Vancouver – Stephanie Luciano earned her first career submission at UFC Vancouver, putting away compatriot Ravena Oliveira last Saturday.
She also got a first in her UFC career by fighting with fans in attendance. After two consecutive fights at the virtually barren UFC Apex, Luciano was introduced to a live audience in Vancouver (a very live audience at that).
“Fighting with the fans was something else. I love the atmosphere, I love feeling the crowd,” she told Cageside Press after the fight, backstage at Rogers Arena. “So the more people, the better.”
Believe it or not, she had the finish in mind before the fight. “It often crossed my mind that I would subdue her with a butt naked [choke],” said Luciano (7-2-1).
Oliveira had dropped down a few weight classes for the fight, but Luciano quickly discovered that concerns about her strength were unwarranted. “For a second I was afraid she was going to be super strong, but then I felt her hands, and I didn’t feel like she had much power in her punches.”
With a pair of wins under her belt, Stephanie Luciano is now looking to climb the strawweight ladder. “Maybe another opponent,” she suggested. There is no one in particular she has in mind, she added. “I don’t have any names in mind, just someone on the rankings.”
Despite UFC Rio taking place just two weeks ago and Luciano fighting another Brazilian in Oliveira, she wasn’t surprised to find herself fighting in Canada. After all, there were only so many spots on the UFC Rio card.
“I wasn’t surprised because there are so many Brazilians in the UFC, so there’s always a Brazilian on every card. But watching the Fight Night from Rio, Charles [Oliveira] winning, that whole energy, made me really want to come here and put on a show too.
Watch the full UFC Vancouver post-fight press conference with Stephanie Luciano above.
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