UFC Fight Night 239: 'Stubborn' Cory McKenna ready to grapple against Jaqueline Amorim
- Published
Cory McKenna has lost only one fight since joining the UFC - against Elise Reed
Welsh strawweight Cory McKenna says "easy isn't my way" as she prepares to fight Brazil's Jaqueline Amorim.
The 24-year-old returns to the octagon on Saturday, at UFC Fight Night 239 in Las Vegas, for her first fight since December 2022.
McKenna's opponent Amorim has won five of her seven fights by submission, but 'Poppins' says she is happy to "play people at their strengths".
"I'm always up for a challenge," McKenna told BBC Sport Wales.
"I've been spending all morning looking through social media with everyone saying, 'Cory, promise us you're not going to grapple with her!'
"I'm smirking because I know that I'm one of those people who have a tendency to play people at their strengths because I'm stubborn.
"I had a conversation with one of my coaches the other day and they said, 'Look, you can beat these people at their strengths but you can make your life a lot easier'.
"Easy isn't my way of doing things apparently!"
McKenna is looking to make it four wins out of five in the UFC and improve on her 8-2 professional fighting record.
The Cwmbran fighter hit the headlines in August 2022 by becoming the first female in UFC history to earn a submission win with a Von Flue choke.
After proving her threat on the ground, McKenna then impressed on her feet with her striking last time out by beating Cheyanne Vlismas by unanimous decision.
McKenna was unable to immediately kick on from that win, as 2023 proved to be a year filled with health issues which kept her from fighting.
But now fully fit and healthy once more, McKenna is ready for the challenge posed by Amorim, and believes her ability to change tactics mid-fight will be her biggest advantage.
"I'm excited, it's been a long lay off so I'm very happy to be getting out there and I can't wait," said McKenna.
"This is the first time I've fought a very strict grappler, Jaqueline [Amorim] is very good at what she does.
"But I also love to grapple, I'm comfortable on my feet and comfortable on the ground.
"I think that is what gives me the advantage, if one thing isn't working I'm okay with mixing it up.
"She is a solid grappler so everyone is giving me grief saying, 'don't grapple with her,' but I can grapple too.
"Just because someone is good at something doesn't mean I'm automatically bad at it."
Listen to more on BBC Radio Wales Sport on Friday, 15 March from 19:00 GMT.