Felicia Spencer expects a ‘dominating’ performance at UFC Norfolk to earn title shot against Amanda Nunes

Felicia Spencer knows the stakes are high for her co-main event spot at UFC Norfolk.

Spencer, who’s coming off a decision loss to Cris Cyborg at UFC 240, is set to return to the Octagon on Saturday against Zarah Fairn dos Santos in the co-main event. For the Canadian, after getting the chance to share the Octagon with Cyborg, she is feeling more than prepared for this fight.

“It was a great experience for the camp, for fight week and the cage time. I mean, just like any fight you are going to learn,” Spencer said to BJPENN.com. “I gained confidence from that fight but mostly I’m ready to go in there and get my hand raised again. Just perform better than I did in July.”

When Spencer told matchmaker Mick Maynard she wanted to return in February, she admits she didn’t know who her opponent would be. Yet, when she got offered dos Santos, she wasn’t that shocked, even though she beat Megan Anderson and Anderson beat dos Santos.

“In some ways [I was surprised] but no at the same time. Honestly, when she made her UFC debut and lost I thought it would make sense as we both are coming off a loss. My coaches and people around me didn’t think the UFC would do it,” she said. “When I told Mick I was ready that was the name he gave me. In some ways, it makes a lot of sense and I’m excited that there is another featherweight matchup on the card so it’s a spotlight on the division. It was a fight that made sense and I’m ready to hand her another loss in the UFC.”

In this fight, Felicia Spencer thinks she will have an advantage on the ground. She points to the fact that she submitted Anderson who went on to submit dos Santos.

Yet, the Canadian is confident she’ll be able to take the fight wherever she wants.

“I never say I’m better than anyone on the ground that I haven’t rolled with. But, on paper, yeah I think that I should be able to control the ground,” she explained. “I always go into every fight assuming they haven’t shown their best self yet. I’m ready for everything. I want to be able to control the pace and the location of the fight the entire time.”

In the end, Spencer is confident she will get her hand raised in dominant fashion and earn a title shot against Amanda Nunes in her next fight.

“It is all about dominating Zarah. Me personally, not even thinking about title fights, I want a finish, I want it to be done in the first round. I want it to be exciting and show I’m one of the top fighters in the division. If not the top,” she concluded. “I just want it to be dominant and a finish shows that and no one can argue that. I’m just excited. I can make a statement here and put on a showing here and earn a title shot on it.”

Do you think Felicia Spencer will earn a title shot against Amanda Nunes with a win at UFC Norfolk?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 2/25/2020.