Felicia Spencer has a ton of confidence heading into the biggest fight of her career.
In the co-main event of UFC 240, “Feenom” is taking on Cris Cyborg in just her second UFC fight, which is a surreal thing for the Canadian.
“It is kind of mind-blowing. I don’t know if it has hit me yet, but I’m just taking everything in stride and appreciating the moment,” Spencer told BJPENN.com. “I know I am in a unique position but really happy I feel myself and excited to put on a performance.”
Although not many people are lining up to fight Cyborg, Spencer had asked for this fight. She knows the former champion is beatable and a win over the Brazilian shows she is the top contender at featherweight.
“I know I can win. She is the top of my division, and I want the featherweight division to be my division. This is the quickest way to make it mine,” she explained. “Coming into the UFC, there was a potential of this happening quickly, it was always a possibility. I was hoping to fight her before she is gone, especially with this being her last UFC fight. Who knows if I will ever have the opportunity to take out a legend.”
Even though Cyborg has only lost twice in her career, Spencer knows she has the skillset to make it three times. On the ground, the 28-year-old is a jiu-jitsu specialist and has seen holes in the Brazilian’s ground game. Whether or not she can exploit that is to be seen, but she is confident she can.
“I think it is mostly she has fought a lot of strikers. I’m known to being a ground fighter. She has had her back taken, and those kinds of positions I can capitalize on her,” Spencer said. “Not many people can get out when I get ahold of their back. I know she is beatable for years and the world figured it out in December with Amanda Nunes. Everyone is beatable.”
Felicia Spencer: ‘She won’t be able to manhandle me’
She also knows her size will be trouble for Cyborg. The former champion fought a lot of bantamweights moving up so the Brazilian had the size and strength advantage. Yet, against Spencer, that will not be the case.
With no size advantage for Cyborg and Felicia Spencer knowing her skillset she is confident that she will not only beat the former champion but finish her in the first round.
“I think I just grind really well in my fights and capitalize on the smallest of errors and make things chaotic when I need to,” she said. “She has fought talented fighters, but most of them aren’t true featherweights, so my size and strength match up with her. She won’t be able to manhandle me as she did to others.
“So, I see a first-round finish. The way I enter the cage is to get out as quickly as I can. But, not forcing anything or rushing anything. I don’t see why I can’t finish her in the first,” Spencer added. “If it goes all three I’m prepared to win every round and take her out. I’m prepared for everything and anything.”
If she does go out there and beat Cris Cyborg in the first round, Felicia Spencer believes her next fight would be against Amanda Nunes for the title.
“I would imagine beating Cyborg gets me a shot at the title,” Spencer concluded.
Do you think Felicia Spencer will be able to finish Cris Cyborg in the first round?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 7/24/2019.