Miranda Maverick expressed frustration at Priscila Cachoeira‘s alleged disregard for rules during their UFC 291 bout, claiming that she used inappropriate defensive strategies, including potential foul play such as grabbing the fence and nearly pulling down Maverick’s top.
Priscila Cachoeira is no stranger to controversy in the octagon, a notion to which Miranda Maverick can now passionately attest to. This came after a spirited duel between the two at the UFC 291 opener in Salt Lake City saw Maverick submit Cachoeira in the third round. The fight was marked by multiple instances of Cachoeira appearing to bend the rules, including grabbing the fence and nearly pulling down Maverick’s top. Maverick later commented on these strategic defensive maneuvers by her opponent following her victory backstage.
Maverick, in an interview, expressed her take on Cachoeira’s aggressive tactics during the fight. “At some point, you have to say it’s [time to take] a point,” Maverick said. “She stuck her fingers up straight the entire fight pretty much, and there was no chance she was just trying to push me off of her, there were no flat hands. Despite briefing the referee before the fight, her misgivings rang true. Notwithstanding the referee’s commendable effort, Maverick conceded that the incidence was part of the hazards of fighting and heightened her anger each round.
The 26-year-old Maverick stepped in to confront Cachoeira on relatively short notice, replacing Joanne Wood. This was after a loss in a decision to Jasmine Jasudavicius slightly over a month prior at UFC 289 and suffering three losses in her last five appearances inside the octagon. Despite feeling confident about the matchup, Maverick was also wary of Cachoeira’s reputation.
Knowing of Cachoeira’s exploits as a formidable striker with good hands and a reputation for domineering presence in the cage, Maverick entered the fight cautionary. “I went in there cautious knowing she’s had times that were questionable in her fights — protect my eyes, protect everything, her hands got stuck where they shouldn’t have multiple times, which was frustrating,” Maverick said. Yet, determinedly, she endeavored to steadily weaken her opponent thus eliminating any potential threats before attempting for a submission.