On Saturday night in Brooklyn, New York, on the main card of the UFC’s debut event on ESPN+, Rachael Ostovich sought to make a triumphant return to the cage opposite fan favorite flyweight contender Paige VanZant.

While Ostovich had a strong first round, things took a disappointing turn for her in the second, as she was caught in a Paige VanZant armbar and forced to tap out.

Post-fight, Rachael Ostovich admitted she was emotional about this loss, but assured she was just happy to have had the opportunity to fight after surviving a domestic violence incident late last year.

“I don’t want to cry on camera,” Ostovich said after the loss (via MMAjunkie). “You know, I’m grateful to be here. I’m grateful to be standing here, even though the outcome wasn’t what I wanted or expected out of myself. It sucks, losing sucks. But it’s life. And we learn a lot in this sport.”

“And that’s just how fights are sometimes,” Ostovich added later. “You can be winning the whole time and, in a scramble, it happens. That’s MMA for you.”

“It’s definitely been a whirlwind, this past couple of months. And I just keep taking it day by day. And that’s just what it is, today, just another day. It’s not a bad life, just a bad day.”

What do you think the future holds for Rachael Ostovich after UFC Brooklyn?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 1/21/2019.