LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag] couldn’t have asked for a much better training situation ahead of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 47 bout against Melissa Gatto.
Lipski (15-8 MMA, 4-5 UFC) got the chance to share the gym with recently retired former two-division UFC champion Amanda Nunes in South Florida, and she said it boosted both her physical and mental game prior to sharing the cage with Gatto (8-1-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in their women’s flyweight fight, which takes place at the UFC Apex and airs on ESPN/streams on ESPN+.
“It’s such an inspiration,” Lipski told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 47 media day. “Great opportunity for me, just to see her train the way she does. Had the opportunity to learn from her. She was always there to try to help. Even in her training camp she would still look at me on the mats and mistakes and say, ‘Hey, do this.’ Always trying to give me some advice that could maybe make a better fight. She’s great. I’m a big fan of her and have an opportunity to know her and be a friend of her. It’s an honor for me.”
Lipski, 29, hopes the ideal preparation for her fight will show in the results. It’s been nearly three years since the Brazilian was able to string together consecutive winning results, and after beating JJ Aldrich in March, she hopes the momentum will spill over.
“The way I fight, my style, is always look to finish the fight,” Lipski said. “But I’m becoming a well-rounded fighter, more focused, more technical fight. Every fight the level goes up. My opponent is good. It’s not easy to finish the fight. Sure, I want to. But my focus is win.
To hear more from Lipski, check out her complete UFC on ESPN 47 media day interview above.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 47.