Cat Zingano: I fight for fun, the other girls have something to lose

Debuting UFC fighter Cat Zingano has a lot riding on the line in her first ever trip to the Octagon at tonight’s TUF 17 Finale. Much has been made of her opportunity to potentially face off with reigning champ Ronda Rousey should she get past Miesha Tate. And even more buzz surrounds the TUF 18 coaching spot that accompanies the number one contender spot.

Still, the undefeated Zingano is trying to make light of all the pressure, a very tough thing to do when all the spotlights of the UFC are focused upon her. Zingano told Bleacher Report that she fights for the enjoyment of the sport, and the tests of life are what gave her true experience:

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“I do this for fun. It’s these other girls who have something to lose. It’s really just something that is really enjoyable to me. This is my 12th fight including my amateur career. I have experience but my real experience comes from the other matches I’ve had in different aspects of my life.”

While it’s true that she may be relatively young in her fighting career, she refuses to believe that this is going to contribute to a loss against Tate this evening. Zingano aspires to be extraordinary in the sport of MMA, and obviously a win tonight would put her on the way to becoming a household name. She elaborated on her plans:

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“As a child, I never knew exactly what it was, but I knew I was meant to be great at something. I’m not average. I know what I bring to this sport, and any sport I’ve ever competed in, has been more than what the average person brings.”

She’s going to have to be a lot more than average tonight if she wants to be at a former champion in Tate. But that doesn’t scare her, as she confidently proclaimed:

“We’ll see how it goes, but if I show up myself that night, she’s going to have a lot to deal with.”

We’ll find out tonight just how ready Zingano is for the big stage when she steps into the Octagon. Is Cat Zingano the next threat to Ronda Rousey’s crown?