Barber Escaped Silva’s Submission Threats to Win Her
Maycee Barber defeated Karine Silva by unanimous decision at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Scores of 30–27, 29–28 and 29–28 rewarded Barber after three rounds in her first appearance for twenty-one months.
Silva’s back control tested the returning contender
Barber had not fought since defeating Katlyn Cerminara at UFC 299. Both women made 125.5 pounds for a return assignment against a dangerous submission specialist.
Silva took Barber down and reached back control in the opening round, hunting a choke. Barber eventually reversed position and landed heavy ground strikes before the horn, avoiding an early submission setback.
An illegal upkick interrupted Barber’s growing momentum
Barber took Silva down in the second round but was struck by an illegal upkick. The referee stopped the action temporarily, allowing her time to recover before the contest resumed.
She returned to her attacking work, securing another takedown and landing punches and elbows. Silva continued searching for submissions, including a late triangle attempt, without finding a finish.
The final round combined striking success with more defensive escapes
Silva threatened with a heel hook and another triangle in the third. Barber used the exchanges to regain position and eventually returned to her feet, where her combinations remained effective.
All three judges awarded Barber the victory, extending her winning streak to seven. The result completed a demanding return in which she had to defend submissions, recover from a foul and sustain offense across the full fifteen minutes.
Sources
- UFC: official results and scorecards
- UFC: event date, venue and official weights
- MMA Fighting: return, illegal upkick and grappling exchanges
- UFC: preceding Cerminara victory
