Felicia Spencer Focused on SUG 19 Before Considering Return to Cage

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Felicia Spencer has not stepped into the Ultimate Fighting Championship Octagon since a one-sided defeat at the hands of two-division champion Amanda Nunes. For some fighters, a speedy return is often the required medicine to rid the bitter taste of a difficult setback. However, for Spencer, long-term health became her priority after such a damaging loss. Especially when it was the course of action suggested by several fighters and a certain former champ-champ.

“After my fight I told the UFC that I did want time to recover. I listened to a lot of experienced fighters and their opinions on coming back too soon. And there’s a lot of different opinions on it [but] I know I took a lot of damage on June 6, so I’m not delusional about the level of damage I took,” Spencer told Sherdog with a laugh. “I didn’t get finished, I didn’t get knocked out, but I did take a lot of damage, and I didn’t want to come back too soon. Then have that be the turning point where the lights to do go out in my fights, or something like that. [Daniel Cormier] had a lot of interesting comments about it on his show shortly after my fight. It really made me want to stay away and also it kind of was nice to sit back and not stress about who I might fight.”

Along with talking about her hiatus, the 30-year-old spoke about her hopes for a return early next year. She also gave her thoughts on the upcoming title clash between Nunes and Megan Anderson. Plus, she went in-depth on her Dec. 20 championship match for Chael Sonnen’s grappling promotion Submission Underground and how she landed her SUG 19 co-main event spot.