5 things you need to know about UFC flyweight sensation Maycee Barber

#2 Maycee Barber was picked for Dana White's Contender Series

Maycee Barber (left) emerged victorious in Dana White's Contender Series.

Maycee Barber started training in MMA at a young age, but unlike most, decided to use her skills for a full-blown professional career. In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Barber's father Bucky revealed how the UFC women's flyweight sensation started her MMA career. He said:

"We got into martial arts for self defense. As a father, you can’t imagine your daughter fighting. But once we got our minds wrapped around the fact that this was what she (Maycee Barber) wanted to do, that she was going to pursue being a fighter regardless of what we thought about it, our entire motivation changed."

"At that point, it was, ‘OK, the better we make her as a fighter, the less damage she’s going to take.’ So we started to travel, and we took her literally all over the United States."

After breezing past the first opponent in her amateur career, she joined the LFA, which is considered one of the top-feeder MMA promotions for the UFC.

'The Future' garnered a 4-0 record in the LFC, earning a call-up from the UFC boss for his Dana White's Contender Series. In the most important fight of her career, Maycee Barber TKO'd Jamie Colleen in round three, landing several elbows and punches.

Winning the fight and taking her professional record to 5-0, Maycee Barber snatched a UFC contract at just 20 years of age.

---

#1 Maycee Barber is the next big thing in UFC women's flyweight division

Maycee Barber

Maycee Barber has her eyes set on leaving behind a legacy as the youngest and greatest strawweight champion ever seen. When she joined the UFC, she made it clear that her goal was to break Jon Jones' record of being the youngest UFC champion. When 'Bones' lifted the title for the first time, he was 23 years and 242 days old.

After suffering the first loss of her career against Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 246, Maycee Barber reminded her fans that her objectives had still not changed. She wrote on Instagram:

"What a life. Tonight may not have gone my way, but there is not a single piece of regret in me. I am so blessed to live the life I have, and I thank God everyday for the people in it. Thank you (Roxanne Modafferi) for sharing the octagon with me tonight.. The outcome of this fight may not have happened according to plan, but my goal of beating Jon Jones' record and being the youngest champion in UFC history stays the same."

Before facing Roxanne Modafferi, Maycee Barber was on an eight-fight winning streak (three in the UFC). However, even as she lost two back-to-back fights, she only took them in her stride and treated them as learnings.

Maycee Barber snapped her two-fight losing streak against Miranda Maverick, and has even jumped up a spot in the UFC women's flyweight rankings to #13. She is tipped to be 'The Future' of the division, thanks to her attitude, skillset and determination to be a champion.