Ailin Perez is angling for two vastly different types of fights following her latest feat in the octagon.
Now on a six-fight winning streak, the Argentine women’s bantamweight title contender wants to sort out some personal matters with UFC women’s flyweight Tracy Cortez or get a shot at gold, fighting the WMMA GOAT Amanda Nunes for an interim belt. There’s a stark difference between the two fights, but Perez (12-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who defeated TUF 28 winner Macy Chiasson this past Saturday at UFC Fight Night 268 in Mexico City, sees both bouts as real possibilities – even though one of them is with a fighter outside her division.
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“There are a lot of fighters who have changed weight classes, who have gone up in weight, women, too,” Perez told Hablemos MMA in Spanish when asked about the odds of a Cortez fight. “She’s also fought at 135 pounds before. Also, it’s to settle something personal we have going on. On my end, I’ve always been down to fight with her. I think now is the moment. If she doesn’t accept the fight, it’s because she doesn’t want it. We’re already in conversations with Mick (Maynard); we spoke that same Saturday. We want the fight, and she’ll have to move up for it. If she’s not down, then stop talking about me. I think the time to fight is now because when I’m champion, I won’t give her the opportunity.”
As far as an interim title fight against Nunes, Perez sees that as very feasible. Nunes was expected to return from retirement in January in a title fight against former teammate and current UFC women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison. However, Harrison had to undergo neck surgery and withdraw from the bout. She’s currently in recovery, and her timeline remains unknown – which is why Perez thinks there’s sense in making an interim belt.
“I’d like to fight Amanda Nunes,” Perez said. “I have six wins in a row, and I see myself as a top five. Number six, five and three rejected fights with me, so I see myself ahead of them. I’m more active than most, even though I had surgery. I also have the longest winning streak, and I’m breaking records. I think I have what it takes. I have the ovaries. I have faith in my team. I’m healthy. I don’t see why we can’t make the fight. Out of the ranked fighters, I’m the one that talks the most, that sells the most. Obviously, if I get offered Julianna Peña, Ketlen Vieira or whoever is without a fight, I’m taking it. I never turn down fights. Any of those fights work, but I do want Amana Nunes. I want big challenges, and I’m ready for them.”
Should the UFC come forward with both possibilities, Ailin has quite a dilemma. However, she does have a preference, and her answer might surprise many.
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“At this moment? Tracy Cortez,” Perez said. “I think that it’s a fight that won’t really help me in the rankings, but it’s a fight that can grow my name, and I want to take all her fans, and show people I’m more Mexican than her. She’s an American who tries to be Mexican. There’s time to fight Amanda, but whatever comes first, that’s what I’m taking.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ailin Perez wants Tracy Cortez or interim title fight vs. Amanda Nunes
