LONDON – Julija Stoliarenko showed out in her flyweight debut.
Stoliarenko (11-7-1 MMA, 2-5 UFC) scored a quick upset submission of fan favorite Molly McCann (13-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) Saturday in the UFC Fight Night 224 co-main event at The O2.
Stoliarenko has struggled on the scale before, and has competed at bantamweight, catchweights and featherweight throughout her career. But after trying out 125 pounds, Stoliarenko said she felt physically great.
“I love myself at flyweight,” Stoliarenko told reporters at her UFC Fight Night 224 post-fight news conference. “I love it. I love how my body is moving at flyweight. That’s better for me for sure.”
Moving forward, Stoliarenko is going to make flyweight her permanent home.
“I’m not coming back to bantamweight or featherweight for sure,” Stoliarenko said. “Flyweight and only flyweight – that’s my home. That’s it. That’s my home.”
All 10 of Stoliarenko’s finishes have come by first-round armbar. Although it’s become her speciality, Stoliarenko says it’s not something she necessarily seeks – it just comes naturally to her when the opportunity presents itself.
“I don’t prepare that,” Stoliarenko said. “I’m not preparing for armbar. I never drill armbar anymore. We stopped drilling it when I was a blue belt. It just comes to me. It’s natural to me.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 224.
