Preview: UFC Fight Night 139 ‘Korean Zombie vs. Rodriguez’
Barber vs. Cifers
Women’s Strawweights
Maycee Barber (5-0) vs. Hannah Cifers (8-2)Advertisement
Debuting strawweight prospects go at it in this one. Colorado’s Barber has the Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series seal of approval after a one-sided win over Jamie Colleen and looks like a prospect to watch. At 20 years old, Barber is still sickeningly young, and while her athleticism is ahead of her skills, she uses her youth to set a relentless pace and outwork her opponents with all sorts of grappling pressure. I am not sure she will reach her goal of becoming the youngest champion in UFC history -- she is still quite raw -- but assuming the UFC does not get too aggressive in its matchmaking, then Barber should at least be a title contender in the coming years.
Barber faces a late replacement in Cifers, who has built a solid resume thus far. The North Carolina native has only lost to UFC vets Heather Clark and Gillian Robertson. Cifers is short and stocky for the division, and it is hard to say that her game has a ton of structure at this point. Still, she has some natural power, and a strawweight who can put together some first-round knockouts is always a welcome addition. I would have more confidence in Cifers being able to survive on the UFC roster in one of the promotion’s thinner divisions, but “Shockwave” is definitely worth the flier to get some high-level experience and see what she turns into.
Even with the late change against a tougher opponent, this still figures to be a Barber showcase. Cifers is at her most dangerous in close quarters, and that should play right into Barber’s hands, as she should be able to clinch with Cifers, go to work and set a pace she cannot match. Barber is still unpolished enough that making her a huge favorite in any fight still feels like a fool’s errand. However, this is hers to lose. The pick is Barber via decision.
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