Karol Rosa glad to toggle back and forth between 135, 145 – if women’s featherweight stays around in the UFC
LAS VEGAS – Karol Rosa beat Yana Santos with a split decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 47 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Rosa, who got back in the win column after an April loss to Norma Dumont.
Karol Rosa vs. Yana Santos
Result: Karol Rosa def. Yana Santos via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Updated records: Rosa (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC), Santos (14-8 MMA, 4-5 UFC)
Key stats: Santos outstruck Rosa 151-117 and had more than three minutes more control time, but Rosa got the nod.
Rosa on the fight's key moment
“After (the first round), I was able to keep my distance. I was able to escape away and just do everything and just became really more confident about it. I expected everything that happened. I just figured that she was going to go basically to the fence every time I started getting more aggressive, and that’s exactly what happened.”
Rosa on the split decision
“I knew that the first round, it could have gone either way, but I figured that first, second, and third round, I knew I was able to just impose my rhythm in my game there and I was very confident.”
Rosa on what she wants next
“I really want to fight in Brazil in November. It’d be great to fight there. I just beat Yana, who was No. 6. So I figured maybe Raquel (Pennington). I see that Raquel’s there. Also, Holly Holm (and) Katlyn (Chookagian). I don’t know – someone that’s above me in the rankings.
“(I can make bantamweight) no problem. When this fight came up and we had the opportunity, (we took it at featherweight). I see that there’s going to be some stuff going on in Paris, and I believe that as long as these (featherweight) fights keep going, why not try to be a double champ (at bantamweight and featherweight)? I want to keep having an opportunity in both.”
To hear more from Rosa, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 47.
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