Brazil’s Emily Martins gets a shot at the vacant CFFC women’s bantamweight title on Friday night, as she faces Auttumn Norton in the co-main event of CFFC 132.
The American Top Team fighter, an undefeated 2-0 in MMA while also competing in grappling, feels ready for her title shot.
“I feel great, I’m very confident. I’ve been training so hard for my whole life, I’ve been waiting for this moment,” she told Cageside Press ahead of the fight. “I feel like I was born ready. With all my effort and hard training, I’m ready for it. I feel great.”
While it’s not completely unheard of – look no further than the Shevchenko sisters, Valentina and Antonina – Emily Martin’s key sparring partner ahead of CFFC 132 was her own sister.
“For this camp, my main training partner was my sister, which was crazy. I got so much headaches and so many black eyes, but I’m ready because of her.”
Martins also trains with a familiar name to UFC fans in Jussier Formiga for her BJJ. She seems to have the right people around her, which could be key against Norton, who has the edge in experience. Norton started as an amateur in 2012, then turned pro for Invicta FC in 2019.
Of Norton, Martins said that “I think she’s a great athlete. I’ve seen her videos, her fights. She’s very technical. And I think she’s a great fighter, she has heavy hands. She’s a great fighter, but I’ve worked very hard, and I know how much I’ve worked. So I’m confident, and I’m coming for the belt.”
As for whether the title fight goes the distance, Martins told us that “I’m ready for five rounds, but I don’t want to do five rounds. So if I can get it in first round, 30 seconds- no I’m just kidding. But if I can, nobody knows, I’ll do, man. I’ll do it.”
Watch our full interview with CFFC 132’s Emily Martins above.
