Not lengthy after Luana Santos made quick work of Mariya Agapova in July, she agreed to face Casey O’Neill on three weeks’ discover at UFC 305, which works down this weekend in Perth.
The Brazilian travels to Australia realizing she’s about to compete in enemy territory.
O’Neill was born and raised in Scotland however moved to Queensland when she was 10 years outdated. Although she’s lived in Oceania ever since and is 4-0 as an expert MMA fighter when competing in Australian soil, O’Neill will expertise what’s prefer to have the house area benefit for the primary time since becoming a member of the UFC in 2021. However Santos is prepared.
“She represents Australia so the group positively received’t be on my facet,” Santos advised MMA Preventing. “I’m prepared for that. They are going to be on her facet. [I want to finish her] so I don’t go away something to probability.”
Santos is unbeaten beneath the UFC banner, sandwiching a call over Stephanie Egger between finishes of Agapova and Juliana Miller. She seems at each different sport the place a choose can resolve the winner as instructive on why she must get the job completed early.
“We simply noticed on the Olympics that we now have to watch out with the judges always,” Santos mentioned. “It’s inevitable, proper? We need to win by knockout or submission, however generally it doesn’t occur, and it’s laborious to go away within the fingers of the judges. In all sports activities, actually.”
Alexa Grasso, who at the moment reigns at Santos’ weight class, faces Valentina Shevchenko in a flyweight trilogy at UFC 306 after battling to a draw final time round, and Santos agrees that “Bullet” needs to be involved about dealing with the Mexican star at UFC 306, a Mexican-themed pay-per-view on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas.
“I agree together with her worry,” Santos mentioned. “It’s her life and profession on the road. I believe she ought to have had the prospect to choose the date now since she fought on Mexican Independence Day final time, however it’s a part of the sport. There are issues we will’t management, proper? I believe Valentina received that final combat and so they scored it a draw due to the entire Mexico factor. Alexa is hard and is confirmed she deserves to be there, however I believe Valentina wins this time. I believe she’s going to win extra clearly now to point out the judges what they didn’t see final time.”
For now, Santos is thrilled to face a ranked opponent in O’Neill. The 24-year-old expertise sees herself sitting within the high 15 with a end Saturday, and even has a reputation in thoughts for a post-fight callout, hoping for a December return to finish the 12 months on a six-fight successful streak.
However stays targeted on the duty forward.
“She’s coming off two losses so I believe she has a ton of strain over her, and that positively favors me,” Santos mentioned of O’Neill. “She’s a superb fighter all over the place. She walks ahead on the ft, her jiu-jitsu may be very versatile, however is completely different from my grappling. My grappling is extra judo model, extra strain, and hers is extra free. It’s going to be fascinating if the combat goes to the bottom.”
“However the combat begins on the ft and she or he has flaws there, and I’ll work on her flaws, each on the bottom and on the ft,” she continued. “I’ve three weeks to check her recreation and work on what shall be good for me, and I’m prepared. I’ve completed every little thing I needed to do to come back out victorious, little question about it.”
