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Roxanne Modafferi says she was rewarded by fans after her win over Maycee Barber at UFC 246.
Women’s flyweight fighter Roxanne Modafferi turned out to be the biggest betting underdog at UFC 246. Ahead of her preliminary fight against the undefeated Maycee Barber, the 37-year-old MMA veteran had the odds stacked against her, 10-1.
“The Happy Warrior” did prove oddmakers wrong in their assessment of her when she defeated Barber. But according to her, she was also lauded by fans who put money on her. One of them even paid her $100 for the win.
“One of my fans messaged me on social media that he bet $1,000 on me. So, cool. Enjoy that,” she told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto in a post-fight interview. “One of my fans actually PayPal-ed me $100 after I won, so that’s pretty cool. I have the best fans.”
Modafferi built a reputation as known of the most pleasant fighters in the roster. It is something he personally relishes in an era when many of her peers opt for loud trash-talking as a method of self-promotion.
“It’s cool. I want to really show what a good martial artist should be like,” she said. “I think that’s one of my callings. Teach kids jiu-jitsu, be a good martial artist, show that you don’t have to be angry and like ‘Your mama, blah blah blah’ in order to be a good fighter and turn it on the Octagon. So, I get the job done.”
Modafferi improves to a record of 24-16 (with nine wins by stoppage).