Alexia Thainara and Rose Conceicao had been coaching companions and roommates not that way back. Now, they struggle one another for a UFC contract at Dana White’s Contender Sequence.
The strawweight prospects beforehand shared a spot in Varginha, Brazil, coaching alongside UFC star Amanda Ribas on the native fitness center. They even fought on the identical card that 12 months, with Thainara dismantling her opponent in simply eight seconds to maneuver to 6-1 as knowledgeable, and Conceicao enhancing to 5-0 with a second-round submission.
Conceicao left the group months after that, ultimately transferring to Pitbull Brothers’ group in Natal, and future brings them nose to nose at Tuesday evening’s DWCS card in Las Vegas after their authentic opponents Alice Ardelean and Fatima Kline signed straight offers with the UFC as replacements.
“We spent three months coaching collectively,” Conceicao mentioned in an interview with MMA Preventing. “To assume we all know one another as a result of we educated collectively might be a lure, as a result of it is determined by the mindset of every athlete. They may assume they know my recreation, and find yourself stunned by a very new recreation, so I attempted to not fear about it. Ultimately, I don’t assume the truth that we lived collectively and know one another makes any distinction.”
Thainara informed MMA Preventing that they had no contact since Conceicao left Ribas Household to hitch one other camp, and “lots has modified” since their coaching classes again in 2022.
“It’s fully totally different,” Thainara mentioned. “We at all times have new data that makes a giant distinction, however there are at all times some triggers. So much has modified since then. My preventing type is totally totally different, and I’m positive it’s going to be a battle. She’s not right here anymore, and we’re each chasing our goals. There can solely be one champion and there’s no second place. She left, I stayed, and we’re each after our goals. so let’s brawl in there.”
“We had a pleasing time dwelling collectively however after that, each adopted their very own path,” Conceicao mentioned. “I don’t have a look at individuals as attainable opponents, it’s all pure. I at all times say we present within the struggle who we’re exterior of it. I respect her as I’d respect every other individual, however there was no friendship. However we all know how aggressive the world might be, proper? There might be a friendship, however when now we have to defend what’s ours, all of it modifications. I’m cool about it. I’m targeted on these round me, spending my time with my household and associates as an alternative of worrying about that.”
Thainara believes Conceicao’s hanging has modified a bit bit over the previous few years “however nothing that scares me.” Then again, Conceicao mentioned she hasn’t watched any of Thainara’s latest fights, and plans on exhibiting the division she has the hanging and grappling to go to battle towards one of the best.
“I see this struggle ending by knockout or additionally by submission, and never due to holes I’ve seen in her recreation, however as a result of I’ve educated laborious for each situations,” Conceicao mentioned. “We’ve got a gameplan however after we’re speaking about [DWCS], we’re speaking about successful impressively. Possibly a boring technique doesn’t persuade [White], and I feel that makes this struggle simpler since you’re there to be signed to your expertise.”
Thainara mentioned her gameplan to win Tuesday evening — and be provided a deal the CEO of the UFC — is to “brawl and be versatile”.
“The present begins from the weigh-ins, along with your type, your look, your hair, and your pleasure to struggle,” Thainara mentioned. “If you don’t do what you like with pleasure, you gained’t placed on a present even should you’re the world’s greatest. There may be stress each time you’re preventing, since you’re not preventing a dummy, however an individual who labored laborious to be there. Issues go proper while you’re well-trained and targeted on the aim.”
Conceicao, a former LFA interim strawweight champion who’s unbeaten in seven skilled bouts, mentioned this match “will put me among the many greatest on the planet” within the UFC.
“I don’t wanna simply get within the UFC to be a part of it after which depart, I wish to make a run there,” Conceicao mentioned. “I wish to get in and keep there for good. Being within the UFC will change my life fully — and rapidly. And I don’t say financially, or due to the eye and issues like that, I imply laborious work. I’ll must focus extra, change my habits, and fully re-shape my total life so I can go there and make historical past as a result of it’s the world’s largest occasion with the world’s greatest athletes.”
