UFC on ESPN 71's Karol Rosa has escaped 'turmoil' and found happiness with new team
Rosa (18-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meets Cornolle (9-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in a women's bantamweight bout on Saturday at the UFC Apex (ESPN, ESPN+), and after relocating her life to Sao Paulo and starting a new team with former UFC champion Jessica Andrade, she said her mindset is unflappable as she dials in on victory.
"I've changed my attitude and I've started seeing happiness," Rosa told MMA Junkie through an interpreter at Wednesday's media day. "I am feeling happy right now and I understand in my last fight there was just a lot of turmoil. I was already with my new team, but there was so much going on and there was a lot on my mind and I don't think I was in a good place mentally. I can tell you right now, I'm very happy this week. And this is not the good moment. This is the sad moment where we're cutting weight, and I'm feeling happy. When I'm happy, I'm happy to perform. You will see on Saturday what the happiness brings as far as performance."
Rosa, 30, enters UFC on ESPN 71 with a wealth of experience and is still young at 30. She hopes this is the beginning of her best moments in the octagon in a 135-pound division currently ruled by Kayla Harrison, and thinks Cornolle fights in a way that will lend to a standout performance.
"She's got a style that I like to fight," Rosa said. "She likes her striking, so she wants to do muay-Thai, and I do believe I have the strength there. The way that I strike, the way the smart striking happens for me – I think I'm a smarter striker."
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