Sijara Eubanks believes she's better than record indicates, predicts knockout vs. Bethe Correia
Sijara Eubanks' time in the UFC has been rocky, but she's not discouraged.
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MEXICO CITY – Sijara Eubanks didn’t get the result she was looking for when she moved back up to bantamweight, but she was happy with her performance.
She lost a unanimous decision to Aspen Ladd at UFC on ESPN+ 10 in a “Fight of the Night” effort. With a record of just 4-3 – or 5-3 as Eubanks says it should be – she believes she’s a lot better than her record shows.
“My record I don’t think really reflects my skillset and how good I am,” Eubanks told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I realized after the Aspen fight that I just got to keep fighting – and winning. It is what it is. I’m brand new to the division, it’s only my second fight at (135 pounds), and I’m not in a rush.”
Her fight with Ladd was a back-and-forth war, with grueling grappling exchanges and heavy shots landed on the feet. But despite the loss, Eubanks was content with her efforts and her ability to showcase her skills.
“Losing sucks, but I feel like the performance I put out in Rochester was one of the best performances of my career,” Eubanks said. “I’ve looked, and I don’t think there was a female fight that good. We got ‘Fight of the Night’ that night for a reason, and I just think striking wise it’s the best I’ve felt in a fight. It’s the best I’ve looked in a fight. Even though I didn’t get what I wanted out of it, I felt good. It wasn’t that bad of a stinger as I think another loss would have been. ”
Eubanks takes on Bethe Correia on Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 17. She traveled to Mexico City extra early to get accustomed to the altitude.
And she believes she’ll beat Correia wherever the fight goes.
“Of course I match up well with Bethe Correira,” Eubanks said. “I think I have more tools to bring to the table. I think I have better cardio. Bethe is tough; I’ve watched the film. But again, I think I’m a sleeper.
“Obviously right now I’m trying to get some W’s, and I think Bethe is going to line up real nicely for what we have planned on Saturday night.”
Eubanks is eager to knock somebody out, as she gets the feeling that she’ll add another finish to her resume.
“Oh, we’re going to get a knockout, man,” Eubanks said. “It’s about time we put somebody out. I’ve had a lot of decisions. I’m sick of these three rounds. My goal is to finish Bethe Correia on Saturday night.”