After two consecutive canceled fights and battling massive health scares, Maycee Barber made a huge comeback at UFC 323. At the last ESPN PPV, ‘The Future’ defeated Karine Silva via unanimous decision in front of a packed crowd at T-Mobile Arena. That was definitely a massive victory for the returning flyweight contender, but her win over Silva did not come easy, as it got shrouded in controversy over referee Mark Smith’s one particular call.

During the three-round fight, Karine Silva illegally up-kicked Maycee Barber while she was on the ground, which led to a brief halt. However, referee Mark Smith did not recognize it as an illegal blow and even asked the 27-year-old if she wanted to continue. With fear of the fight being ruled a TKO in her opponent’s favor if she took more time to recuperate, Barber reluctantly chose to fight on and eventually secured the win on the judges’ scorecards. However, now the Wisconsin native has made it clear she does not want Smith officiating any more of her future fights.  

Maycee Barber pushes back against Mark Smith reffing her fights

“In my mind, I was like, if you’re a ref, you’d put someone down on the ground, right? Like, at least put her down on the ground, if not take a point, you know. Or both. But it is what it is. I mean, he’s… I was told several times that ‘this is a great ref’. And from my perspective, now I’m like… I don’t want him reffing my fights at all. I don’t feel safe in there with him anymore. I don’t feel like he’s a very fair ref,” Barber lamented during a conversation with MMA Fighting. 

For the UFC, last year was definitely a positive one in terms of fights. However, 2025 also raised serious questions regarding referee decisions. Most notably, veteran referee Dan Miragliotta stopped the Kyle Nelson vs. Matt Frevola fight at UFC Vancouver, which caused massive uproar among fans and experts alike, and that was only one of many examples. Still, referees often get the benefit of the doubt, considering the difficulty of their jobs and the reality of having an off night.

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In this case, Maycee Barber clearly understands that Mark Smith may have had a bad day at the office. Regardless, the No. 5 flyweight contender believes officials need to be more careful with their calls, as one mistake could potentially put a fighter’s life at risk.

“But I also, I mean, people have bad days. So I try not to be too harsh. But at the same time, you know, that’s my job. And my job is on the line, and I get it. He can have a bad day at work, but he’s gonna get paid regardless. So it kind of sucks that we have, as athletes, to go in and have people that can have off days and still get paid and risk our jobs,” Barber added.

Now, as ‘The Future’ had a little controversy surrounding her comeback fight, the end result still went in her favor at the final PPV event of 2025. With that impressive victory, Barber now looks ahead to a much better and healthier 2026. But the Wisconsin native already has a plan for this year, and it is highly ambitious.

Barber eyes a quick February turnaround while targeting the UFC White House card

Last year proved especially hard for Maycee Barber, as she faced back-to-back cancellations against Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield, fights that could have propelled her into a title shot. But, after ‘The Future’s amazing return to the Octagon, she now reveals that she feels much healthier. With that in mind, the 27-year-old contender is eyeing a quick turnaround in February while also keeping a possible White House card on her radar.

“I have already been talking with Mick Maynard and the UFC. So we will see what is next. Right now, I feel pretty healthy, so I am just going to stay ready. I had such a long layoff, and I do not want another one. I want to turn around and fight, get back into camp, and start preparing again. It would be great to fight in February and then turn around and fight at the White House,” Barber added during her MMA Fighting interview.

That is definitely a bold plan from Barber, as she already aims to compete on what could be the biggest UFC stage of the year. However, it raises an obvious question. Who would be her opponent? A rematch against Alexa Grasso stands out as a strong option, as Barber would get a chance to avenge her loss from UFC 258. At the same time, the matchup could also serve as a launching point for the Mexican star to climb back into title contention.

With so many major events approaching, how do you think the UFC will shape the Wisconsin native’s future? Let us know in the comments section below.