UFC 271: Casey O’Neill ‘sick of hearing about’ Roxanne Modafferi’s retirement – ‘it should really be about my next step’
- Scottish-Australian O’Neill out to ‘spoil the party’ for retiring Modafferi on Saturday in Houston
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Casey O’Neill believes the media and fans are fixated on the wrong storyline ahead of her fight with Roxanne Modafferi.
The 24-year-old Scottish-Australian will meet 35-year-old MMA veteran Modafferi on the undercard of Saturday’s UFC 271 event in Houston, Texas. The bout will be the last of Modafferi’s 45-fight career.
Modafferi’s retirement has dominated much of the pre-fight press – to the point that O’Neill believes her story is being ignored.
“I’m sick of hearing about the retirement,” she told the Post ahead of the fight.
“Everyone talks about the retirement over and over again. I’m on a big win streak, and she’s lost her last three. I feel like the retirement’s the only reason people are talking about [this fight]. It should really be about my next step.”
O’Neill (8-0) isn’t sure what the next step will be if she gets by Modafferi (25-19) on Saturday night, but with a spotless pro record that includes finishes in her first three UFC bouts, she’s hoping for another big step up the rankings.
“Anything on another pay-per-view would be nice,” she said. “Someone on a win streak, someone ranked above me.