Yana Kunitskaya focused on Irene Aldana but intrigued by potential Miesha Tate matchup after UFC 264

LAS VEGAS – Yana Kunitskaya isn’t the roughly fighter to miss impending matchups, but she does have a concept of what she could also love with a defend shut over Irene Aldana.

The UFC females’s bantamweight contender is terribly great on board with the concept of facing extinct champion Miesha Tate, who’s strolling again from retirement later this month after practically 5 years on the sidelines.

“Miesha Tate is coming abet, so we’ll explore what happens after her fight,” Kunitskaya suggested MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s media session on the UFC Apex. “I in actuality would love that. I noticed a video that she known as me out, and maybe if we both defend shut this fight, this could even be an consuming matchup.”

Kunitskaya (14-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has some business to steal care of first, facing Aldana (12-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) on the pay-per-behold main card of Saturday’s UFC 264 at T-Mobile Enviornment. It’s an limitless one at 135 pounds, with Aldana sitting at No. 6 in basically the most recent USA TODAY Sports activities/MMA Junkie females’s bantamweight rankings.

Aldana is identified for her boxing prowess, but Kunitskaya said there’s nothing that’s inflicting her to any extent extra concern than any various matchup.

“I contemplate she’s an steady boxer, but in this diploma, everyone is terribly effectively-rounded,” Kunitskaya said. “So we’re ready for every little thing, love always.”

Presently standing at 4-1 in her previous 5 appearances, along with her lone loss in that stretch coming to top contender Aspen Ladd, Kunitskaya would completely be in line for an limitless fight with an excellent victory. Meanwhile, Tate (18-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) returns to action at next week’s UFC on ESPN 26 occasion.

Would possibly well well additionally quiet they both demonstrate victorious, Kunitskaya believes a matchup along with her extinct Xtreme Couture teammate would manufacture loads of sense.

“We trained a tiny bit bit love labored with every various,” Kunitskaya said. “We rolled a tiny bit and labored conditioning, but it’s a fight, – it’s no longer personal. I in actuality have so great respect for her, but I in actuality would love to have this fight.

“I love her personality, and I contemplate she has an limitless name, and it’ll be an consuming fight.”