Claudia Gadelha was 12-0 when she met Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2014, falling via split decision.
The Brazilian rebounded with a decision win over Jessica Aguilar in 2015, earning herself a rematch with the UFC strawweight champion. Gadelha dropped that contest and will once again try to work her way back up the ladder starting Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 100 vs. Cortney Casey.
Prior to the fight, Gadelha moved to Jackson-Wink MMA in New Mexico for her training.
“I transformed myself into a new athlete, much more focused on what I need to do,” she said. “The time I spent in the United States taught me the right way to train and I feel very good about my body and my health.”
Gadelha knows she is the favorite and expected to do big things in front of her country, but the 27-year-old is not taking Casey for granted.
“Cortney is a very big and strong girl for the division and I believe that she will use that as an advantage over me,” Gadelha said. “I can’t stop in front of her, I have to impose my game and that is what is going to happen. I can guarantee that it will be an MMA fight, everything will happen.”