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Valentina Shevchenko put on notice as UFC 323 star makes a bold championship promise

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Harvey Leonard | Last updated Dec 6, 2025 2:03 PM ET

This fighter insists she will soon have Valentina Shevchenko’s UFC title.

While much of the focus ahead of this Saturday’s UFC 323 pay-per-view is on the two title fights at the top of the lineup, there are plenty of other stars looking to make their mark on the undercard.

Among a number of promising youngsters set to compete at T-Mobile Arena is Maycee Barber, a top-five contender who has become somewhat of a forgotten figure in the flyweight division.

Serious health issues have meant that ‘The Future’ has not competed since March 2024, but that 21-month layoff has evidently not dented Barber’s confidence…

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Maycee Barber vows to win the women’s flyweight title ahead of her UFC 323 return

Barber will be one of the highest-ranked fighters setting the stage for Merab Dvalishvili’s title defense against Petr Yan in the UFC 323 main event.

It will be Yan and Joshua Van challenging for gold on December 6, but Barber has zero doubt that her time will eventually come.

Speaking to E. Spencer Kyte for UFC.com, the 27-year-old flyweight described what her long-awaited comeback means and made her latest firm vow regarding a future title crowning.

“I don’t know how to put it into words, but I’m just expecting to go out there and just do what I love,” Barber said. “It’s been too long.

“This whole camp has been focused on me and just getting better and not getting better health-wise; it’s been getting better as an athlete. Getting better in training, getting better in every aspect of my game.

“It’s gonna feel great to get a finish and get my hand raised.

“It’s gonna hold the belt,” she added, when asked what the future holds for her.

The women’s flyweight championship is currently held by Valentina Shevchenko, who emerged victorious from a super-fight with Zhang Weili at UFC 322 in November.

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Maycee Barber once planned to break Jon Jones’ UFC record

While Barber is just 27 years old, she has already fought 11 times in the UFC since debuting over seven years ago.

‘The Future’ broke through so early on in her career as a winner on Dana White’s Contender Series that she was even able to set her sights on becoming a champion at a younger age than Jon Jones.

Jones finished Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 to become the light heavyweight champion at the age of 23. The result cemented ‘Bones’ in the history books as the youngest-ever UFC titleholder.

Back-to-back losses to Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso stalled Barber’s plans to surpass that feat, and she will now be focused on ensuring she reaches the flyweight throne regardless of age.

Meanwhile, UFC 323 presents the chance for Van to put himself just below Jones as the second youngest champion in the promotion’s history. The 24-year-old will challenge Alexandre Pantoja in the co-main event.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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