Amanda Lino views Title Defense as Stepping Stone to more greatness

“I wouldn’t say this is the biggest fight of my life, I would rather consider Manon Fiorot to be the biggest challenge simply because she’s been up there for the UFC Flyweight title, but I take on every fight because every fight brings brings a different aspect and opportunity. This fight for me is a stepping stone to land a contract with the UFC or the PFL. There’s different ways of looking at each fight and each opponent brings something different,” explained the Balito-based Champion.

While Lino has long term plans on her mind, she is not looking past the game bred Juliet Chukwu, the current bantamweight Champion who has won each of her last seven fights before deciding to chase the double-champ status by taking on Lino…

“I’m not taking away from the fact that Juliet is a great opponent, she’s earned her spot as the bantamweight champion, but in terms of what this fight means for me, this is just a stepping stone to where I want to be. I want to defend my belt, cement my legacy, and then just build my career into the next chapter.

A significant catalyst for the 35-year-old’s growth inside the cage has been her role outside of it as a coach.

“Being a coach sometimes and teaching other people can indirectly lead to you teaching yourself more things. Different athletes look at things in different ways, so people will have different perspectives on things like movements and techniques. I think it’s brought a lot of maturity in my game because I’m having to tell the other fighters how to unlock different positions and how to reset. As much as I’m teaching young fighters, they’re also teaching me on a daily basis."

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Lino notes that balancing her own ambitions with team leadership requires care and focus, especially as her gym continues to grow…

“The youngsters are really coming through. We just had four of our athletes from the Mad Dog Performance Institute be selected for the SA Team. I’m really proud of them, and after my time off, I’ve had to be slightly selfish but they’re very understanding, and everyone is excited about this next fight.

Having arrived in Johannesburg approximately two weeks before the fight to acclimatize, Lino seems primed and ready to deliver another win and she's adamant to remain the only woman in EFC history to hold two belts simultaneously.

"And you know what the thing is, as a female athlete, we kind of always have something to prove. We have been doing our thing for a very long time in a male dominated sport. So, we automatically have this drive to want to prove ourselves. I enjoy fighting, competing, and leaving it all out there, and I plan on delivering the fans another show on June 4.”