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Josefine Knutsson talks new fight and predicts the next Allstars member to sign with UFC
Josefine Knutsson. Photo via Käftsmällspodden and Instagram (@josefinethunder)
As Frontkick was first to report, undefeated Swedish UFC fighter Josefine “Thunder” Knutsson (8-0) is set for her next assignment.
She will take on Venezuela’s Piera Rodríguez (9-2) in a three-round strawweight bout at a UFC card in Tampa, Florida, on December 14.
The fact that the pairing briefly trained together at Allstars Training Center a few years back will make the fight even more interesting.
“Piera was preparing for her UFC debut,” Knutsson tells Frontkick in an exclusive interview. “Even though I just had two or three pro MMA fights at the time, I thought her takedowns and takedown defense wasn’t very impressive. It was easy to hold her down, even though I’m coming from a striking background. But she got good boxing and good movement.”
“We would have clashed sooner or later”
After her last win in June, the Swede wanted to fight at least twice more in 2024. But as it turned out, she will have to wait six months between the fights.
“We let UFC know that we were ready to take a fight on short notice. However, when Piera’s team reached out and proposed a fight we of course agreed. Even though we know each other from before we would have clashed sooner or later. I’m just happy to get a fight before the end of 2024.”
If everything goes according to plan, we will see way more of “Thunder” in 2025.
“My goal is to be more active next year. I want at least three fights and be ranked before the end of 2025. That’s my goal. In two years I hope to fight for the title. I aim high but you have to take it fight by fight.”
Is it even possible to have a long-term plan in MMA?
“It’s very hard for sure,” Knutsson laughs. “I wish it was possible, but in the end you have to take it fight by fight and really do the best of the opportunities you get. It’s awesome to be in the UFC, it was one of my goals to get here, but it’s here that the hard work really begins. It’s a lot of pressure but I’m so motivated and positive.”
Josefine Knutsson interview. Photo via YouTube
Swedish MMA is on the rise
Swedish MMA is definitely on the rise. Josefine Knutsson, Guram Kutateladze and Felipe Lima won important UFC fights this summer, and just a few days back Andreas “Bane” Gustafsson secured his UFC contract with a brutal finish at Dana White’s Contender Series.
“It feels like little Sweden is taking over the scene. It’s just awesome! It feels like we got momentum right now. It’s hard to say why we got flow, since we are fighters from different gyms, but everyone in Sweden who’s aiming for the top is looking at each other and are following each other. It feels like we motivate each other.”
The fact that Sweden has more promotions than ever is also an important factor, according to Knutsson.
“Allstars is a gym known to create UFC fighters and now when we can match our fighters at Allstars Fight Night it creates a lot of opportunities for them. It’s so much easier to keep going and getting matches regularly. That gives our team members a feeling of ‘if they can do it, I can do it too’. We all train side by side everyday.”
So, who is the next Allstars fighter to get to the UFC?
“Mark Vologdin could be the next guy. He’s got the perfect combination of being a great fighter and being humble. He’s a complete fighter in every way,” Knutsson says. “On the female side we have Aitana Alvarez who’s competing in OKTAGON MMA at the moment. She moved up from strawweight and will really deliver at flyweight. I think she will be in the UFC shortly. She’s a scary fighter to face!”
Want to read more about Josefine Knutsson?
- Inside the training camp of undefeated UFC fighter Josefine Knutsson
- Josefine Knutsson interview: “The whole Swedish MMA fan base is with us”
