To that end, Chookagian is eager to put a different kind of pressure on Calvillo and make her life difficult no matter where the new 125-pound contender wants to take the fight. General analysis perceives this fight as the classic striker-vs-grappler matchup, but both women have shown well-rounded skill sets.
“I can picture her using her striking just to get into the takedown, but you have to get past my striking to get the takedown,” she said. “If you do, I’m really good on the ground. I’m not just good on the ground on top. I’m good on the ground on bottom, so I think if she goes for the takedown and we get to the ground, it’s going to put her in a dilemma where she’s like, ‘OK, I don’t want to be standing. Now, on the ground, it’s not going as easily as I thought.’”
Although Chookagian understands that she is likely a strong winning streak away from another shot at the flyweight belt, she is also welcoming of the new faces to the top of the flyweight division. Not only does it give her more people who are actually in the title picture to fight, she is excited for the extra attention it brings to the weight class.
“I think this whole time, our division has just been based around Valentina and whoever she’s fighting, and then no one really pays attention to the rest of the fights,” she said. “Adding another couple veteran girls that have experience – and a lot of people know them – makes for fun matchups that are not just the title fights.”
