NORFOLK (WAVY) – Miranda Maverick has been very busy pursuing her PhD from Old Dominion University, where she’s also an assistant teacher. Her students would be wise to turn in their assignments on time.
Outside of the classroom, Maverick spends much of her time inside the octagon. Once one of the top-ranked mix martial artists in the country, Maverick, 23, is now considered a rising star in the UFC.
“Miranda has the potential to be the champion of the world in her division,” said House of Muay Thai owner Jacob Chamberlain, who’s also Mavericks’ striking coach.
Maverick fights in what’s called the “flyweight” division, or 125 pounds and below. She first became a mixed-martial artist 18-years old, turned pro a year later, and last weekend made her big-stage debut at UFC 254.
It was at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, the sport’s current COVID-19-safe getaway, where Maverick put the UFC world on notice, knocking out Liana Jojua in the first round with a nasty elbow that broke Jojua’s nose. The fight was called after the first round.
“I expected to be going to round two, just finish out the fight, and actually finish her in the middle of a round…didn’t happen that way. I still got the win,” said Maverick.
Always one to set lofty goals, the self-described farm girl from Missouri plans to fight for a title in the not-too-distant future.
“My goal is to be a world champ within the next five years,” she said.
If everything works out, she also plans to have her degree from ODU around the same time.
