It’s unanimous: Niagara fighter 1-0 as UFC pro

Youth wasn’t served Saturday in southern California the place a St. Catharines combined martial arts fighter made her Final Combating Championship (UFC) debut towards a a lot youthful opponent.

Jasmine Jasudavicius, who turns 33 on March 1, had greater than 10 years on hometown favorite Kay Hansen in a flyweight battle at Honda Centre in Anaheim.

The three-rounder, which had been rescheduled from Jan. 15, went the space with Jasudavicius incomes a unanimous determination for her third victory in a row.

Jasudavicius felt that have — particularly, the expertise of profitable a contract from UFC president Dana White in her final battle in September — gave her a determined edge over Hansen, who was within the octagon for the primary time since November 2020.

“I feel it was tremendous vital. The very fact I used to be in a position to battle on the Contender Sequence previous to this, I really feel that basically helped me loads,” the St. Catharines Collegiate graduate mentioned in an interview from Las Vegas.

Jasudavicius, who improved her professional document to 7-1, recalled feeling “very calm and cozy throughout the Combat Week” heading into her assembly with Hansen.

“I feel the explanation that I used to be as a result of I used to be in a position to do every little thing for Contender Sequence,” she mentioned. “All the new shock wasn’t there.

“I wasn’t nervous about having to get a end or something like that like I used to be for the Contender Sequence.”

Jasudavicius entered the cage centered on denying Hansen any alternative to catch her off guard.

“I used to be attempting to be very secure and never make any foolish errors for my debut and form of get caught,” Jasudavicius mentioned. “That was the one probability she needed to beat me was if I put myself out of place and she or he might catch me in something.

“I used to be attempting to be very secure and sound.”

Warning is usually a double-edged sword, nevertheless. Jasudavicius conceded being considerably involved that a lack of aggression might go towards her.

“I used to be just a little nervous about that however so long as I made positive I used to be getting sufficient factors, doing sufficient on the bottom, doing sufficient standing up, the judges would see it in my favour,” she mentioned.

Jasudavicius acquired a “little little bit of a learn” on Hansen throughout the weigh-in.

“It took a part of the primary spherical to see what she needed to provide. I felt that I used to be form of higher in all places than her.”

Hansen didn’t seem rusty regardless of not preventing for greater than a 12 months.

“I feel she got here in good. She got here in smiling,” Jasudavicius mentioned. “I feel she believed that she was going to win that battle — I had different plans for her — however I don’t assume ring rust was an issue for her.”

Understanding she has three extra assured fights underneath a contract awarded by White eased the stress on Jasudavicius to have the battle of her life.

“I wasn’t scrambling attempting to get a end. I wasn’t nervous about going again on the regional scene,” she mentioned. “I knew I had a contract so it was much more comfy this time round.”

What in regards to the stress of proving to White that he made the fitting determination in awarding her a contract, Jasudavicius was requested.

“He was there, he watches all of the fights. This time he’s not sitting proper cageside in entrance of you so you possibly can see him,” she mentioned. “I’m nonetheless preventing in entrance of him, however I’m extra preventing in entrance of the group than him.

“You all the time need to present properly, and also you all the time need to put your greatest foot ahead.”

In combined martial arts, a end trumps a unanimous determination. That didn't occur for Jasudavicius this day out.

“Ideally, you need to get a end. We don’t receives a commission by the hour so in the event you might end every battle within the first minute that may be ideally suited,” she mentioned.

As a rule, a end features a bonus, which may be fairly profitable relying on the battle.

“You’re all the time on the lookout for that end,” she mentioned with a chuckle. “Sadly, that’s how this sport works.”

Was Jasudavicius in a position to pinpoint a time within the battle when victory was assured?

“Yeah, when the bell rang on the final second,” she mentioned. “Each second previous to that there’s all the time an opportunity of getting caught.

“I by no means let my guard down till the battle was fully over.”

Jasudavicius, who's scheduled to fly residence on Wednesday, doesn’t know when her subsequent battle will likely be.

“There’s probably not a ‘traditional break.’ It simply will depend on once you need to battle,” she mentioned. “I didn’t take any injury my final battle, so I’m in a position to flip round actually fast.

“Nothing is booked but. I simply form of look ahead to the following battle provide.”

Jasudavicius trains out of Niagara Prime Workforce in Niagara Falls.