Katlyn Chookagian is set to fight Maycee Barber in a flyweight bout at UFC 299 on March 9, marking Chookagian’s first fight in 17 months and a potential step towards a title shot for Barber.
Katlyn Chookagian has a mission: to halt the momentum of an up-and-comer. She’s been handed this job for her comeback match.
Sources in the know have tipped off MMA Fighting. They’ve confirmed that Chookagian, with an 18-5 record, is gearing up to face Maycee Barber, who’s at 13-2. This is gonna be a flyweight showdown at UFC 299, slated for March 9.
Where’s it gonna be, you ask? Well, that’s still up in the air. But the word on the street is Miami’s in the lead to play host.
MMA Mania got the scoop first. They were the ones to initially report this match-up.
In the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, Chookagian’s sitting pretty at No. 7 in the 125-pound category. Barber’s not far behind, holding down the No. 10 spot.
It’s been a minute since Chookagian’s been in the octagon. 17 months, to be exact. Her last fight was a unanimous decision loss to Manon Fiorot at UFC 280. That was a tough blow, ending her four-fight winning streak. But let’s not forget, she’s a one-time flyweight title contender with a UFC record of 11-5.
Barber, on the other hand, has been making steady progress towards a title shot. She’s been on a roll with victories in her last five matches. In 2023, she scored a split decision against Andrea Lee and followed that up with a second-round TKO of Amanda Ribas.
The main event of UFC 299? A bantamweight championship bout. Sean O’Malley is defending his title against his old rival, Marlon “Chito” Vera.
Oh, and a shout-out to Mike Heck. He helped put this report together.