“Actually, we are not thinking about a title fight right now,” she said. “My plans are to consolidate myself in the organization and fight great fights, one step at a time.”
It’s a smart move, even if the impatient among us want to see how “Vivi” matches up with some of the flyweight division’s best. And considering that she won’t have to go through the cut to 115 pounds or be at a size disadvantage at 135, she may be even better in her new weight class.
“My physical structure is perfect for the flyweight category,” Araujo said. “In order for me to stay on bantamweight, I would need to increase my weight a lot so it would be difficult to maintain one of my best features, which is my speed. So our plan is to stay in the flyweight division now. It’s a weight division in which I feel very good and strong. I don’t suffer from a drastic weight cut and this is a plus for an athlete’s best performance during the fight. My plans are to stay healthy and fight as often as possible during the year.”
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That attitude, coupled with her performance against Bernardo, made her an instant favorite among fight fans, and she is happy to keep those action-packed performances coming.
“I have a great respect and affection for the fans,” she said. “UFC is a big event, and being part of this show has always been my big dream. Now it’s time to seize the opportunity and bring joy to the fans.”
Yeah, it’s impossible not to like Viviane Araujo, who epitomizes the old adage that who dares wins. Araujo dared to take a fight on less than a week’s notice and she won more than a fight earlier this year by taking that shot. So what does this all say about her?
“That we must persist and always be prepared for any challenge,” she said.
