Victoria Souza concedes Alyse Anderson’s tricky build made life difficult for her in Denver: “She has a much bigger wingspan”
Victoria Souza knew she would face a tough test against the lengthy Alyse Anderson at ONE 168: Denver.
Following a shocking upset against Japanese superstar Itsuki Hirata at ONE 167 in June, 'Vick' returned to the Circle at Ball Arena determined to take another big step toward atomweight title contention.
Standing in her way was Anderson, a rough-and-tumble product from American Top Team boasting a 100 percent finish rate under the ONE Championship banner.
Despite giving up considerable size and length, Souza managed to get the job done, earning her third win in ONE and ninth overall.
Speaking with ONE Championship following her big win, Souza knew that getting the win over 'Lil Savage' would be no easy task given her size advantage and impeccable ground game.
Souza said:
“I expected a very tough fight. She has a much bigger wingspan than me and has some really good ground skills because of her long legs and elasticity."
'Vick' is now 9-2 in her mixed martial arts career.
Victoria Souza balances her MMA career with a passion for dentistry
While Victoria Souza continues to establish herself as a rising force in the atomweight division, the Brazilian beauty is building a budding career outside of the cage as a dentist. Speaking to the promotion, she said:
"I’ve always been interested in watching things about teeth. I used to watch videos of surgeries on YouTube and Instagram Reels. It was an addiction. Then I thought, ‘This is what I want.’ I started doing it, and I loved it. I’ve already done the first phase and loved it, and now in August, I’m going to start the second period."
Since she began studying dentistry, 'Vick' believes that her mind has grown sharper which has had a positive impact on her mixed martial arts training. She continued:
"Studying is something I like, and I believe it helps me. Athletes don’t just have to train their bodies. Athletes have to train their minds, too. It helps me stay focused, maintain concentration, and it’s even improved my training."
Considering how well her last two appearances inside the Circle have gone, Souza may be onto something.
If you missed any of the action, ONE Championship fans in the United States and Canada can watch the ONE 168: Denver replay on demand via Amazon Prime Video.