Joselyne Edwards is about to log two UFC bouts in just three weeks.
The women’s bantamweight follows up on her UFC debut this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 184 when she takes on Karol Rosa just a few weeks after making her UFC debut on Jan. 16 in Abu Dhabi.
Edwards (10-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made her debut on short notice at UFC on ABC 1, replacing an injured Bethe Correia in a bout against Wu Yanan. The 25-year-old defeated Yanan via unanimous decision, becoming the first fighter from Panama to win inside the octagon.
And now, just days removed from her debut, Edwards is gearing up to step back in the cage.
“Last Tuesday I got a call from Victor (Davila – Edwards’ head coach) and he told me, ‘Ali (Abdelaziz) is asking if you want to fight February 6,’ and I said yes,” Edwards told MMA Junkie in Spanish of the moment she recalled accepting the bout.
“I had just fought, and I didn’t even have to think about it. I said yes, and I was very excited. Victor said they were going to send him the name of the opponent and he was going to study her.”
That’s right, Edwards didn’t even know who she was fighting but still accepted to step back in the UFC cage with no problem. Days later, Edwards got curious and inquired about her opponent.
“I didn’t even ask for her name to look her up or anything. I just said yes,” Edwards said. “Later I did ask who she was because like two days had gone by, and I didn’t even know her name. I didn’t feel the need to ask her name because Victor said he was going to study her, and I basically do whatever he says, so I wasn’t worried.
“Victor has experience analyzing and being a commentator for UFC Español so he has more experience than me analyzing a fight, and I’m comfortable fighting anyone. … This is something I like. I have the blood for this, to go there and get in a war. So for me I don’t really complicate myself by thinking so many things like, ‘What if I lose. I have little time to prepare.’ I don’t think about any of that.”
Since accepting the fight, Edwards has checked out her opposition in Rosa (13-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC). She thinks Rosa is a good striker and expects a fun, back-and-forth fight to come her way. She already has a strategy planed out, but she’ll reserve those details until fight night.
Edwards admits a full camp is ideal, but she’s got no problem accepting short-notice opportunities.
“Ideally, if I get to do a full camp of 12 weeks. that would be great, but you get the opportunities for a reason and you have to take advantage of them,” Edwards explained. “For some reason they asked me. There are so many fighters at 135 pounds that they could’ve called, and they called me, and that’s an opportunity you have to take.”
Joselyne Edwards didn’t hesitate to accept short-notice bout days after UFC debut win
