Modafferi aims to prove she’s best in division and that her striking ‘doesn’t suck any more’
Roxanne Modafferi: “I really want to prove to Dana and Sean that my striking doesn’t suck anymore and I’m ready to be back and be champion now.”
‘The Ultimate Fighter 26’ will consist only of women’s 125-pound division fighter, and the winner of the season will be declared the inaugural women’s UFC flyweight champion. 46 hopefuls showed up at Palace Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Tuesday for the tryouts.
The hopefuls grappled for two minutes and then hit mitts, with UFC President Dana White and matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard watching closely. Fighters trying out included Jessy Rose Clark, Rachael Cummins, Calie Cutler, Sijara Eubanks, Christine Ferea, Zoila Frausto, Barb Honchak, Ana Julaton, Kelly Kobold, Lauren Murphy, Rachael Ostovich, Lucie Pudilova, and Roxanne Modafferi, who coming off the best performance of her life on Saturday vs. Sarah D’Alelio at Invicta FC 23. D’Alelio, who holds wins over current UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes and two-time Invicta title challenger Vanessa Porto, was dropped twice via strikes, before the referee stopped the fight due to cuts from bottom Mount.
I just feel in the best condition, said Modafferi to Marc Raimondi for MMA Fighting. There wasn’t an ounce of pain in my body going into my last fight, which is crazy. I’m in the best shape ever. The best coaches. I could sense that I had more potential and that I could go farther and keep going and I’m not winding down. So I kept at it and persevered.
My ultimate goal is to get into the UFC and become champion. Whatever it takes to do that, to reach those goals. I want to be the UFC champion and prove that I’m the best in my weight division.
I really want to prove that I improved and prove to Dana and Sean that my striking doesn’t suck anymore and I’m ready to be back and be champion now.”
Below Modafferi rolls with Murphy during the tryouts.
If accepted it will be Modafferi’s second TUF. She fought her way onto TUF 18 in 2013. Although she was eventually eliminated by Jessica Rakoczy, the series drew her back to the USA from Japan, which eventually led to John ‘Big’ Wood‘s Syndicate MMA where she has undergone a tremendous career turnaround.
Image via Esther Lin.