New Zealand’s Michelle Montague eyes next fight after ranked UFC win
Michelle Montague.
Photo: Cooper Neill
New Zealand’s Michelle Montague has marked her UFC return with another unanimous decision win to improve her unbeaten record to 8-0 in the sport.
The ‘Wild One’ outmuscled and out-fought former bantamweight contender Mayra Bueno Silva to win (30-27, 29-29 and 29-28) on the judges’ scorecards.
Montague was making just her second UFC appearance since her debut last September.
Before the fight, Montague said she was still coming to terms with becoming the first New Zealand woman to sign with the UFC.
But on Sunday, she showed she belonged and immediately asserted herself in the first 30 seconds of the fight with a trademark takedown.
Her superior grappling and clinching paved the way for a comfortable decision-win for Montague.
While she was disappointed not to get the first-round finish she had predicted before the fight, she said there was plenty to take away from it.
That should include a number next to her name after beating the 12th-ranked Silva.
But Montague said it didn’t matter the rank or the next opponent; the answer will always be the same.
“The number will be my manager’s number calling me with a name and us saying yes no matter who it is,” she told media post-fight.
“They said I had to wait three weeks because I just fought, so I guess four weeks.”
Montague said she wasn’t interested in waiting around and the sooner she was back in the octagon, the better.
It doesn’t matter when, you’re in this for a good time, not a long time, she said.
“I’m on my entry contract, I’m not here to f*ck spiders, the more experience that I get, the better I’m going to get.”
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