LAS VEGAS – One month of notice was more than enough time for Luana Carolina to be prepared for her fight with Poliana Botelho at UFC on ESPN 23.
Carolina (6-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets Botelho (8-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) in a women’s flyweight matchup on Saturday’s main card, and although she didn’t have time for a full training camp, she said she’s ready to go.
“It was just like getting my mind ready for a fight,” Carolina told MMA Junkie through an interpreter at UFC on ESPN 23 media day. “Because I was already on a diet, I was already preparing to come back. I had a serious injury, and two weeks before the fight was offered to me, I told the UFC I was ready to go. I was ready to fight on short notice.”
Carolina suffered a serious injury in her kneebar submission loss to Ariane Lipski at UFC Fight Night 172 in July. She admits being “frustrated” during recovery but is back to full health and ready to get in a rhythm in her UFC career, starting with a win over Botelho.
“I want to fight at least twice this year,” Carolina said. “I’m very confident this year will be my year this year in the UFC.
UFC on ESPN 23 takes place at the UFC Apex. The entire card airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+.
Watch the video above for Carolina’s entire UFC on ESPN 23 media day interview.
UFC on ESPN 23’s Luana Carolina was frustrated by injuries during time off
