Australian UFC featherweight Megan Anderson says she won’t be fazed by the mammoth residence crowd when she steps into the octagon in Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium for UFC 243 this weekend.
Anderson, 29, takes on French UFC newcomer Zarah Fairn Dos Santos on the undercard of an occasion headlined by middleweight superstars Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya – and is aware of the battle might be make-or-break as she seeks to kick-start her profession in MMA’s largest promotion.
Gold Coast-born Anderson gave the impression to be a UFC superstar-in-the-making when she joined the promotion as a former Invicta Featherweight champion, though issues haven’t progressed fully to plan since then.
First, she was compelled to withdraw from her bow towards ladies’s icon Cris Cyborg at UFC 214 in 2017 for the vacant ladies’s featherweight title, citing private causes.
When Anderson did make her debut towards Holly Holm at UFC 225 in June 2018, it led to a one-sided determination defeat as her floor recreation was badly uncovered.
Victory over Cat Zingano adopted in a bout that led to weird style when Zingano suffered a lower to her eye from Anderson’s toenail, though Anderson slipped to a loss in her final outing when she was submitted by Felicia Spencer in Might.
That has left her with a 9-Four total file however precariously positioned at 1-2 within the UFC – and the 6ft Anderson is aware of that this weekend on residence soil can be the proper stage to present her the push she wants within the promotion.
“I’m very excited to simply sit down in the midst of the cage, chew down on my mouthguard and simply throw. I’ve wished a type of fights for a very long time,” Anderson instructed ESPN forward of the battle.
The cardboard will likely be headlined by the lads’s middleweight title battle between native favorites Robert Whittaker – born in New Zealand however preventing out of Australia – and Nigerian-born Kiwi putting sensation Israel Adesanya.
The group on the Marvel Stadium might break the all-time UFC file of 56,214, set on the similar venue again in 2015 for UFC 193 – and Anderson is relishing the prospect or preventing at residence for the primary time in 5 years.
“It’s going to be the most important battle in Australian and New Zealand [MMA] historical past…I’m glad I can take part on this second, and signify ladies on this sport,” Anderson mentioned.
“I’m making an attempt to not get too emotional as a result of it’s a extremely huge deal for me, it’s at all times been considered one of my targets to battle in Australia within the UFC.”
Whereas Anderson is aiming to construct up her UFC file, she already has a social media following that might be the envy of many fighters within the sport.
The Aussie retains her followers up to date with coaching movies, however forward of her battle towards Dos Santos she additionally took the step into lingerie modelling, revealing that it had been a nerve-racking expertise for her.
“I used to be just a little nervous, however I’m so glad (photographer Bo Flores) pushed me out of my consolation zone,” wrote the heavily-tattooed fighter when sharing the photographs again in August.
“Yah, I may be half bare however who the f*ck cares, I do what I would like.
“I’m pleased with my physique and what its able to. I really like that I’ve art work inked on my pores and skin symbolising who I’m and what I imagine in.
“Be assured in no matter you do and be variety to your self.”
She will likely be placing her physique on the road towards 32-year-old Dos Santos on Saturday – a fighter who has a 6-2 file, however who will likely be taking her first octagon steps.
Anderson highlighted the Frenchwoman’s jab as a possible menace, however instructed ESPN that we’d see an upgraded model of herself come Sunday in Melbourne.
“This sport could be very result-driven, however this camp was about doing what’s finest for me as an athlete,” Anderson mentioned.
“We modified a whole lot of issues, we modified my vitamin, we modified my power and conditioning, and I feel we lastly discovered a system that works so good for me.
“I’ve seen wonderful ends in my confidence, my psychological recreation, my MMA recreation within the final 13 weeks and I’m so excited to showcase that.”
And regardless of the added expectations that may come from preventing at such an enormous occasion on residence territory, Anderson mentioned she is going to tune out the background noise as she makes her option to the octagon.
“It’s enterprise, it’s all enterprise. I do know I’m one and two within the UFC. I’m simply right here to work, put my head down and throw leather-based,” she mentioned.
If Anderson does that efficiently, Sunday in Melbourne would possibly simply be the laucnhpad for a recent assault on the UFC ladies’s featherweight ranks.