LAS VEGAS – Macy Chiasson thought she had a bead on a path to title shot at 145 pounds.
But this week, she finds herself back at bantamweight after a two-fight stint at featherweight. The UFC’s women’s featherweight division, ruled by Amanda Nunes, isn’t blessed with a wealth of potential opponents – something Chiasson wishes would change.
“I think there are opportunities in both weight classes, and I’m waiting for people to realize that,” Chiasson said at Wednesday’s UFC 279 media day in Las Vegas. “There are a lot of girls who fight at ’35 who definitely could fight at’45. Why don’t we fight up and down? What’s the problem with that? … I think it’d be fun. What’s at stake? I just want to fight as much as I can, and ’35 was the best opportunity for me.”
That opportunity for Chiasson (8-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) this week comes against Irene Aldana (13-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in a bantamweight bout on the pay-per-view main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It’s a big fight on what is expected to be a highly watched event headlined by Nate Diaz vs. Khamzat Chimaev.
Chiasson said the fight against Aldana was a hard one to say no to, even though she was hoping to get on a roll at featherweight.
“Decisions like that are never easy because we were thinking about making a run at ’45, but it kind of went to a halt after my last fight in May,” Chiasson said. “We got the call for Irene and we were ecstatic. It wasn’t exactly set to where our goals were for this year, but it’s still toward the goal. It’s a great fight, and she’s a great opponent, and it’s a great opportunity. I’m excited.
“She’s got great boxing. She’s very elusive – great footwork. I feel like my last fight in May, I just feel like I’ve unlocked so many different levels in my game. It’s things that have always been there that I’ve been working on, (but) finally I just feel like I’m in a state where I’m not thinking about what I’m doing and I’m just doing it – just fighting. I can’t ask for anything else.”
In May, Chiasson, the Season 28 women’s featherweight winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” took a split decision from Norma Dumont. It was her first win at 145 pounds since she won “TUF 28.” She returned to the weight class in late 2021 after a 4-1 run at bantamweight, but was submitted by Raquel Pennington.
The highly touted Aldana, though, would be arguably the biggest name yet on her wins resume, which she hopes will lend some credence to her hope for a title shot – whichever weight class it comes in.
“We’re just going to have to figure out whether it’s ’35 or ’45 (where I get a title shot),” Chiasson said. “We’re in the same position (in either division). I got into this game because I want to fight, and sometimes you’ve got to make hard choices and decisions and that’s just the way it is. That’s the way life is.”
Check out Chiasson’s full media day interview in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 279.
Macy Chiasson wishes more women would go between UFC’s 135-, 145-pound divisions
