After 40 hours in transit, UFC Fight Night 99's Marion Reneau ready for London trip

BELFAST – UFC women’s bantamweight Marion Reneau estimates she and her team spent 40 hours traveling to Belfast for a fight with Milana Dudieva on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 99.

“We counted,” she said backstage after a dominant third-round stoppage of Dudieva (11-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC), which streamed on UFC Fight Pass from SSE Arena Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Reneau (7-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) arrived one day later than expected and was forced to condense her pre-fight preparation for the bout. She also packed a little too light, apparently forgetting about the chilly Irish air in November.

“Why didn’t somebody tell me that I would need a parka, some gloves and apple-bottom jeans?” asked the 39-year-old Californian.

Reneau warmed up quickly in the octagon, though, and she worked over Dudieva in the clinch before landing in mount and forcing a referee stoppage with elbows. After two straight decision losses, she was determined not to go to the scorecards.

She also made it her mission to get a fight with onetime title challenger Bethe Correia, whom she claims turned down an overture to fight on three occasions. There was no mistaking the message this time as she closed out her victory speech.

“Three times she has played the duck role, so Bethe Correia, this is your official callout,” Reneau said of the Brazilian fighter, who’s No. 15 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA women’s bantamweight rankings. “You said you wanna dance – let’s dance.”

Like Reneau, Correia recently snapped a two-fight skid after outpointing Jessica Eye at UFC 203. She now trains in the states at the famed American Kickboxing Academy, not too far from where Reneau works out.

But to make the matchup work, Reneau will gladly travel, and even get back on a plane to hop over the pond.

“You’re going to fly me out to London? Mmm, yeah,” said Reneau, referring to the promotion’s upcoming trip to the U.K. for UFC Fight Night 108 in March. “Let’s go. Wherever she wants to fight.”

This time, Reneau will try to pack a little better.

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 99, check out the UFC Events section of the site.