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Dione Barbosa is the UFC Vegas 94 fighter to watch

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Dione Barbosa is the UFC Vegas 94 fighter to watch

As a dedicated MMA fan, I am thrilled about the upcoming UFC Vegas 94 event and the excitement surrounding the women’s strawweight headliner between Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba. However, my personal focus is on the flyweight prospect, Dione Barbosa. Her journey in mixed martial arts has been nothing short of inspiring, and I can’t help but root for her as she faces off against Miranda Maverick this weekend.

As a longtime MMA fan and follower of women’s combat sports, I am thrilled to witness the UFC’s return to the UFC APEX this coming Saturday for UFC Vegas 94. The excitement is doubly heightened because for the second time this year, women headline consecutive cards in the UFC.

In other fights, Jun-Yong Park and Brad Tavaas aim to bounce back from losses in their previous matches. Doo-Ho Choi, a favorite among fans, makes his comeback against Bill Algeo after over a year’s absence. The remainder of the card, similar to last week’s, may lack notable names but holds great promise for upcoming stars.

In the initial rounds, there’s a fascinating contender worth noting: Dione Barbosa, a flyweight fighter originally from Brazil, who trains contentedly at Kings MMA in California under renowned coach Rafael Cordeiro.

In simple terms, she went from being an unknown figure to a noteworthy MMA fighter. Her career took off with three initial victories, impressively defeating Karine Silva in a unanimous decision. However, after facing losses against Josiane Nunes in the UFC and Jena Bishop in Bellator/PFL, her progress was halted.

After securing back-to-back victories in the Legacy Fighting Alliance, including against Bellator veteran Jessica Middleton, Ronda’s standing as an up-and-coming fighter was restored. Subsequently, she encountered unusual circumstances that opened the door to the most significant opportunity of her career.

Corinne Laframboise was originally scheduled to face Rainn Guerrero during Season 7 of Dana White’s Contenders Series. However, just a few days before the fight, she discovered that she was pregnant. Typically, this would result in the bout being canceled. But Barbosa bravely stepped in at the last minute and enjoyed an exceptional performance instead.

I managed to secure a UFC contract in just under four minutes after taking down Guerrero’s arm in my debut fight. This was a significant achievement for me, as my next bout would be at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro – my first time competing in Brazil since suffering my initial loss. My opponent, Ernesta Kareckaite, was also making her UFC debut and had earned her place through the Contender Series. The fight was an intense back-and-forth battle, but ultimately I came out on top with a unanimous decision victory.

Dione Barbosa fights Miranda Maverick at UFC Vegas 94

Currently, circumstances have brought Miranda Maverick into another pivotal battle of her career. Originally, she was set to compete against Tracy Cortez at the weekend event: a routine encounter between ranked flyweights aiming to climb the ladder. However, Maycee Barber’s illness failed to improve, forcing her to cancel her scheduled main-event bout with Rose Namajunas the previous week.

When the original opponent for Cortez’s fight backed out, she courageously took his place and ultimately lost by unanimous decision. Unfortunately, this left Maverick without an opponent. However, Barbosa bravely filled in for the role.

Barbosa’s career faces its toughest challenge yet with this fight against Maverick. Known for her promising potential in MMA, Maverick has the capability to become a world champion. With previous battles against notable opponents like Barber and Erin Blanchfield under her belt, she is no stranger to intense fights.

Barbosa isn’t phased by any of that, though. She recognizes that Maverick is not perfect. Blanchfield dominated her during their encounter. Jasudavicius outsmarted and outmatched her. In Invicta, she experienced defeats at the hands of Walker-Sanchez and Bennett – two fighters with limited potential in the Octagon.

If I’m a fan of Barbosa, I’d say this: For Barbosa, this fight presents a golden opportunity with minimal risk and maximum reward. Should she emerge victorious, the doors to more prominent bouts will open up, significantly boosting her chances of reaching title contender level. A loss, however, doesn’t mean the end. She can regroup and come back stronger.

Alternatively stated, Maverick faces significant consequences from another loss. As the younger contender, she has felt pressure to excel and live up to high expectations. However, setbacks from unfortunate defeats have hindered her progress as a fighter, and losing to a perceived underdog could lead to the swift erosion of her potential and recognition in the fighting world.

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2024-07-17 16:13

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