When she first began training mixed martial arts, New Iberia native Carli Judice knew that the ultimate goal was to make it to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. When a snort-notice opportunity to compete for a UFC contract at Dana White’s Contender Series presented itself last September, it was too good to pass up, even with just weeks to prepare.

Judice (3-1) lost that fight in a tight split decision, but her talent and tenacity impressed UFC president Dana White so much that he offered her a contract anyway.

Now, Judice is preparing to step into the octagon for the first time as a UFC fighter on June 15, when she will face off against Brazilian lightweight Gabriella Fernandes in UFC Fight Night 162: Perez vs Taira at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.

“It’s the biggest stage that you can be on, so my nerves will be a little different but the nerves before the contender series were similar and I’ve been through that and I can use it to handle it better,” Judice said. “I’ve been doing ice baths and breath work, trying to get used to those nerves and controlling my breathing. I’m also more prepared, so that gives me confidence knowing that there’s no stone left unturned, I’ve done everything I could to prepare for that moment.”

Following her UFC contract signing, Judice was left waiting for the phone call that would let her know when she would be making her debut. Unlike previous fights, Judice was given ample time to prepare.

“I’m feeling really good and really prepared. I’ve been preparing pretty much since my last fight, a week after I was back in the gym,” she said. “We’ve been waiting since then to hear about a date. It’s been an eight-month layoff, which is the longest that I’ve ever had, but it gives me more time to prepare. I’m more prepared than ever, more in shape than ever, and I’m just ready to perform.”

A big difference for Judice’s preparation for this fight is her training schedule. While Judice has been a professional MMA fighter for years, her contract with the UFC enabled her to quit her job and focus on training full-time, something that she wasn’t able to do previously.

“Most of my training has been the same, but the biggest difference was that I’ve been able to quit my 9-5 job and focus on this full time,” Judice explained. “I feel so much more like a professional athlete. I train in the morning, recover midday, then come back to practice at night. My whole day is thinking about this sport and how to get my body recovered for the next workout. That’s a big difference coming into this.”

Judice is one of the best strikers in Louisiana, able to deliver knockout blows with her hands, knees, elbows and feet. Before her latest fight, all of her previous wins had come in the first round, so a full 15-minute bout was something she had only ever done in training. This time, she’s prepared to give 100% all the way until the final bell.

“You always want to finish it early so it can all be over with and you can go get some food,” she joked. “All of my other fights were first-round finishes, so I kind of felt invincible in a way. When you go 15 minutes, you realize that you can’t just knock everybody out, so I definitely changed my training sessions to figure out how I can be comfortable in that uncomfortable cardio push. The rounds are designed to be difficult, you can’t ever really be in shape for them. You have to push through that, and that’s what I’ve worked on all through camp.”

Judice’s opponent is a well-rounded veteran, claiming wins by knockout, decision and submission previously. With Judice’s strong striking ability, she expects her opponent to look to take the fight to the mat.

“I think that she’s predominantly a striker, but being that she is 0-2 in the UFC, she might use jiu jitsu knowing that I don’t come from a jiu jitsu background,” she said. “We’re expecting her to try to grapple with me, so we’ve definitely prepared for that in camp. Being in shape helps with that as well. Shooting takedowns makes you tired, so if I can stop those and get us back to where I’m comfortable, I should be able to push the pace. I’ve noticed that she gets tired a little faster, so that’s another advantage to cardio training.”

Judice said that, while the rookie usually comes into the fight with a bit more motivation, her opponent’s losing record in the UFC so far will make the contest a must-win for both of them.

“I think we’re both hungry and that’s what is going to make this fight crazy good,” Judice said. “She can’t lose this next one and I want to win my UFC debut. I think we’re both going for the win, so we’re going to clash and put on a show.”

Fans can tune in to UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ and ESPN2 on Saturday, June 15. Prelims are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., with the main card starting at 6 p.m. Judice’s fight will be the fourth prelim match of the night.

Carli Judice Stats

Age: 25

Height: 5’7”

Reach: 68” (Leg Reach: 38”)

Weight: 125.5” lbs.

Gabriella Fernandes stats

Age: 30

Height: 5’6”

Reach: 66”

Weight: 126 lbs.

Carli Judice’s Previous Fights:

Professional

1. Ernesta Kareckaite Loss · Decision · Split

Contender Series 2023 2023.09.26

2. Monica Medina Win · KO/TKO · 3:16 · R1

Bayou FC 59 2023.05.27

3. Tara Pagano Win · Strikes · 4:36 · R1

Shogun Fights 26 2023.03.25

4. Ivana Coleman Win · Head Kick · 0:17 · R1

Caged Warrior Championship 27 2022.10.15

Amateur

1. Anna Crutchfield Win · Decision · Unanimous

Gulf Coast MMA 15 2022.03.19

2. Kyleigh Lopez Win · Decision · Unanimous

Gulf Coast MMA 12 2021.09.11

3. Lauren Black Win · Punches · 1:16 · R1

Empire FC 10 2021.03.27

4. Taylor Dagner Win · Body Kick to Ground & Pound · 2:02 · R2

Empire FC 9 2021.02.27