Alexia Thainara and Rose Conceicao have been coaching companions and roommates not that way back. Now, they battle one another for a UFC contract at Dana White’s Contender Collection.
The strawweight prospects beforehand shared a spot in Varginha, Brazil, coaching alongside UFC star Amanda Ribas on the native gymnasium. They even fought on the identical card that yr, with Thainara dismantling her opponent in simply eight seconds to maneuver to 6-1 as knowledgeable, and Conceicao bettering to 5-0 with a second-round submission.
Conceicao left the staff months after that, ultimately shifting to Pitbull Brothers’ staff in Natal, and future brings them nose to nose at Tuesday evening’s DWCS card in Las Vegas after their unique 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 Combating. “To assume we all know one another as a result of we educated collectively could possibly be a entice, as a result of it will depend on the mindset of every athlete. They may assume they know my recreation, and find yourself stunned by a totally 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 advised MMA Combating they’d no contact since Conceicao left Ribas Household to affix one other camp, and “rather a lot has modified” since their coaching classes again in 2022.
“It’s utterly completely different,” Thainara mentioned. “We at all times have new data that makes an enormous distinction, however there are at all times some triggers. Rather a lot has modified since then. My combating fashion is totally completely different, and I’m positive it’s going to be a conflict. She’s not right here anymore, and we’re each chasing our desires. There can solely be one champion and there’s no second place. She left, I stayed, and we’re each after our desires. so let’s brawl in there.”
“We had a nice time residing collectively however after that, each adopted their very own path,” Conceicao mentioned. “I don’t have a look at folks as potential opponents, it’s all pure. I at all times say we present within the battle who we’re exterior of it. I respect her as I might respect every other particular person, however there was no friendship. However we all know how aggressive the world will be, proper? There could possibly be a friendship, however when we’ve got to defend what’s ours, all of it modifications. I’m cool about it. I’m centered on these round me, spending my time with my household and mates as a substitute of worrying about that.”
Thainara believes Conceicao’s hanging has modified a little bit bit over the previous few years “however nothing that scares me.” Alternatively, Conceicao mentioned she hasn’t watched any of Thainara’s latest fights, and plans on displaying the division she has the hanging and grappling to go to conflict towards the most effective.
“I see this battle 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 onerous for each eventualities,” Conceicao mentioned. “We’ve a gameplan however once we’re speaking about [DWCS], we’re speaking about profitable impressively. Possibly a boring technique doesn’t persuade [White], and I believe that makes this battle simpler since you’re there to be signed on your expertise.”
Thainara mentioned her gameplan to win Tuesday evening — and be supplied a deal the CEO of the UFC — is to “brawl and be versatile”.
“The present begins from the weigh-ins, along with your fashion, your look, your hair, and your pleasure to battle,” Thainara mentioned. “Once you don’t do what you’re keen on with pleasure, you received’t placed on a present even in the event you’re the world’s greatest. There may be strain each time you’re combating, since you’re not combating a dummy, however an individual who labored onerous to be there. Issues go proper while you’re well-trained and centered on the purpose.”
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 this planet” within the UFC.
“I don’t wanna simply get within the UFC to be a part of it after which go away, I need to make a run there,” Conceicao mentioned. “I need to get in and keep there for good. Being within the UFC will change my life utterly — and rapidly. And I don’t say financially, or due to the eye and issues like that, I imply onerous work. I’ll should focus extra, change my habits, and utterly re-shape my whole life so I can go there and make historical past as a result of it’s the world’s greatest occasion with the world’s greatest athletes.”
