Cortney Casey-Sanchez said she had no hesitation in stepping up at two weeks’ notice to face Joanne Calderwood on Saturday at UFC Fight Night Glasgow.
Casey-Sanchez joined the UFC at the drop of a hat after Bec Rawlings pulled out of her battle with “JoJo” due to injury.
“When the UFC comes you have to take it,” said the American. “These kind of moments don’t come very often so you have to take it. At first I thought was a bit short notice but it’s like, it’s the UFC, so I took it.
“It’s great that Dana and the UFC are putting on women’s fights nowadays and proving that we can be main events and that we can be co-main events.”
A brawler with deceptively slick jiu-jitsu, Casey-Sanchez made her name on the amateur stage with two wins over Rachael Cummins in Tuff-N-Uff.
“Amateur MMA is a learning experience. Everyone thinks they can fight but once you step into the cage it’s a whole different story. We make sure all the fighters at our gym have a solid amateur background because it’s important to do that to figure out your game.
“Going pro is a big jump because of three five-minute rounds, but Tuff-N-Uff bring in very good fighters; they have a good atmosphere and it’s a very professional show.
By Alistair Hendrie
