Katlyn Chookagian is hoping she can rematch Valentina Shevchenko next time out.
Chookagian is currently the top-ranked women’s flyweight and is set to return to the Octagon on Saturday against Amanda Ribas. Originally, Chookagian had fought out her UFC contract and there was talk of her not fighting again in the promotion but the UFC re-signed her to face Ribas who was a surprise opponent for her.
“I was super surprised. They asked me if I wanted to fight Amanda Ribas and I was like, ‘Wait, at what weight class? and they’re like, ‘125.’ Because I didn’t know, I didn’t hear anything about her wanting to move up so I was a little shocked, so I was like, ‘Yeah, definitely. But she’s probably not going to say yes.’ And then they came back and said, ‘Yeah, she said yes,'” Chookagian said at media day.
Should Katlyn Chookagian get past Amanda Ribas on Saturday it will be the third win in a row and the hope for Chookagian is to get the title fight rematch against Valentina Shevchenko next. They fought back at UFC 247 where Shevchenko won by TKO and although the champ is set to fight Taila Santos at UFC 275, the hope for Chookagian is the champ wins and the rematch will be next.
“I want Valentina to win, so I can fight her again,” she said. “When I get that title shot again, I want it to be against her and to beat her and not someone else.”
If the rematch does not happen next, Chookagian believes there are some intriguing matchups but for now, the focus is on Ribas.
“For me, my main goal is to stay as active as often,” she said. “Whoever I can fight the soonest, is the most desirable to me. There’s a couple of girls that are ranked higher that I haven’t fought. If Miesha Tate gets a win, that’s a cool fight. Alexa Grasso. Manon Fiorot called me out, so that would be cool. Just really anyone, whichever fight is the soonest after this, is the one I want.”
