The lack of an audience at UFC events in the UFC Apex makes it possible for the cameras to pick up conversations between fighters. As a result, fans can catch personal exchanges which may not have been possible earlier. One such exchange took place following the opening fight between Mallory Martin and Hannah Cifers.
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Mallory Martin said the words, “You saved my life.” The sentence was put forward at the post-fight press conference because of the curiosity surrounding it.
The fighter choked on hearing it and took a while to compose herself. She said, “I was in a hard spot mentally and I had nothing to look forward to. I was depressed and fighting my own demons and I had like a hard camp or whatever, but before I started camp, I was dealing with some stuff and if it wasn’t for her taking the fight.
“I probably still would have fought, but just for her stepping in there and being in the cage with me meant a lot. Because I didn’t know if I’d be here if it wasn’t for that and my coaches. I don’t think they knew I was struggling as much as I was. But they showed up for me every single day, and so how would I not show up for them.”
Mallory Martin shows up and claims a morale-boosting win
Hannah Cifers was on a three-fight skid in 2020. Yet she took the fight and seemed dominant in the opening five minutes. However, Martin came back in style as she applied a rear-naked choke to secure her first UFC win.
Following the fight, she let out a series of screams as though she had vindicated herself when Cifers tapped.
After being rocked in the first round, @MalloryyMartin got the sub in the second and let out a primal scream 😱 #UFCVegas8 pic.twitter.com/253aF10pWm
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 29, 2020
Martin claimed to have battled demons before the fight. The first round may have exacerbated her troubles. She had prepared for a fight amid a pandemic and felt she owed a strong showing given the sacrifices of her team. Martin showed up and proved that she belongs in the UFC with a clinical second-round submission.
Read: WATCH: 4 Insane Submissions Dominate UFC Fight Night Preliminary Card
What did you make of Mallory Martin’s impressive showing to kick off the preliminary card on Fight Night: Smith vs Rakic?
