Las Vegas — Women’s bantamweight and TUF 28 winner (at featherweight) Macy Chiasson admits there was a point ahead of her comeback fight against Pannie Kianzad earlier this year where she questioned her future in mixed martial arts.
“There was a point in time, like a year ago, where I was talking to my coach, coach Sayif [Saud], and I was like ‘I don’t know, coach. I don’t know if this is in the cards for me anymore.’ I had that moment,” Chiasson (9-3) explained during Wednesday’s UFC 303 media day, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. “And I know a lot of professional athletes, professional fighters go through those trials and tribulations. It’s real, the feelings are real. And he just kind of laughed, when I was really serious about it.”
Chiasson didn’t understand, at the time, how her coach and mentor could laugh in her face, but he told the towering bantamweight that “you’re far from done.” Chiasson came around to his way of thinking. “He’s right.”
Coming off a “big win” over Kianzad, Chiasson has landed a fight she admits is “the biggest opportunity of my life” against Mayra Bueno Silva, who is fresh off a title fight loss against Raquel Pennington. “It must mean that Dana [White] and Mick [Maynard], they believe in me. And I want to show that. I want to prove it.”
Admitting that opponent Bueno Silva is “kind of crazy” and can really push the pace in the fight, Chiasson also sees flaws. “I really kind of saw what I think is a lot to do with her mindset. I don’t think she has the right mindset right now, I think she’s kind of a mess. And it showed in that fourth and fifth round of the fight [against Pennington]. You’re in a title fight, and you’re laying on your back. I’ve heard some stuff that she ruptured an ear drum, that’s understandable. Injuries, you have to mitigate and do what you can in a fight, but I think title fight, you’ve got to bring the heat. People are watching. You’re given this opportunity, this huge opportunity, you’ve got to fight through whatever’s going on in there.”
Chiasson also addressed rumors of Amanda Nunes returning to fighting. “I definitely don’t think that Amanda’s completely done. I think she wanted to take a step back to see what the 35 division could do, since she was such a dominant title holder. It seems like she’s probably, most likely going to come back.”
Nunes, the UFC women’s double-champ at bantamweight and featherweight, retired off a win over Irene Aldana at UFC 289 last year.
Watch the full UFC 303 media day appearance by Macy Chiasson above.
