Brazilian flyweight Dione Barbosa, who recently moved to Las Vegas to better focus on her UFC career, will make her second octagon appearance at UFC Vegas 94 against Miranda Maverick after replacing Tracy Cortez.
Brazilian flyweight Dione Barbosa is set for her second octagon appearance this Saturday at UFC Vegas 94. Less than three months ago, she secured a decision win over Ernesta Kareckaite. Now, she’s stepping in for Tracy Cortez to face Miranda Maverick, a fight that could be life-changing.
Barbosa previously lived in California and trained with Rafael Cordeiro at Kings MMA. However, she moved to Las Vegas in June to be closer to UFC headquarters and save money.
“Living in California is expensive,” Barbosa told MMA Fighting. “I worked a lot there. Besides the structure that Vegas offers you, I’ll have to work less and not teach that many classes.”
She elaborated on the challenges of balancing teaching and fighting. “I like to teach, but a fighter only makes money when she’s fighting,” she said. Teaching 20 classes a week left her exhausted.
Since moving to Las Vegas, Barbosa has been able to rest more despite being in camp. This shift has allowed her to focus more on training rather than teaching martial arts classes for extra income.
“There’s no money coming in after a fight, so I had to teach,” Barbosa explained. She stopped teaching two months before the Rio fight to concentrate on training.
Financial pressures were significant while living in California. “The money I made was enough to pay rent and my car,” she said. But it disappeared quickly post-fight.
Barbosa faced tough decisions regarding her career’s future. “I loved living in California and training at Kings MMA,” she admitted, but the numbers didn’t add up for long-term sustainability.
“I’m not 18 anymore,” Barbosa reflected on the physical toll of her career choices. She had to weigh all factors before deciding to leave California.
Despite being heartbroken about leaving, her main goal remains clear: becoming a full-time fighter. Moving was essential for this dream.
Barbosa took the UFC Vegas 94 fight just days after relocating. Her short camp was conducted at the UFC Performance Institute with coach Matheus Naccache and usual trainers.
Regarding Maverick, Barbosa stated confidently: “She’s an experienced athlete with a big name, but I’m here to fight.” Maverick’s record stands at 6-3 with notable wins.
“She’s fought tough athletes but never a specialist like myself,” Barbosa noted confidently about their upcoming match-up.
“I see myself winning this fight even though many people don’t believe in me,” she asserted passionately. “I loved this matchup.”
“I don’t care where this fight goes; I think I’m better than her,” concluded Barbosa with determination.