Despite Diana Belbita`s recent struggles in the UFC, having lost five of her last seven fights, her upcoming opponent Dione Barbosa is not underestimating her. Barbosa is preparing for a difficult fight when they meet in Las Vegas this Saturday at UFC Vegas 105.
Barbosa is returning to the Octagon at UFC Vegas 105 after a loss to Miranda Maverick in July. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Barbosa stated she is taking Belbita very seriously, considering her a high-level competitor as she seeks to improve her UFC record to 2-1.
“If I have my way, her losing streak will continue,” Barbosa joked. “I’m excited about this matchup because she’s experienced and has fought strong opponents, including Molly McCann, who recently retired. She definitely has more experience than me, with 24 MMA fights compared to my 10. This is exactly the kind of fight I want – to face and challenge myself against seasoned fighters.”
Belbita has secured UFC victories against Hannah Goldy and Maria Oliveira. However, she has suffered losses in two matches against McCann, as well as against Karolina Kowalkiewicz, Gloria de Paula, and Liana Jojua.
Barbosa is not focusing on Belbita`s past results, knowing she herself is also in need of a win.
“I’m ready for a war,” Barbosa declared. “I’m not paying attention to her current situation. I’m also coming off a defeat, even though it was a short-notice fight. A loss is still a loss. I’m training as if this is for a title. My goal is really to knock her out, but I am primarily a grappler. If I see an opportunity to submit her, I will take it.”
Barbosa conducted her training camp at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas again, recognizing both advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, she is surrounded by top-tier athletes willing to share their expertise. On the other hand, it lacks privacy.
“But I’m fine with training alongside people I might fight in the future,” Barbosa explained. “Sometimes it can be a bit annoying, but it’s also a valuable opportunity. It`s more challenging for women to find training partners, especially other women, so we have to train with whoever is available – even if they are in the same weight class. I see it as positive. If we end up fighting each other later, that’s just how it is. It’s all good.”
For instance, after her successful UFC debut against Ernesta Kareckaite at UFC 301, Barbosa called out Ivana Petrovic. During this camp at the UFC PI, she encountered Petrovic several times. Barbosa says their interactions are friendly and wouldn`t prevent them from fighting each other in the future.
Barbosa was initially offered a fight on a recent UFC event in Mexico, but will now compete a week later at the UFC APEX. The Las Vegas resident was eager to fight after a break, but ultimately prefers not to travel to Mexico City due to the altitude.
“As soon as we were offered the Mexico fight, we began preparing for the high altitude,” Barbosa said. “Preparing for that requires more investment. We would have needed to go there three or four weeks in advance. I was disappointed when they moved the fight a week later because I was ready to compete, but at the same time, it was beneficial because this camp became less expensive.”
“The Witch” is aiming to stay active and wants to fight again soon after UFC Vegas 105, with potential opponents already in mind.
“I was originally supposed to fight Casey O’Neill, and we had a verbal agreement, but she got injured a week later,” Barbosa revealed. “She had knee surgery and is actually doing her rehab here [at the UFC PI], so we see each other occasionally. I want to fight her because she’s ranked, but it’s not possible right now. Since they updated the rankings and JJ Aldrich is now ranked, I’ll call her out. They were already considering giving me a ranked opponent, so why not?”
