The former women’s flyweight title challenger is a free agent after the UFC chose not to offer her a new contract upon the expiration of her latest deal.
“The first time I heard it, I was a little shocked,” Chookagian told reporters at the UFC on ESPN 32 post-fight news conference. “Being (ranked) No. 2 coming off a two-fight win streak … I beat, I don’t know what ranks they are, but No. 2, 3, 4, 5. I beat most girls who are in the top 10 already with dominant performances, so I thought it was just kind of a given.
“I think for a day, I was thrown back a bit. But then it’s like, ‘Whatever.’ You just have to fight. So I’ve been focused on the fight. I was confident. I knew I would win. I was just like, ‘Whatever.’ If I get a dominant performance, I’d be coming off a three-fight win streak going into the next contract instead of a two-fight. It was just a little more motivation.”