Mariya Agapova is incredibly happy with her performance at UFC on ESPN 10, but it’s not impacting her intended path.
Yes, the first-round drubbing of Hannah Cifers announced her arrival on the women’s flyweight scene, but Agapova insists it was nothing more than a first step.
“It was cool, I think,” Agapova told MMA Junkie. “I had fun. It was exactly what I had hoped for that night.”
It also earned the Kazakhstan native an extra $50,000 for a “Performance of the Night” bonus at this past weekend’s event in Las Vegas, and she intends to put the additional funds to good use.
“I’m just fixing my life, fixing my health,” Agapova said. “Get a car, get a normal life, what I deserve.”
Agapova’s first brush with the UFC came in a July 2019 loss to Tracy Cortez at a Dana White’s Contender Series event. She lost a decision that night in what remains the only setback of her professional career to date. But afterward, she stayed at American Top Team in Florida and earned a pair of first-round wins under the Invicta banner that earned her a call to the UFC.
“Of course I was focused on my work,” Agapova said. “All that I did all year was work – get better and work.
“First thing I changed was my mind. Then I changed my diet. I changed my training. Everything I do is professional. Now I’m doing everything like a professional with everything I do.”
The work paid off, and Agapova looked flawless in her win over Cifers. She admits she got the dreaded octagon jitters but was able to quickly get them under control.
“Of course I was nervous, and my coach came and calmed me down because I was too nervous,” Agapova said. “He told me it’s just a fight. It’s just one more fight.”
Agapova said she’s enjoying her new life in the U.S. The training is top-notch, of course, but it may be the weather she values the most. Her homeland didn’t enjoy quite the same amount of sunshine as Southern Florida.
“I enjoy the wether,” Agapova said. “Finally my fingers don’t feel cold and my body doesn’t feel cold because I’m from a very cold place. If it’s possible, I don’t want to feel cold anymore in my life. I hope I stay here and don’t go any more cold places.”
Agapova said she’s happy to have made an immediate impact in her UFC debut, but she’s not in a rush to the top of the division. At just 23 years old, she knows there’s time to develop, and she believes the ultimate prize will still be there when the time is right.
“I think I can take some time,” Agapova said. “I don’t need to hurry up. If it’s mine, it won’t run away from me.”
