Sabina Mazo says she has been learning a thing or two from one of the biggest legends in the sport of MMA.
The Colombian prospect fights Saturday against Justine Kish at UFC on ESPN+ 35, which streams live on ESPN+ from UFC Apex in Las Vegas. And leading up to her flyweight contest, Mazo (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has been getting ready with former UFC, Strikeforce, Invicta FC and current Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg. The two have been training together at Kings MMA in California.
Mazo attributes much of her recent growth to having Cyborg in her camp.
“It’s been amazing; she’s helped me grow a lot,” Mazo said on Monday’s episode of “Hablemos MMA.” “The last few months we’ve been training together, and I always learn from her. The amount of experience she has speaks volumes when we’re training. You can see it once she steps on the mat and all of her knowledge.
“For me, it’s been a great opportunity. And as a person, she’s great. Everyone knows about her accolades, but as a person, she’s great, and she’s very sweet. As a human being, she’s very nice, so it’s been very rewarding. For me, I would say it’s a dream come true, but I didn’t even dream of that, so it’s been a great experience leading up to this fight.”
Cyborg would seemingly have a lot to teach any up-and-coming fighter, given her vast experience and knowledge in the fight game. Out of all the things the 23-year-old Mazo can pick up from the Bellator champion, the “Colombian Queen” said she believes Cyborg’s fierce attitude is one of the biggest takeaways.
“I think the attitude she has when it comes down to training and sparring,” Mazo said. “The attitude she has towards her opponents. I have obviously learned a lot from her technique-wise, but the energy that she has when it’s time to spar, that conviction, that attitude, is the biggest thing I’ve seen and taken away from her.”
Mazo is currently on a two-fight winning streak in the UFC. The former LFA champion is on a good run and feels a victory over Kish could unlock ranked opposition for her future.