Alexis Davis' UFC stint is relatively at its infancy, but it has been an impressive one, so far. Since she was signed with the organization in June 2013, "Ally-Gator" (16-5, 9 wins by stoppage) has won all of her three fights.
This remarkable run has earned her a coveted title shot against reigning champion "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey, scheduled for July 5th at UFC 175 in Las Vegas.
While the fight may still be less than two months away, Alexis Davis remains assured about her chances against the very dangerous Rousey. In a recent interview with Inside MMA, Ally-Gator confidently spoke about her opponent, but also considered the aspects in her game that need improvement.
"It' going to be a tough fight," Davis said. "Even watching some of her previous fights, there's a lot of stuff in my game that obviously I have to improve, and she's a dynamic, explosive fighter. It's something I've been pushing."
Ronda Rousey's success has been mainly anchored on one signature move: the armbar. Her experience of being involved in high-level judo competition at a young age of 17 has made here hone the said submission move, turning it into a deadly weapon in her arsenal. Eight out of her nine professional fights have ended via armbar.
But Alexis Davis' skillset is not one to be overlooked either. She holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, making her the most talented submission fighter that Rousey has yet to face. While she is not taking anything lightly, the challenger is still confident enough that she can stop the armbar.
"I definitely think I am going to be able to stop the armbar," Davis continued. "This is something I train constantly everyday. Obviously she has been training it in Judo for so long but I have been training Mixed Martial Arts for a long time."
Alexis Davis is a novice when it comes to UFC title fights, but she is aware of how the game works, including Rousey's pre-fight intimidation tactics. When asked about it, Ally-Gator says that she is not afraid of any of them.
"Having someone mean-mug me across the octagon doesn't scare me," Davis added. "I had Jessica Eye doing it in my last fight. She [Rousey] is a great fighter and I totally respect her. I don't know her personally."
