Hannah Cifers
“Shockwave” made her UFC debut on short notice back in October, stepping in to replace Maia Stevenson opposite super-prospect Maycee Barber less than three weeks before the fight. While the fight didn’t go her way, Cifers showed toughness and tenacity before ultimately getting overwhelmed and finished by the 20-year-old rising star.
With her first foray into the Octagon behind her and a full camp under her belt, Saturday’s bout against Polyana Viana should be a better representation of what the 26-year-old is capable of inside the cage.
She had won five straight prior to stepping in with Barber and her two previous losses had come against current UFC flyweight Gillian Robertson and former UFC fighter Heather Clark, so this matchup will provide a clear indication of where Cifers fits within the division. Viana won her promotional debut without much trouble, submitting Stevenson in the first round, but landed on the wrong side of a unanimous decision verdict last time out against JJ Aldrich.
If Cifers can secure her first UFC victory, she’ll establish herself as a long-range prospect to track going forward — someone without the same buzz as some of her more hyped contemporaries, but the grit, toughness and tenacity to become a fixture in the division who could end up surprising a few people a few years down the road.
