Gabi Garcia plans to knock out Bárbara Nepomuceno at Rizin 14

G. Garcia will have the sixth fight of his MMA career. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @gabigarciaofficial

Gabi Garcia will face Bárbara Nepomuceno at Rizin 14 at catchweight (up to 102,5 kg). The rivalry that emerged on social media will be resolved inside the cage on December 31st in Saitama (Japan). With just a week to go before the Japanese MMA organization's last event, the Rio Grande do Sul woman leaves jiu-jitsu aside and plans to knock out her rival.

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Gabi Garcia faces Barbara Nepomuceno at Rizin 14

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“I think I’ll win by knockout. Jiu-jitsu will always be my plan A, but I want to knock her out. Testing my hands and my kickboxing. I have been training kickboxing every day. It won't be as good as hers, of course. If I release 15 blows, she will release 30. But we have a good strategy. Jiu-jitsu will always be number 1 and I will always count on that. My wrestling is sharp, but I want to challenge myself. If my hand fits, it would be great for me”, said Gabi in an interview with the North American website MMA Fighting.

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A debutant in professional MMA, Bárbara is a former WGP Kickboxing champion. The native of Espírito Santo is coming off a knee injury that took her out of a fight on November 24th at the event. Remembering this, Garcia hopes that her opponent doesn't make excuses to fight a duel.

“I don't know what went through her head, maybe she felt her knee, but the only thing I expect from her is that she is 100% in the fight. No excuses. If you accept a fight, don't make excuses for the fight. She challenged me at any weight and now she's saying that I'm heavier than her, that I'm better on the ground... But she's the one who has the most experience in the ring”, said the jiu-jitsu black belt.

PUBLICITY:

Gabi Garcia will face her compatriot in the sixth fight of her professional MMA career. In five fights, the Brazilian has five victories. The jiu-jitsu champion was scheduled to face Shinobu Kandori, but the fight was canceled after the Rio Grande do Sul woman was 12,7kg over her agreed weight.