Sara McMann (Photo/UFC)"Former title challenger Sara McMann completely neutralized Jessica Eye with wrestling and positional control, taking a unanimous verdict over her former training partner," is how Tristen Critchfield opened his write-up on the match for mixed martial arts website Sherdog.com.
Hinting at the former training partner aspect, MMAJunkie.com wrote, "Onetime title challenger Sara McMann and Jessica Eye fought like opponents all too aware of their fight's stakes, approaching each other cautiously for much of the 15 minutes they shared the Octagon."
"Perhaps wary of her opponent's wrestling, Eye struggled to pull the trigger throughout the contest, often waiting for countering opportunities that never arrived," Sherdog.com reported. "Meanwhile, McMann got stronger as the bout progressed. After grinding her opponent against the fence in a tepid opening stanza, McMann landed takedowns in both the second and third rounds. From there, Eye was helpless as her foe won virtually every transition and positional battle while attacking with periodic ground-and-pound."
McMann, halting a two-fight losing streak, now improves to a 9-3 overall record in MMA, and 3-3 in UFC competition. Eye, who has lost three straight in the Octagon, falls to 11-5 overall, and 1-4 in UFC.
After the win, McMann "humbly asserted herself" (in the words of MMAJunkie.com) for the opportunity to take on the winner of the upcoming title match at UFC 200 between champion Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes -- both familiar foes to McMann, who lost to both.
"I definitely was comfortable standing with (Eye), but I am an Olympic wrestler so I used that to neutralize her counter-punching ability," McMann said. "I was a little more comfortable going in to this fight because of my time training with her in the past, but at the same time I was nervous because she wasn't going to be surprised by anything. I'd love to rematch Miesha as the champion, but if Amanda wins I'd love to rematch her, as well. I just hate my losses and I want to get those back."
McMann, 35, first entered MMA competition as with two amateur bouts in 2010, having her first professional fight in June 2011. She signed with Ultimate Fighting Championships event in February 2013.
McMann started wrestling at age 14 at McDowell High School in Marion, North Carolina. She first wrestled at University of Minnesota-Morris for the 1998-1999 season, then joined the men's wrestling team at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania from 1999-2003. McMann made a name for herself in international competition. In addition to receive a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics at 63 kilograms/138.75 pounds, she also won silver medal in the 2003 World championships and a bronze medal in the 2005 and 2007 World championships.
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