Miranda Maverick knows who she wants next.
She didn’t get her moment to speak to reporters post-fight following her UFC Fight Night 203 win over Sabina Mazo, and Maverick (10-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) thinks that’s a shame. There was a lot to talk about, but an eye injury required her to head straight to the hospital for medical examination.
Inching her way back to full recovery, Maverick reflects on her second-round submission of Mazo proudly, as she ponders her next move.
“It was definitely an exciting win for me,” Maverick told MMA Junkie on Friday. “You could see the submission came out. I tried to work on some new stuff and some new striking things that we were doing. Game-planning with my coaches was great even though it was a short-notice fight. That was really important to me, too – being able to work with those coaches and go out there and show everything that they put in me, then come back to the drawing board afterward. I win a fight and it’s not like, ‘OK, I won. I don’t need to work on that area anymore.’ We come back, analyze that fight, and criticize that fight every single detail that we can.”
In recent weeks since her fight, which took place at the lowly-populated UFC Apex, two UFC Fight Night events have taken place in front of audiences – the first time in two years. March 19 in London, a member of the women’s flyweight division once again caught Maverick’s eye. When Molly McCann (12-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) scored a massive spinning knockout against Luana Carolina. The finish went viral and elevated McCann’s popularity to new heights.
Maverick thinks now is as good of a time as ever for the UFC to pair them up.
“Especially after a big win,” Maverick said. “I called her out prior. I literally messaged her and asked her if she wanted to throw down and she was all for it and then she got hurt a while back. Now, she had this fight booked and I had mine booked. I should message her again, but I really want the Molly McCann fight. She’s coming off all this hype. I think our fight would be a good one to watch for fans. We both have similar styles. We both are short, stocky, and can get into a firefight if we want to. We’ll have good brawls as well.
“I think that’s a really good matchup for both of us. So if she’s listening, let’s get in there. Let’s do this. I’d love to have it around June, even early July would be OK. I’m going to be back and in full training, ready to go by mid-May.”
If not McCann, Maverick likes the idea of taking on perennial top contender Joanne Wood (15-8 MMA, 7-8 UFC), who on March 26 was defeated by Alexa Grasso at UFC on ESPN 33. What might seem like a large jump up the rankings to some isn’t unwarranted, explained Maverick.
“I feel like I’ve been what is called, ‘a company girl,’” Maverick said. “They come to me with a name and I say, ‘Yes.’ There’s never been a time I’ve turned down a fight that just wasn’t my own teammate. That’s happened a couple times as well, but I take fights on short notice. I took the Erin Blanchfield one on short notice. I took the Sabina Mazo one on short notice. I’d like a fight that I want for once. I’d like to go in there and show my skill set against somebody who I’d like to. Those names right now are Molly McCann and Joanne (Wood) I’d like the most.”