New Mexico’s Amaya fights for UFC contract

Melissa Amaya, a native of New Mexico, stepped onto the scale weighing in at 116 pounds on Friday for her upcoming MMA fight scheduled for Saturday night. The outcome of this bout could potentially secure a UFC contract for Amaya, who is currently boasting an impressive 8-0 record. Amaya secured her spot in Saturday's The Ultimate Fighter final by defeating her opponents Ana Melisano in the first round via submission and Giovanna Canuto in the second round via TKO after a near submission in the first round.

The sole obstacle in Amaya's path to a potential UFC deal is Brazil's Tina Black, whose record stands at 15-4. In an interview with UFC, Amaya expressed her disbelief and awe at the opportunity that Saturday's fight presents, stating she cannot find the right words to describe her feelings about the chance to face such a formidable opponent.

Amaya's journey to the big stage has been far from ordinary. After earning her nursing degree at the University of New Mexico, she battled severe depression, married, and worked full-time as a nurse in Spokane. However, it was the unexpected emergence of her MMA career that truly made headlines. Amaya described her upcoming bout with Black as the "cherry on top" of her accomplishments.

Regardless of the outcome of her fight, Amaya has stated she has no intentions of abandoning her nursing career. She expressed her love for nursing, describing it as a means of serving others in this world. The Amaya-Black fight is expected to be the first bout on Saturday's main card, set to commence at 6 p.m. The entire event will be streamed live on Paramount+.