Photo via @invictafights on Twitter
Helen Peralta on Poliana Botelho, Invicta FC 49, and BKFC
Helen Peralta tests skills with Poliana Botelho at Invicta FC 49 on September 28th.
Peralta appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts and we touched on several subjects. Excerpts from our chat are below.
Helen Peralta
Peralta’s thoughts on her upcoming opponent Poliana Botelho
“I know she’s a striker. I haven’t seen any of her fights. My coaches have because my point when I’m fighting. I have a very hard time getting fights. Then when I do get fights, I have a hard time with it being the same opponent all through camp. It usually changes. People get hurt or they get what I call the shits or their hair hurts. Whatever the story is. So instead of spending a whole camp preparing for one specific person, my coaches add the things that my opponent does well into my camp. But I focus on everything that I know I need to work on regardless.”
“If for some reason something happens tomorrow morning at weigh ins, there’s three other bouts or two other bouts at flyweight. I don’t care if they shuffle it around and I end up fighting someone else because I’m not committed to this matchup. I trained to be the best Helen Peralta on Wednesday night when the fight comes. But the opponent doesn’t really matter to me.”
Helen Peralta continued, “The things that she usually does is striking which is my world. I don’t think that’s going to be the thing. I feel like once she feels how hard I can hit, she’s going to want to grapple because it makes sense. It’s my understanding she’s a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. So why not use that? I mean, she should. It would be smart for her to try to grapple.”
Invicta FC 49
On what a path towards a potential BKFC return could look like
“I just like to fight. I don’t have like a specific goal. If I get like a nice knockout Wednesday and the UFC calls, I will take it. But you’re going to be competing against some of the best in the world. I’ll do that for as long as I can hold it. However, if I don’t get signed with the UFC right now, I’m an independent contractor and I would love to fight the champion for BKFC. I’m her (Christine Ferea) only loss. I love the first fight and I think it was close enough. I think she deserves an opportunity to show the world that she’s the best.”
“Because until she beats me, she’s going to have that hanging over her. She’s going to have that shadow over her the whole time. She’s one of my favorite bare-knuckle fighters after myself and Johnny Bedford, one of the champions. But I think that fight should happen and if they were to contact me right now, I would make a commitment to get that fight done before I go to the UFC if that’s what’s next. But if I sign with the UFC first then it’s an exclusive contract and then bare knuckle will have to wait.”
Helen Peralta continued, “So it all depends. When you’re a professional fighter, it’s really hard to make plans. Everything, your whole career is always hanging on your next performance.”
