The journey to this next fight was a little arduous. Originally scheduled to fight Chookagian in Paris, Fiorot found herself booked against former strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade when Chookagian withdrew. However, Andrade pulled out of the matchup a month later and was replaced by “Blonde Fighter,” and then Fiorot suffered her knee injury, pushing the matchup to Abu Dhabi.
It’s a welcome location, all things considered. Fiorot feels fondly about Ethiad Arena, where she won her Octagon debut against Victoria Leonardo in 2021, and felt “super happy” to compete on the stacked main card, as she hopes to recreate the success she found in the Leonardo bout when she meets Chookagian.
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That’s easier said than done against Chookagian, who is on a four-fight winning streak and has made a habit of eating up hopeful contenders. Fiorot recognizes her quality, but she also hopes she can push the fight to areas she feels most successful.
“Chookagian is the most technical opponent of the weight class,” Fiorot said. “(But) I don’t think she has my power, and she has a bit of a boring style, so I really want to finish this fight and not to make it boring.”
