Medical Issue Forces Maycee Barber’s Exit; Mateusz Gamrot Shines at UFC Vegas 107

An unexpected last-minute exit from Maycee Barber left the Ultimate Fighting Championship stage to Mateusz Gamrot.

The former two-division KSW titleholder called upon takedowns, ground-and-pound and suffocating top control, as he cruised to a unanimous decision over Ludovit Klein in the makeshift UFC on ESPN 68 main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 30-27 for Gamrot (25-3, 8-3 UFC). An undisclosed medical issue involving Barber forced the cancellation of her originally scheduled headliner opposite Erin Blanchfield mere moments before they were set to walk out.

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The news involving Barber cast a pall over the event and overshadowed a near-flawless performance from Gamrot. Outside of a brief surge early in the third round, Klein (23-5-1, 7-3-1 UFC) had no answers for the American Top Team-trained Pole. Gamrot completed takedowns in all three rounds, floated from one position to the next and racked up points with punches, elbows and even a few knee strikes to the body. He delivered his final takedown with roughly 90 seconds left in the match and chewed up the remaining time without issue.

The defeat was Klein’s first since Oct. 16, 2021 and closed the book on his four-fight winning streak.

Further down the main card, Ramiz Brahimaj put former two-division CES MMA champion Billy Goff to sleep with a standing guillotine choke in the first round of their welterweight showcase. Goff (9-4, 1-2 UFC) slumped into unconsciousness 3:16 into Round 1, suffering his second defeat in as many outings.

Brahimaj (12-5, 4-3 UFC) struck for a takedown, jumped to the back and reset himself once the two men returned to their feet. He set off a scramble in the clinch, bit down on his adversary’s exposed neck and transitioned from a ninja choke to a high-elbow guillotine. It soon became clear there was no avenue of escape for Goff.

The 32-year-old Brahimaj has delivered 11 of his 12 victories by submission.

Elsewhere, Factory X standout Dustin Jacoby put away onetime Legacy Fighting Alliance and Jungle Fight champion Bruno Lopes with punches in the first round of their light heavyweight attraction. Lopes (14-2, 1-1 UFC) succumbed to blows 1:50 into Round 1, losing for the first time since 2023.

Jacoby (21-9-1, 9-6-1 UFC) buckled the Brazilian with a stiff jab, gave chase and swarmed with punches along the fence. Lopes did all he could to tie up the experienced American, to no avail. Jacoby turned to dirty boxing, created some separation and cut loose with sweeping punches from both hands. A left hook found the off switch and folded Lopes where he stood.

It was the 13th first-round finish of Jacoby’s career.

Deeper into the draw, Nova Uniao mainstay Ketlen Vieira outstruck and outgrappled “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 28 winner Macy Chiasson to a unanimous decision in their three-round women’s featherweight feature. Scores were 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 for Vieira (15-4, 9-4 UFC).

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Chiasson (10-4, 8-4 UFC) had nothing with which to keep “Fenomeno” at bay. Vieira hammered her with power punches in the standup exchanges, then swooped into top position after failed takedown attempts from the Fortis MMA rep. Chiasson spent nearly the entire second round and much of the third pinned to the canvas. She managed to open a cut above the Brazilian’s right eye with an elbow strike from the bottom and launched a late rally in the closing seconds, but by then the die was cast.

The setback snapped Chiasson’s modest two-fight winning streak.

Finally, Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Zachary Reese rebounded from a Jan. 18 knockout loss to Azamat Bekoev with a unanimous decision over Dusko Todorovic in their three-round middleweight appetizer. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 29-28 for Reese (9-2, 3-2 UFC).

Todorovic (12-6, 3-6 UFC) was effective in the first round, where he executed a takedown and threatened with a guillotine choke inside the first minute. He later powered into top position a second time and applied his ground-and-pound, unleashing punches, hammerfists, elbows and forearm strikes. Reese eventually regrouped, managed to stay upright and flexed his superiority at a distance. He paired body kicks with clubbing blows to the head, circled out of clinches and forced Todorovic to operate outside of his comfort zone.

The 31-year-old Todorovic has lost three fights in a row.

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