Felice Herrig wants title shot with UFC 223 win over Karolina Kowalkiewicz

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Felice Herrig is one of the most veteran women’s fighters in the game. Yet somehow, she still might believe she’s being overlooked.

Herrig (13-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) on Saturday could change that potential perception in a big way with a win over Karolina Kowalkiewicz (11-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC). The strawweights will meet to close out the preilms at UFC 223 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The main card will air on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Herrig has won four straight, but believes the UFC has been keeping bigger-name fighters away from her – until the Kowalkiewicz matchup arrived. Kowalkiewicz is No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA women’s strawweight rankings; Herrig is an honorable mention selection.

“I just like this fight,” Herrig on Wednesday told MMAjunkie in Brooklyn. “I just think it’s a good matchup for me. I like the striking dynamic. I know I keep getting labeled as ‘Felice Herrig, this grappler.’ I’m not saying that I’m not a grappler; I’m definitely a well-rounded fighter. But I came from a striking background. So people forget that’s what I like to do.

“And when I see another technical and skilled striker, I’d like to go back and forth with them. I want to see how my striking matches up with them. … I’d kind of like to have a little striking chess match.”

After a loss to Paige VanZant three years ago, Herrig turned things around with a bonus-winning submission of Kailin Curran in front of her home fans in Chicago. And since then, she has three straight decision victories over Alexa Grasso, Justine Kish and Cortney Casey.

But none of those names comes with the potential boost in the rankings that Kowalkiewicz would give her. Kowalkiewicz fought former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the title in November 2016 and is trying to get back to contention against Herrig.

At 32, like the 33-year-old Herrig, Kowalkiewicz has been around the block. And that’s something Herrig thinks is working to her advantage right now.

“I’m doing what I always knew that I was capable of,” Herrig said. “Over the years, you adjust – and you’re stubborn with certain things. … I started 15 years ago. I think I finally got my (expletive) together.

“I know the sport comes with highs and lows, and there are ups and downs,” Herrig said. “I think the more I can just stay even-keel and not get too full of myself or not get too down on myself with wins and losses, the better off I’ll be.”

But it may be hard to not be a little full of herself if she runs her strawweight winning streak to five, which would be the division’s best. With the title on the line between Rose Namajunas and Jedrzejczyk in the UFC 223 co-main event, Herrig no doubt will be looking in closely if she beats Kowalkiewicz.

“I believe that I would deserve a title shot after a five-fight win streak against the fourth-ranked girl,” she said.

For more from Herrig, check out the video above.

And for more on UFC 223, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.