Ahead of their high-stakes flyweight clash this Saturday night in Las Vegas, Barber slammed Blanchfield's "terrible fighting style," dubbing her a "boring" fighter during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.
A day later, Blanchfield snapped back at Barber, making it clear that she's comfortable with her well-rounded skill set, even if it's not the most fan-friendly. She also took a dig at Barber's high-octane style, which she fully expects to see come out at some point during their five-round affair.
"Most of the time I feel like I brush it off," Blanchfield said at the UFC Vegas 107 media day on Wednesday. "People have got to say what they've got to say. I know who I am as a fighter, and I know I'm well-rounded. Maycee's a pretty aggressive fighter. A lot of forward pressure. Big hooks. This is her first five-rounder, so I could see her possibly being a little more reserved, but I think that's going to come out of her at some point."
Blanchfield is a solid 7-1 inside the Octagon, her lone loss coming against recent UFC title challenger Manon Fiorot. Along the way, she's earned noteworthy wins over Miranda Maverick, JJ Aldrich, Molly McCann, Jessica Andrade, and Taila Santos. But it was her victory over former two-time strawweight champion 'Thug' Rose Namajunas that has her potentially one win away from securing her first shot at UFC gold.
As for Barber, 'The Future' enters her first main event riding a six-fight win streak and a 14-2 overall record. However, it's been more than a year since Barber has competed inside the Octagon, her last outing being a unanimous decision W over Katlyn Cerminara in March 2024.
Like Blanchfield, a win for Barber will likely put her next in line for a shot at the flyweight division's top prize.