Written by LAS VEGAS – Amanda Lemos plans on cementing her spot as a top contender at UFC 313.
Lemos (14-4-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC) meets rising strawweight Iasmin Lucindo (17-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC) on Saturday’s main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+).
Lemos has lost two of her past three, while Lucindo is on a four-fight winning streak. However, the former title challenger assures that this won’t be a passing of the guard.
“I know she’s coming off a win. She’s an up-and-comer,” Lemos told reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC 313 media day. “The biggest thing here is that she wants my spot. I’m not going to give it to her.
“It’s good for us – it’s good for girls to have that kind of representation. We love to have fighters like that. As far as facing a Brazilian, I’m used to it all the time. I’m very ready to defend my spot and to face her.”
After getting submitted by Virna Jandiroba in her most recent outing at UFC on ESPN 60 this past July, Lemos said she lost to herself. She explained what she meant by that after taking some time off.
“I said that because I really had prepared well for that fight,” Lemos said. “I felt like that was a slip. I really wanted to work on the mistakes. I wanted to take some time off for myself as well. I was in a little cocoon for a second there to prepare better for this fight and to be ready for this one.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 313.