Despite Diana Belbita`s recent struggles in the UFC, losing five of her last seven fights, Dione Barbosa is preparing for a serious challenge when they meet in Las Vegas this Saturday at UFC Vegas 105.
Barbosa, returning to the Octagon after a loss to Miranda Maverick in July, told MMA Fighting that she is approaching Belbita as a high-level opponent. Barbosa aims to improve her UFC record in this upcoming fight.
“If I have my way, her losing streak will continue,” Barbosa said jokingly. “I like this matchup because she is experienced and has fought very tough fighters. She has significantly more experience in MMA than I do. This is exactly the kind of fight I want to test myself against experienced fighters.”
Belbita has secured UFC victories against Hannah Goldy and Maria Oliveira, but has also faced defeats against opponents like Molly McCann and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Barbosa is not focusing on Belbita`s past losses, knowing she herself is also looking for a win.
“I`m going in there for a war,” Barbosa stated. “I`m not paying attention to her current situation. I am also coming off a loss. I am training as if this were a title fight. My goal is a knockout, but I am a grappler. If I see an opportunity for a submission, I will take it.”
Barbosa conducted her training camp at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, noting both advantages and disadvantages. She values the high-caliber training environment but acknowledges the lack of privacy.
“Training with potential future opponents can be a bit annoying, but it`s also a great opportunity,” Barbosa explained. “It`s harder for women to find training partners, 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, so be it.”
For instance, after her UFC debut win against Ernesta Kareckaite, Barbosa called out Ivana Petrovic and subsequently trained with her at the UFC PI. Barbosa says their interactions are friendly and would not prevent them from fighting in the future.
Barbosa was initially offered a fight in Mexico City but will now compete in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas resident prefers fighting closer to home, avoiding the challenges of competing at high altitude in Mexico City.
“When we first heard about the Mexico fight, we started preparing for the altitude,” Barbosa said. “Preparing for that requires extra expense and time. I was initially disappointed when the fight was moved a week later, but it`s ultimately better because it reduces the financial investment for this training camp.”
“The Witch,” Barbosa, wants to remain active after UFC Vegas 105 and already has potential opponents in mind.
“I was originally scheduled to fight Casey O’Neill, we verbally agreed, but she unfortunately got injured,” Barbosa mentioned. “I’m interested in fighting ranked opponents, and since JJ Aldrich is now ranked, I would like to call her out. I was already aiming for a ranked opponent for my next fight.”
