“I believe it’s time now to show that I have a full MMA game.”
Diana Avsaragova has been hindered thus far in her blossoming five-fight mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
The 24-year-old Russian Flyweight prospect is undefeated in her career, managing to primarily out-strike her opponents en route to each victory. As impressive as she’s been on the feet, Avsaragova’s background is wrestling. She just hasn’t been able to display it because of a four-year-old injury.
Avsaragova defeated Kyra Batara via a unanimous decision in her last time out in March 2022. It was her only appearance of the year as she aggravated a shoulder injury, leading to an inevitable surgery. The previously wrestling-hesitant Avsaragova is now fully healed and approaches her biggest career obstacle yet on Feb. 4, 2023, opposite one-time Bellator title challenger, Alejandra Lara, at Bellator 290.
“Obviously, she’s going to be my toughest opponent when it comes to names,” Avsaragova told MMA Mania. “I’m ready as always. I have my game plan and I’ll show everybody what I can do.
“[Showing off my wrestling] is the plan,” she added. “Because I haven’t been able to showcase my wrestling for a long, long time. All of my MMA career, I couldn’t do it. So, I believe it’s time now to show that I have a full MMA game.”
Lara will enter the bout with hopes of snapping a three-fight losing streak. Therefore, Russia’s “Pantera” anticipates an even stiffer and more motivated opponent than she’d already be up against.
Since her Bellator arrival in April 2021, Avsaragova has been one of the division’s best and brightest young prospects. Alongside her in the conversation, particularly in Bellator, was Valerie Loureda, and an eventual pairing seemed to be on its way.
Instead, Loureda hung up her gloves and laced up the professional wrestling boots during Avsaragova’s recovery, eliminating any possibility of the fight coming together. Avsaragova isn’t at all upset about missing out on the fight, and in the end, got something even better.
“That was always my point. I wanted to fight tough opponents, big names,” Avsaragova said. “So, I’m really happy that that’s what happened [with Loureda]. As they say, everything happens for a reason.
“I want to fight at least two-three times [in 2023],” she concluded. “I wanted to do that last year, too, but with my injuries, I couldn’t do it. So, this year, I’m planning two-three fights, and then maybe I’ll go visit some countries and travel. It’s all about fighting this year.”