Strawweight sensation Loopy Godinez is gearing up for a heated encounter against Mackenzie Dern at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov in Abu Dhabi this Saturday.
The upcoming bout marks Godinez’s 12th UFC fight, but it’s her first outside the U.S., stirring a mix of excitement and opportunity. "When they offered me the fight, I was ecstatic," she revealed. "This career is fleeting, and they're presenting me with a chance to be on the main card, face a formidable opponent, and travel to a part of the world I might never have seen without the UFC."
Raised in Canada and born in Mexico, Godinez is no stranger to international stages, but Abu Dhabi is a new pin on her map. As she prepares for the fight, she reflects on the adjustments she's made since her last bout—a unanimous decision loss to Virna Jandiroba that halted her four-fight winning streak.
Admitting the challenges of altering her training setup due to teammate Alexa Grasso’s coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter, Godinez acknowledged the disruption wasn't ideal. "It was the longest two weeks of my life," she confessed, explaining how the change upended her preparations.
Despite the setback, Godinez is optimistic about her clash with Dern, ranked seventh in the strawweight division. She sees this as a rebound opportunity, aiming to leverage her wrestling and grappling skills against Dern’s renowned jiu-jitsu prowess.
"I’m not afraid of her ground game," Godinez stated firmly. "I’ve enhanced my defense and offense on the mat, and I'm ready to showcase a smarter, more aggressive approach."
Tune in to UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov on August 3, 2024, to see if Godinez can turn the heat into her advantage and climb the strawweight rankings. The action starts with prelims at 12 PM ET, followed by the main card live on ABC, ESPN & ESPN+ at 3 PM ET.