Alexis Davis made history in the summer when she became the first Canadian to compete and win in the UFC women’s bantamweight division when she picked up a unanimous decision win over veteran Rosi Sexton at UFC 161 in Winnipeg.
On Wednesday, in the co-main event of UFC Fight for the Troops 3 at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, the 29-year-old Port Colborne, Ont., native is looking to move one step closer to the top of the female rankings when she faces former title challenger Liz Carmouche.
PROGRAMMING ALERT: Watch the UFC Fight for the Troops 3 preliminary card and main card Wednesday on Sportsnet 360 starting at 5 p.m. EST, plus catch four bonus prelims on sportsnet.ca starting at 3:15 p.m. EST
“We all want a title shot, and every fight feels like you’re getting that one step closer, especially fighting a high calibre fighter like Liz,” Davis recently told ufc.com.
Davis had a size and strength advantage over Sexton in her promotional debut, but that might not be the case Wednesday as Carmouche, a military veteran, is known for her superb strength and conditioning. Carmouche will become the first female fighter in UFC history to compete three times in the Octagon, but Davis has prepared for Carmouche’s pace accordingly.
“I’ve been training cardio, cardio, and more cardio because if you watch any of her fights, she’s pretty much non-stop,” Davis said. “She’s pushing you, adding the pressure, trying to get you up against the cage, so I’m expecting an all-out brawl.”
Davis has lost just once in her last nine outings — a majority decision to fellow Canadian Sarah Kaufman in her final Strikeforce appearance in March 2012 — and is looking for her fourth consecutive win.
“I’m expecting a hard-fought bout and Liz to come out and fight. I’ve been looking at Liz for a while now, and I’ve said if I wasn’t fighting her, I’d be cheering for her to win because I like her fighting style,” Davis added. “Not to sound cocky or anything like that, but both Liz and I are great fighters, push the pace, and we’ll have a very entertaining fight.”
