LAS VEGAS – Irina Alekseeva beat Stephanie Egger with a first-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 223 in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Alekseeva, the judo specialist nicknamed the “Russian Ronda” as comparison to Ronda Rousey.
Irina Alekseeva vs. Stephanie Egger
Updated records: Alekseeva (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Egger (8-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC)
Key stat: Alekseeva’s submission was just the fourth kneebar finish in UFC women’s history.
Alekseeva on the fight's key moment
“I feel great, and even though I did not make the weight – I want to apologize for that, of course. But the thing was much more important for me to keep the fight. This was something that me and my team decided together. If I were to make the weight, most likely I would be so depleted that there was zero chance that I would be able to fight and I would have to cancel the fight – and then let down both the UFC and my opponent. So it was more important for me to maybe come in a little overweight, but at the same time, make sure that the fight happens.”
Alekseeva on the weight miss aftermath
“Even after yesterday, after the weight cut was done, after we weighed in, whatever the recovering things that the UFC gave me, I had an allergic reaction to it. I was sick. I kept throwing up. My face turned completely red. I didn’t know what was happening, and I went back to the (UFC Performance Institute) and they were monitoring me, making sure that I was fine all the way through the late evening … Only today, earlier in the morning, I started feeling like myself again. And that’s why I’m happy that the fight happened, even though there was a weight miss.”
Alekseeva on what she wants next
“I know that further on, I’m going to have the opponents that are just going to get tougher and tougher. But I’m not just a pushover, myself. I am supposed to be here, and I’m going to train even harder. I’m going to work even harder, more intense. … The best name I can call out is any time, any place. (I’d like to fight) possibly in October in Abu Dhabi because at the end of July, my visa expires. So maybe we can do Abu Dhabi in October. But honestly, maybe, maybe even before then, maybe in June sometime – although, you know what? My birthday’s at the end of June, so I kind of want to enjoy that. We’ll see. If my present’s ready, I’ll be here.”
To hear more from Alekseeva, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 223.
