Miranda Maverick is coming for another big win inside the Octagon and a top 10 ranking at UFC Atlanta next month.
Maverick has been on a hot streak as of late, winning four straight fights and six of her last seven. But she’ll face her toughest test to date when she meets former strawweight queen ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas on June 14 in ATL.
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Speaking with James Lynch in a MiddleEasy exclusive interview, Maverick was hesitant to give up any details about her game plan, but did offer some insight into how she sees things playing out in her scrap with the two-time titleholder.
“I’m not gonna give away too many of the details, but we know each other very well,” Maverick said. “We both know what we’re going to play with. We both know the defenses for certain things, so it’s gonna be one of those exciting [fights] where we’re both trying to counter each other’s counters, sort of speak.
“I’ve been focusing on some key items that we know will work, and some things that we know don’t work against her that I need to fix. We’re trying to do that, and I’m sure she’s in her corner trying to do the same thing.”
As for who comes out on top, Maverick expects this one to go to the scorecards, unless she can catch Namajunas late.
“I don’t see it as being a finish in the first or second round,” she added. “If I do, it’s because she’s been worn down in the third round, but I can see this going to a decision pretty easily, but she’s tough. She’s not a girl who just taps under pressure, and she’s not a girl who just gives up.”
Currently, Maverick is working her way up the flyweight rankings, holding down the No. 12 spot. But with a win over Namajunas—the division’s sixth-ranked contender—Maverick hopes that she’ll find herself somewhere in the middle of the top 10 and only a couple of fights away from her first crack at 125-pound gold.
“I’m hoping up there in the mid-range of the top 10,” Maverick said. ‘That No. 8 level, or something like that, and just a couple more fights before title contention.”
Miranda Maverick Thinks Zhang Weili Comes Up Short in Her Bid for Champ-Champ Status
Of course, Maverick and the rest of the flyweight division will have to wait patiently in line as current UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili appears primed to move up and challenge flyweight titleholder Valentina Shevchenko later this year.
Asked about Zhang’s chances of adding a second belt to her collection, Maverick believes ‘Magnum’ could make waves in the flyweight division, but she’ll come up short against Shevchenko.
“[Zhang] can move up, but I still think Valentina is going to retain the title,” Maverick said. “I honestly thought Manon [Fiorot] had a strong shot at taking it from her so I’m looking forward to watching that, but I don’t think that Zhang is going to take the title, but if she wanted to stay in the flyweight division, she could be up there in the top five.”
Check out the full exclusive interview below:
