FB TW IG YT VK TH
Search
MORE FROM OUR CHANNELS

Wrestlezone
FB TW IG YT VK TH

After Completing Current Contract at UFC on ESPN 32, Katlyn Chookagian Hopes for New Deal



Perennially-ranked UFC flyweight Katlyn Chookagian is a free agent – at least for now.

Advertisement
After defeating Jennifer Maia via unanimous decision in a rematch at UFC on ESPN 32, Chookagian revealed that she just fought the last fight on her current deal.

“This was the last fight on my contract, and usually when you have one more, they renegotiate your contract,” Chookagian told assembled media after the event. “So when they offered this fight, I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m up for negotiation for a new contract,’ and they were like, ‘Oh no, we want you to fight this [contract] out.’

“That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to cut me, but it’s usually not good news. Hopefully with this performance, I’d like to think they want to keep me. I want to stay here. So hopefully I proved that tonight.”

Chookagian challenged for flyweight gold in 2020, falling to Valentina Shevchenko via third-round TKO at UFC 247. She wasn’t especially competitive in that bout, nor was she against ex-strawweight queen Jessica Andrade at UFC Fight Night 180, but outside of that “Blonde Fighter” has consistently taken down contenders in the division including Maia (twice), Viviane Araujo, Cynthia Calvillo and Joanne Wood, to name a few.

She is currently on a three-fight winning streak, and in a weight class short on challengers for Shevchenko, Chookagian could be on the verge of title contention once again.

“I think the UFC needs to re-sign me before I think about that,” Chookagian said. “I’m on a three-fight win streak, all top-five opponents, so I would hope they re-sign me. They didn’t want to extend my contract before this fight, so hopefully I proved I belong here. I’m No. 2 in the division. I’ve been No. 2 or No. 1 for three or four years since the division started. I have as many wins as Valentina. I’ve beaten probably more top-10 fighters than any other fighter in the UFC, male or female. This is my 14th fight. I think all but two, maybe three, were all top-10 opponents.

“So I think I earned my spot here in the UFC. So hopefully I get that call next week. I just hope that I’m still a UFC fighter after this performance.”

Perhaps the one factor working against Chookagian is the lack of finishes on her resume. Saturday marked her 10th UFC triumph, and thus far, all have gone to the judges, making her the first fighter in promotion history to earn that many victories without a stoppage.

UFC president Dana White didn’t provide much in the way of clarity on Chookagian’s status at the post-fight presser.

“I know that we went into this fight with her contract, it’s expired now,” White said. “She’s a free agent right now. I don’t know. That was between her and [matchmaker] Mick [Maynard], he did that deal with her. So we’ll see what happens.”

More

Subscribe to our Newsletter

* indicates required
Latest News

POLL

Will Conor McGregor fight in 2024?

FIGHT FINDER


FIGHTER OF THE WEEK

Ben Tynan

TOP TRENDING FIGHTERS


+ FIND MORE