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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson and Ken Hathaway

Karol Rosa glad to toggle back and forth between 135, 145 – if women’s featherweight stays around in the UFC

LAS VEGAS – Karol Rosa beat Yana Santos with a split decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 47 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Take a look inside the fight with Rosa, who got back in the win column after an April loss to Norma Dumont.

Karol Rosa vs. Yana Santos

Karol Rosa vs. Yana Santos

Result: Karol Rosa def. Yana Santos via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Updated records: Rosa (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC), Santos (14-8 MMA, 4-5 UFC)
Key stats: Santos outstruck Rosa 151-117 and had more than three minutes more control time, but Rosa got the nod.

Rosa on the fight's key moment

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 01: (R-L) Karol Rosa of Brazil punches Yana Santos of Russia in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on July 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

“After (the first round), I was able to keep my distance. I was able to escape away and just do everything and just became really more confident about it. I expected everything that happened. I just figured that she was going to go basically to the fence every time I started getting more aggressive, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Rosa on the split decision

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 01: (R-L) Yana Santos of Russia kicks Karol Rosa of Brazil in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on July 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

“I knew that the first round, it could have gone either way, but I figured that first, second, and third round, I knew I was able to just impose my rhythm in my game there and I was very confident.”

Rosa on what she wants next

Raquel Pennington

“I really want to fight in Brazil in November. It’d be great to fight there. I just beat Yana, who was No. 6. So I figured maybe Raquel (Pennington). I see that Raquel’s there. Also, Holly Holm (and) Katlyn (Chookagian). I don’t know – someone that’s above me in the rankings.

“(I can make bantamweight) no problem. When this fight came up and we had the opportunity, (we took it at featherweight). I see that there’s going to be some stuff going on in Paris, and I believe that as long as these (featherweight) fights keep going, why not try to be a double champ (at bantamweight and featherweight)? I want to keep having an opportunity in both.”

To hear more from Rosa, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 47.

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