Buffalo, Drury alum Miranda Maverick ready for 'enemy territory' in UFC 289
When Miranda Maverick's professional fighting career comes to a close — something the 25-year-old doesn't see happening for a while — she plans on moving back to her rural southwest Missouri hometown and starting a family.
Maverick already owns a plot of land in Tunas, a 50-mile trek from Springfield, where she studied and wrestled at Drury University and cut her teeth with Springfield Fight Club.
The now-married Buffalo High School graduate currently lives in Denver, Colorado, training with Elevation Fight Team while putting her Drury and Old Dominion University degrees to use as a data analyst for The Hershey Corporation.
Sweeter for Maverick than her employer's famous chocolate would be a win at UFC 289, where she (13-4) faces fellow veteran flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius (8-2) on Saturday in a 7 p.m. prelim broadcast on ESPN.
Maverick hopes to extend her Ultimate Fighting Championship win streak to three after defeating Sabina Mazo and Shanna Young in Las Vegas in 2022 on respective UFC Fight Nights.
When she steps into the octagon on Saturday in Vancouver, British Columbia — an event headlined by a title fight between Amanda Nunes and Irene Aldana — it will be a much different environment.
"I'll be in enemy territory this time around," Maverick, ranked No. 15 in her UFC weight class, told the News-Leader. "But I feel great so far. My weight is on point."
More: Miranda Maverick wants to be southwest Missouri's next UFC fighter
Her 34-year-old unranked opponent, Jasudavicius, hails from Canada, and Maverick expects most of Rogers Arena to be in her foe's corner.
Maverick welcomes the challenge and is proud to represent the United States and Missouri.
"I love hearing 'Hailing from Tunas, Missouri' (during introductions)," Maverick said. "I'll never forget where I came from."
Maverick said she will be visiting Tunas for a few days after the fight to catch up with friends and family.
"I try to get back four times a year," Maverick said. "It's always a blast to see people I grew up with, and to share my knowledge (of the professional fighting industry)."
In Springfield, where she was on Drury's men's wrestling team, she trained with fellow Springfield Fight Club member Garrett Armfield, 26, who made his UFC debut in 2022.
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Maverick's younger sister, Skyler Maverick, also hopes to reach the UFC. The 2022 Buffalo High graduate and former high school wrestling standout has a professional MMA record of 3-1.
High school girls wrestling in Missouri started after Miranda Maverick, who was on Buffalo's boys wrestling team, graduated.
"I was so jealous, because I was competing against men," Maverick said. "So it was good seeing her take advantage of that opportunity."
Maverick believes the rise of high school and collegiate women's wrestling will help produce more professional MMA fighters.
"It will help the sport grow," she said.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Buffalo, Drury alum Maverick ready for "enemy territory" in UFC 289
