In all likelihood, Miranda Granger is fighting for her UFC future.
The Glacier Peak High School graduate and mixed martial arts star returns to the octagon for the first time in almost two years when she takes on Cory McKenna on Saturday in Las Vegas as part of UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Hill.
Granger, who fights out of Charlie’s Combat Club in Everett, originally signed a four-fight contract with UFC, which is MMA’s top promotion. Saturday’s bout is her fourth in UFC, and with a 1-2 record in the previous three Granger, 30, is treating this fight as a must-win if she’s going to get a second contract.
Granger’s last fight was back in November of 2020, when she lost a unanimous decision to Ashley Yoder as part of UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Dos Anjos in Las Vegas. Since then Granger has been on hiatus as she gave birth to her daughter last August.
Saturday’s fight, which is a part of the preliminary card, is a strawweight (115 pounds) bout scheduled for three five-minute rounds. Granger (7-2 as a professional), is ranked 51st in the world among female strawweights by Tapology.com.
Granger’s opponent, McKenna, is a 23-year-old from Wales who is 6-2 as a pro and 1-1 in UFC. In her last fight, which took place in March in London, McKenna lost a split decision to Elise Reed. McKenna is currently ranked by Tapology.com as the 26th-best female strawweight in the world.
Saturday’s card, which is headlined by a men’s light heavyweight bout between Thiago Santos and Jamahal Hill, is being televised by ESPN and ESPN+, with the preliminary card beginning at 4 p.m. Pacific Time and the main card starting at 7 p.m. Granger and McKenna are scheduled to fight second on the preliminary card.
How to watch
Miranda Granger vs. Cory McKenna
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Las Vegas
TV: ESPN/ESPN+
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