Correia challenged Ronda Rousey for the 135 pound title in 2015, but has a record of 1-1 since that fight.
A split decision win over Jessica Eye recently gives hope to Bethe Correia that she can push herself into title contention again, sooner rather than later with a win over American Marion Reneau at UFC Fight Night 106. Correira recently told MMA Junkie:
“I think if I put on a good fight in Fortaleza, I’m well-positioned,”
“(Reneau) really asked to fight me, and I think she got into the biggest trouble of her life,” Correia said. “I’ll fight focused on me. I’m fighting focused on taking the ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus. She has good muay Thai, good ground, but I’m prepared to really knock her out, land heavy hands, and get the ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus.
“(The fans) can expect a knockout. That’s what they can expect on March 11, and for me to put on the best fight of my life.”
Correia’s only UFC title shot lasted less than 30 seconds, as Ronda Rousey knocked her out ferociously towards a 6t title defence, and the last win in the UFC. Rousey has since lost both of her fights since then in similarly painful fashion, and Correia has mixed feelings about her former opponent:
“I think Ronda has a weak mindset,” Correia said. “She’s vain, and when she lost to Holly, I thought she could even retire. She returned, and I think she didn’t return well. Her vanity got in the way a little bit, but I also didn’t think she’d lose the way that she did.
“But I felt her loss a little, because I saw myself there. It was very similar to mine. And I know that’s not all that she is, the same way I’m not what they saw against Ronda. It was a very tough moment of my life, and with her, I think it was probably similar.”
Correia is eyeing fellow-Brazilian Amanda Nunes, who currently sits atop the female bantamweight division:
“Amanda, I think she’s a great athlete,” Correia said. “But I don’t see her like an Anderson Silva (an ex-middleweight champ who still holds the UFC record with 10 consecutive title defenses), winning for years and years. Our division is very even, it has very tough girls, and there were girls who gave her a hard time. Cat Zingano gave her a beating.
“You see, Amanda is very good in the first round, but loses a lot of steam when it goes past the first. It’s hard for me to say that she’s the best because I feel I’m better than any girl in the bantamweight division. But I recognize she did a good job.”
Correia is certainly looking to make a big statement at UFC Fight Night 106 at Centro de Formação Olímpica do Nordeste in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil on March 11. If a win will be enough to catapult her into title contention just yet remains to be seen.
