Veta Arteaga Knows What She Signed Up for at Bellator 161 | MMAWeekly.com

After time in the amateur ranks, flyweight prospect Veta Arteaga stepped up into the professionals this year with back-to-back wins.

Coming off a split-decision win over Ashley Deen in February, Arteaga made her undercard debut for Bellator in May with a unanimous decision win over Jackie Vandenburgh. And while happy she got the wins, she feels her performances weren’t quite up to her standards.

“I was a little nervous, even though I’d fought before as an amateur, but I kind of hesitated because it was a pro fight,” Arteaga told MMAWeekly.com. “My performance wasn’t the best.

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“I fought in Bellator this last fight, and I felt better about my performance and training camp. I think it’s only going to get better from here on out, so I’m looking forward to having a better performance than my last two.”

Now for her third fight, Arteaga is set to make her televised debut in her next Bellator fight. Arteaga believes having gotten to this point so early in her career is more of a motivator than a pressure thing.

“I just like to embrace everything,” she said. “I feel like if I worry about things or over-think things, it kind of takes away from living in the moment. I just try to go with it and embrace all these steps I’ve been taking in MMA.

“It’s not really pressure. If anything, I just want to go in there, have fun, have a good performance, and get a W.”

For her TV debut, Arteaga (2-0) will face fellow undefeated up-and-comer Anastacia Yankova (3-0) in a main card 125-pound bout at Bellator 161 on Friday in Cedar Park, Texas.

“I think we’re pretty well matched,” said Arteaga of Yankova. “I’m really looking forward to going to Texas and have my best performance yet.

“I know she’s going to be a tough opponent. I know she’s not going to take it light one me, but neither am I. We both know what we signed up for. I have a lot of respect for her and I’m looking forward to it.”

Should she come out with a win and healthy against Yankova, Arteaga is eager to continue the roll she’s been on this year and take any opportunity that comes her way.

“If I come out healthy, I don’t mind having four or five fights this year,” Arteaga said. “Going back-to-back training camps kind of keeps me going as far as eating healthy and staying healthy.

“I’d have to talk it over with my manager and see what my next step will be. I’ll try to take it one fight at a time and see what happens.”

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