Las Vegas, NV — It’s been nearly two years since we’ve seen UFC strawweight Ashley Yoder in the cage — but with luck, that’s about to change.
“I’ve been trying to get on all my people this week, especially talking to Mick [Maynard, UFC matchmaker], trying to get a fight set up,” Yoder told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview at this year’s UFC X, part of International Fight Week. “Obviously I’ve been out for a little bit over a year, almost two years. I had two shoulder surgeries. 100% I’m back into it, I’ve been training 100%, I’m ready to get signed on to a fight. It’s just, I think for the matchmakers, getting that right fight for me coming back.”
Yoder, who last fought against Jinh Yu Frey in July of 2021, is clearly eager to get going again, and wants to put on a show.
“Super excited to come back, I’ve had a lot of love,” she said. “A lot of people who were coming up to us yesterday at the meet and greets were very excited for me to come back. I’m very much a fan performer, so I’m very excited to perform for everybody.”
Even a short-notice fight would be something Yoder is game for. What she would like, however, is to compete in front of a crowd.
“I fought four times in the APEX and I feel like I did my time without a crowd. And everyone knows, everyone’s very big in saying that we want a crowd fight. I get energy from a crowd, I do my best work in front of a crowd.”
“So I just hope, no matter where it is, it could be overseas, I want to fight in front of a crowd,” Yoder continued. “So I will take next month. I’ve been training religiously, I feel comfortable with my recovery, and I’m ready to get in and shine.”
In the time since Yoder last fought, the UFC women’s strawweight title has changed hands a couple of times. Yoder believes that change is good for the weight class overall.
“I think the 115 division, since we started the division, everybody’s looking at that division for female fights. Which, I’m grateful, because it’s such a small weight class, a lot of people don’t give attention to the smaller weights. But these girls are coming out with knockout power, you’re coming with girls that are super-well rounded,” she stated. “I think change in the division, in any division, keeps eyeballs on that division. I’m really excited to be a part of it, and I think that this next run for me, it’s kind of given me a perspective of, this is my opportunity to make or break myself, and I’m really excited to make myself.”
Watch our full interview with UFC strawweight Ashley Yoder above.
