Tecia Torres Looks Past Angela Hill At ‘UFC 188,’ Targets Jessica Penne First In Taking Out Others In Top Ten Of Division

For a while, many MMA fans thought that Tecia Torres would become the next big thing in the UFC strawweight division. Torres is fast, an explosive striker, athletic, and is currently 5-0 in her pro career. Not to mention, Torres’ win over Angela Magana was a dominant display of her presence, in which all her accolades up to this point ranks her at number five in the UFC women’s strawweight division.

Now Tecia Torres has the chance to show everyone once again her dominance at UFC 188. However, it is now reported that, at this moment, Torres is looking past UFC 188, gunning to take on the others in the top ten of her division. Tecia Torres’ first potential victim: Jessica Penne.

Before reporting on the tension between Tecia Torres and Jessica Penne, it must be explained that Torres was called to fight against Angela Hill. Apparently, the main reason for the fight being made is because UFC is honoring Torres’ request to fight in Mexico City after promoting the strawweight division on a media tour. Though Torres is delighted to be fighting in a place she desires to fight in, she is not so pleased that she was paired off with Hill, a fighter who is 2-0 and ranked number fifteen in the women’s strawweight division, as reported by Fox Sports.

“Nothing against her, but with every fight I want to get closer and closer to that belt and a win against her is expected. For her to beat me is everything to her.”

From the statement above, Tecia Torres wants to fight those in her division that will help her climb the ranks to a title shot against current strawweight champion, Jessica Jedrzejczyk. Nevertheless, Torres pushed those ambitions to the side and is concentrating on her fight against Angela Hill through a realignment of her expectations. Instead, Tecia Torres is seeing the major positives of the fight, especially the fact she’s opening up the main card and fighting under Cain Velasquez.

“It’s going to be a bunch of butterflies, I’m sure, but I’m just telling myself this is what I’ve chosen to do and it’s what I love. I’m just super pumped. I’m fighting under Cain and opening up the main card. It’s surreal.”

The realignment of expectations didn’t last long once Tecia Torres was asked about the upcoming fight between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Jessica Penne for the title at UFC Fight Night 69 in Berlin, Germany, as reported by MMA Junkie. Though Torres was civil in giving her opinion about who would win, she made it clear that it is not the fight fans wanted to see in the first place.

“I know that me fighting Joanna is a fight fans would want to see more than Penne.”

Though it be minute, Tecia Torres pretty much took a verbal jab at Jessica Penne with that statement. And though elements of her personal opinion are expressed, Torres’ is ultimately saying such to remain prevalent in UFC. She doesn’t want to go on another six-month hiatus waiting for her next fight. If targeting the others in the top ten is what it takes to remain prevalent in pursuit of a title shot, then that is what Tecia Torres will do.

“I’m in no rush to get a title fight; I definitely want within the next year, but two more fights, and I’d be deserving of it. I’ll definitely have my hand raised, but if I can do it in impressive fashion, that would be amazing.”

[Image via Tecia Torres’ Facebook Page]