Jasmine Jasudavicius had one main takeaway from her first UFC loss.
Jasudavicius (7-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) dropped a unanimous decision to Natalia Silva last June, when she maintained her aggressiveness and kept pressing forward despite Silva’s success on the feet. Looking back, the Canadian fighter plans to slow down the pace and not necessarily hunt for the finish at all times.
“So it’s like I was always trying to really, really go for the finish and almost trying to force it,” Jasudavicius told MMA Junkie. “I feel like now I’m ready to go three hard rounds and accept that it’s a decision and play the game – like play the game how it should be.
“Whereas before, I was always like, ‘Get the finish, go, go, go.’ It was always keep moving forward, no turning back. Just like I was saying before, patience. I think that’s mainly it.”
Jasudavicius will look to rebound Saturday when she welcomes Gabriella Fernandes (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to the octagon at UFC Fight Night 220. Jasudavicius actively spent her camp at American Top Team, which she expects to pay dividends for this fight.
“I think it will be a huge impact,” Jasudavicius said. “The girls there, they’re at the highest level at all disciplines. So I had the opportunity to train with girls that are Olympians, they’re UFC fighters, Bellator. They’re only pro fighters in there, and I got the opportunity to kind of gauge myself against the girls in the highest level, and I feel like I really learned a lot.
“I learned a ton from them that I can say so many good things about them, because they’re such great girls down there, as well. They’re not only killers on the mat, but it’s like to be at the highest level – maybe it’s because you’ve been humbled so many times, but like, the girls are great people and killers. So it was awesome. I learned so much physically, mentally, emotionally and everything.”
UFC Fight Night 220 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streams on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 220.
