LAS VEGAS —Victoria Leonardo upset the highly touted Chelsea Hackett, but the result came as no surprise to her.
After weathering an early storm, Leonardo (8-2) rallied to stop Hackett in the second round at Dana White’s Contender Series 36 at the UFC Apex, as she earned a UFC contract.
But Leonardo, an Invicta FC alum who twice fought UFC flyweight Miranda Maverick, is confident that she has the experience to compete against the division’s best.
“I feel like I’m a contender, but I’m willing to prove whatever I have to prove,” Leonardo told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at the post-fight press conference. “Whatever the UFC wants to put in front of me, whoever, I’m ready to fight them. I’ve never had a bum, if you go back and look at my record, I’ve had no bums.
“I’ve fought for Invicta, I’ve had two ‘Fight of the Nights,’ one ‘Performance of the Night,’ I’ve had some tough girls. I’ve had some undefeated girls, this is not my first undefeated girl that I’ve gotten in the cage with and stole an 0 from, so I’m ready to keep proving – I’m always the underdog, and I keep proving people wrong, and I’m glad to do it.”
Following DWCS 36 win, Victoria Leonardo says she’s ready for the UFC’s best at 125 pounds
