Iasmin Lucindo has the prospect break Jon Jones’ file because the youngest UFC champion in historical past, however she’s not treating that as a profession objective.
Lucindo has received three in a row within the UFC, defeating veteran Karolina Kowalkiewicz in her most up-to-date look this previous Might, and now faces top-ranked Marina Rodriguez at UFC 307 on Saturday night time. Lucindo would want to clinch the UFC strawweight belt by Sept. 5, 2025, to interrupt Jones’ file (23 years 242 days).
“[The title shot] would possibly come [in 2025], however I used to be hurried earlier than in my life to make issues occur, so now I simply need to stay the second,” Lucindo stated in an interview with MMA Preventing. “I need to take issues gradual and benefit from the second. I’m in no rush, however I need to present my work and evolution. The extra fights I’ve earlier than the belt, the extra skilled I shall be. No rush. If it comes subsequent 12 months, nice. If it is available in three years, it’s nice as nicely.”
Lucindo, who turns 23 in January, began combating skilled at age 14 after taking martial arts courses to defend her mom and aunts from home violence. Lucindo says that breaking Jones’ file could be “superior,” however learns from errors made by others who’ve tried that previously and failed.
“I see the brand new era on a rush to make issues occur, and the extra you rush issues up, the longer it takes,” Lucindo stated. “We have now to respect the method. If it’s meant to occur, it is going to. I’m right here. I’m respecting the method and evolving. but when it’s not meant to be, we now have different data to interrupt [laughs].”
“Additionally, I’m rooting for Virna to be the following champion,” she continued, referring to coaching companion Virna Jandiroba, who faces Tatiana Suarez at UFC 310 on Dec. 7. “We joke that I’ll get there when she retires. I hope Virna turns into champion as a result of she deserves so much. Earlier than we began coaching collectively, she confirmed me it was potential, so I really need her to grow to be champion.”
Lucindo sees the Rodriguez match-up as “an ideal alternative” to show herself towards probably the greatest strikers within the division, and admits “I didn’t count on that chance” sitting so low within the rankings.
“I’m a striker, and each striker likes to battle, and also you’re positively getting quarter-hour of battle,” Lucindo stated. “I like challenges like this. Marina and I, that’s going to be a really technical battle. She’s going to get one of the best out of me, as a result of she’s a high striker. I consider I can [knock her out] however we now have to watch out as a result of we’re coping with a striker and we don’t waste alternatives. I consider I’ve a very good technique to get that knockout.”
