Randa Markos working with sports psychologist

UFC women’s strawweight Randa Markos is coming off a loss to Nina Ansaroff at UFC on FOX 30 on Julu 29, and broke it down, technically and mentally, in an interview with Fernanda Prates for MMAjunkie. The development is invaluable, as Markos fights the UFC-debuting Mariana Rodriguez on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 137.

There was a big hole in my game and that was leg kicks – leg kick defense, explained Markos. And that really opened my eyes to – you always think that you have everything and then all of a sudden it’s ‘Oh, go back to the drawing board and fix some things.’

I learned a lot about myself, especially my mental game. I’ve been so consistent with my win-losses, and after my last win, before I even knowing I had to fight Nina, I immediately told myself I’ve got to lose my next fight. So it was like a huge mental battle I was facing through the entire camp and I tried to ignore it, ignore it. And then the week of the fight it got really bad. I’m really trying to fix that. And obviously, it’s that. Because I’ve beaten some of the top names and I lost to people I shouldn’t have lost.

I always thought I was a mentally strong person – physically and mentally, I’ve always [been] strong, I’ve always faced a lot of the hard times in my life. But I realized that I needed help. I definitely got the help that I needed. I definitely went to look for professional help. I’ve been working with a sports psychologist. It’s been pretty good. I’ve been facing my fears and all the things I’ve been ignoring, so it’s good.