartender I’ll have 2 🍹 of what them judges were drinking, who judged the Maycee Barber vs Miranda Maverick fight 😬😬😬😂😂😂 #UFCVegas32
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) July 25, 2021
Judges score cards are almost like a game show itself sometimes.
— Kai Kamaka III (@kaiboikamaka) July 25, 2021
I had Maverick winning 2-1 #UFCVegas32
— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) July 25, 2021
It was almost unanimous across the board that Maverick had done more than enough to win the fight 29-28. While Maycee Barber had her moments, Miranda Maverick was sharp no matter where the fight went. Not to mention, her physicality matched up extremely well to Maycee Barber, and she was more than just keeping pace.
I don’t agree with that. #UFCVegas32
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) July 25, 2021
I thought Maverick won that 2-1
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 25, 2021
Woah. I thought Miranda Maverick clearly won 29-28 #UFCVegas32
— James Lynch (@LynchOnSports) July 25, 2021
Some fans posited that Maycee Barber’s efforts in round three is what allowed her to secure the win. However, notable MMA journalist Luke Thomas quickly put a stop to that idea. He reminded fans that the bout is the be assessed in its entirely and not simply on the merits of a comeback/strong round.
That has nothing to do with how fights are scored. If judges were impressed with the third, that only earns her a nod for the third. Their scores for the second are already recorded and turned in BEFORE the third round even starts. https://t.co/13AM4ezyof
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) July 25, 2021
Scorecards for Barber/Maverick. 2nd round was the deciding round. https://t.co/JJHM4Wp91w
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) July 25, 2021
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