Maycee Barber took a bit of a beating in the first round of her fight with J.J. Aldrich tonight at UFC Fight Night 148, but she rallied in the second to hurt her opponent with a big punch and then follow up with more punches against the cage to seal a TKO victory.
Round One:
Aldrich with a one-two to start. Barber tries to throw a quick, but Aldrich moves in close to stifle it. Kick for Barber.
Barber looking for another kick, but Aldrich lands cleanly with a punch and it drops Barber. She doesn’t seem too dazed though and stays on her back for a moment and then gets back upright.
Aldrich lands again. Body kick for Barber. Right hand for Aldrich. Another strike lands for her. Leg kick for Barber, but often when she does that Aldrich is looking to counter and it’s troubling her.
Barber with a couple of leg kicks. Right hand for Aldrich and that gives Barber pause for a moment again. Straight punch for Aldrich.
Barber’s defense just isn’t working right now and Aldrich keeps connecting with these clean straight punches. Barber still working some kicks. She throws one and eats a jab.
Barber needs to get this fight to the mat, because she’s clearly outmatched on the feet. Kicks for Aldrich now. Barber tries for a kick, but Aldrich catches it and drops her to the mat again with a clubbing punch.
Barber back up. Aldrich punches and then Barber lands an elbow counter.
Round Two:
Straight left lands for Aldrich. Body kick for Barber. Front kick to the body from Barber now. leg kick for Barber with an Aldrich counter punch landing hard in return.
Body kick for Barber. Two-piece combo in close from Aldrich knocks Barber slightly off-balance. Barber doesn’t look badly hurt by any of these punches, but they are definitely landing clean.
Aldrich throwing and this time Barber lands a nice counter. Good punch for Barber. Aldrich lands too. Nice right hand for Barber. Now she gets the thai clinch and lands a few good elbows.
Hard straight left for Barber and that cracks Aldrich hard. She’s backing up now looking a bit wobbled as Barber comes forward with renewed confidence.
A hook lands and then more punches behind it from Barber as Aldrich continues to back away to the cage. Now Barber is just teeing off and a series of right hand lands and a knee, then a punch seems to break Aldrich’s will and the ref steps in to stop the fight with 3.01mins of the second round gone.
Aldrich sunk to her knees afterwards looking dejected after having been in pole position for much of the fight, but all credit to Barber for not getting discouraged and continuing to fight on until she found her moment to shine.
