Making a bit of history at UFC Vegas 22 this Saturday will be Cheyanne Buys. Alongside husband JP, Buys will become part of the first husband and wife duo to make their octagon debut on the same night.
Both fighters won their way into the UFC off Dana White’s Contender Series last year. And while some might see the UFC as a step up, with the associated pressure, Buys does not.
“The step up for me, there’s really no step up. I’ve had so many fights, for me I always believed I could be at this level,” she stated during Thursday’s UFC Vegas 22 virtual media day. “And now that I am at this level, I’m not even celebrating. I need to continue to prove myself, prove my worth, and prove why [I belong at the highest level].”
Buys has both a teammate fighting on the card, Macy Chiasson, as well as her husband. Which means the couple are both training for a fight at the same time, and cutting weight at the same time. A situation that Buys says has “been awesome.”
“We personally love it. Whenever JP fights, I’m cutting weight with him. Whenever I fight, he’s cutting weight with me,” she explained. “So the fact that we just get to go and do this together, cut weight together, it’s nice. Because the paycheck is one night, and we’re both doing it together. That’s the way I look at it.”
If you’re wondering why Buys would be cutting weight when her hubby fights, or vice versa, it’s a matter of respect. “We’re best friends, so in the house, if one’s dieting for a fight, the other person’s dieting. We really respect each other at this level, and it’s so fun.”
In terms of the pressure of making their promotional debuts on the same night, Cheyanne Buys admitted that there’s “a little bit of pressure.” At the same time, she added, “this is going to be my 25th cage fight. I’ve got to be able to control my emotions.”
Notable names in the past, like Anthony Pettis, have suggested that fighting on the same card as family members isn’t something they particularly enjoy. “I don’t really see what the big deal is, but I guess that’s me. Everyone is different, I respect what Anthony says about his brother [Sergio Pettis], that’s his family,” responded Buys on that front. “But my husband, I watched him prepare. Whatever happens is in god’s hands. There’s nothing I can do. I trust my husband’s capability to go out there and get the job done for us, and trust my capability to go out there and get the job done. For me, it’s just going out there and showing my support as a wife. I’m going to make that walk with him. Damn straight I’m going to make that walk with him.”
Watch the full UFC Vegas 22 virtual media day scrum with Cheyanne Buys above.
