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Women's flyweight contender Maycee Barber was forced to pull out of her UFC Vegas 107 main event fight against Erin Blanchfield seconds before she was supposed to make her walk to the octagon. The incident brought to the forefront a health scare she experienced in mid-2024, causing her to stay in the hospital for nine days.
Barber had later revealed that the Epstein-Barr Virus had caused her health complications. With her recent bout cancellation, it is being speculated whether the same issue led to her pulling out of the fight.
For those unfamiliar, the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is a common human virus and a type of herpesvirus, specifically herpesvirus 4. EBV is contagious and typically spreads through bodily fluids, particularly saliva.
This can happen through kissing, sharing food, or using the same utensils. Less common causes include blood transfusion, organ transplant, or through semen during sexual contact. The virus typically affects children, teenagers, and young adults.
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EBV is the single most common cause of mononucleosis, often referred to as "mono". The virus can, albeit rarely, lead to serious conditions such as nasopharyngeal cancers and some types of lymphoma.
Many people can experience no symptoms and continue to spread EBV for weeks after they contract it. The symptoms, when they appear, typically include fatigue, high fever, swollen lymph nodes, body aches, headache, sore throat, and enlarged organs such as the liver and spleen.
Once a person contracts the Epstein-Barr Virus, it becomes dormant after a while and remains inactive. The infection can reactivate when the immune system is weak. Professional fighters are typically pushed to the limit of their physical abilities during the weight-cutting phase, which has also been shown to affect fighters' immune systems.
Barber missed weight for UFC Vegas 107, but the fight was expected to take place as scheduled. Seconds after she was expected to walk out, the UFC broadcast team announced that she did not receive the medical clearance to compete, cancelling her high-stakes fight against Blanchfield.
