Luana Santos isn’t overlooking Mariya Agapova, however is greater than assured she will be able to get the job performed with a end at UFC Denver on Saturday.
Santos returns to the flyweight division after a well being situation triggered an enormous weight miss in her struggle this previous December and he or she likes the challenges Agapova presents given their conflict of types. Santos, 2-0 within the UFC, sees a number of methods to complete Agapova.
“I noticed that she was submitted in her previous two fights [against Maryna Moroz and Gillian Robertson], so given my grappling background, it’s a very good matchup for me,” Santos mentioned. “She has harmful fingers, her boxing could be very harmful. She is available in quick for the knockout so I’ve to watch out together with her fingers, however I’ve skilled so much for this struggle.”
Santos mentioned she had an extended coaching camp than regular after being identified with Hashimoto’s illness, a situation that causes weight acquire. The situation is now below management and the additional time between fights has allowed Santos to evolve in a number of elements of the sport.
“I had 16 weeks to arrange for this match based mostly on what to anticipate in there,” Santos mentioned. “I’ve weapons to beat her on the ft and likewise submit her. I skilled my placing very laborious and I’ve what it takes to knock her out. I can submit her too. We’ll see how the struggle performs out, however my feeling is that there’s a submission coming.”
Santos knocked out Juliana Miller within the first spherical in her octagon debut after which defeated Stephanie Egger through unanimous resolution in her follow-up bout.
“I used to be very upset once I left that [Egger] struggle as a result of I may have received another way, I may have performed extra, however then I re-watched the struggle and it form of modified my thoughts,” Santos mentioned. “I used to be doing properly within the struggle, the primary spherical was good and so was the start of the second, however then I bought drained. I solely had three weeks to arrange, I wasn’t even coaching, and minimize 22 kilos in a brief time frame and nonetheless missed weight.
“I mirrored on it and it’s all good. I missed weight, however saved a struggle that wasn’t going to occur, so let’s take a look at the brilliant aspect. I assumed the struggle was shit, that I may have received higher, however I did the very best I may below these circumstances. I did what I may and got here out with the win. It may have been means worse, I may have misplaced, however that’s not what occurred. I got here again and completed what was improper. This time, I’m going for the win, no matter being a knockout, a submission, or by factors. I need to placed on a very good struggle and a terrific efficiency.”
