Talita Alencar hopes to not only pick up an impressive victory Saturday, but to parlay that success into a number of other important things — including a new UFC contract.
Alencar faces Ariane Carnelossi in a strawweight matchup at UFC Vegas 110. The three-time IBJJF world champion is 2-1 in the UFC as she enters the final bout of her introductory contract with the promotion. After defeating Vanessa Demopoulos in April, “Problem Child” hopes her performance can get her locked into a second deal, and with that, enable her to remain in the U.S.
“Oh, it’s very exciting to be back, of course, in the biggest octagon of the world,” Alencar told MMA Fighting. “Everybody wants to be in the UFC. It’s pretty exciting to be there because, besides I’m fighting another Brazilian.
“There is a backstory in in everything. I’m fighting to renew my contract. I’m fighting to show a better performance, you know what I mean? I’m fighting for my visa to stay in United States, so I’m fighting for all these things, so I have a lot of things to be fighting for.”
Alencar won her octagon debut, but then dropped a decision to Stephanie Luciano — who she also faced on the Contender Series with that bout ending in a draw. The octagon loss to Luciano was the first of her MMA career, which she transitioned towards in 2021, earning three straight submission wins for Titan FC, as well as a unanimous decision victory in her lone bout for LFA.
With the high stakes of the fight this Saturday, Alencar is doing her best to only focus on what she can control when she faces Carnelossi.
“Yeah, it’s just things that definitely are there, but are not [at the same time],” Alencar said of the stakes. “In the beginning, it was more like [a] bother [to] me, you know? But then I realized that none of this matters because it won’t change the way I’m going to perform. It just makes me like feel that I need to perform even better — not that I have something to prove, but I got to prove something for myself.
“I got to be better. I got to come there and finish somebody, or ground and pound, cut, blood everywhere, and that’s what I’m looking at.”
Carnelossi is a 15-fight veteran set to make her sixth octagon appearance. It will be the 32-year-old’s first fight in 17 months since she won via disqualification due to intentional headbutts by opponent Piera Rodriguez — a fight that ended a two-year layoff. Prior to that, Carnelossi dropped a decision to Loopy Godinez at UFC 274 in May 2022, but finished her prior two opponents in 2021.
Alencar knows she has a tough challenge ahead, but a win could lead to that new contract she desires, and a little more wiggle room to start a run in the 115-pound division.
“Oh, that would be amazing, best day in the office,” Alencar said. “It doesn’t change anything, you know? Like, we have a [Plan A and Plan B]. Of course, everybody wants to be in the UFC, but there are so many other places to be, but that’s where I want to retire. I would like to retire [in the UFC], and I have like probably, let’s say, five years left.
“Look at Angela Hill, ans all of the other ladies that are still very active. So, I feel very young. It’s just not an age, it’s just a tank, and you can tell. There are guys in the UFC, they keep performing very well and almost fighting for the belt [late and their careers], and definitely, I’m going to keep pushing too if I can.”
