Sijara Eubanks embracing recent fan backlash: ‘You’re gonna tune in to watch me’

Sijara Eubanks has received her fare share of fan backlash over the last few weeks. First, it was when she was briefly linked to a UFC 230 main event flyweight title fight with Valentina Shevchenko. Then, it was when missed weight for the UFC 230 fight she ultimately got, an undercard scrap with former title challenger Roxanne Modafferi.

While Sijara Eubanks has of course heard this backlash, she’s not letting it bother her. Instead, she’s embracing it, as she knows her haters will be tuning in to watch her next fight.

Besides, she’s gets all the support she needs from her inner circle.

“I’m having a blast, yo,” Sijara Eubanks told MMA Fighting after defeating Roxanne Modafferi at UFC 230. “I just fought at Madison Square Garden. It was a tough fight. It was a wonderful fight against a wonderful opponent. My family came out — I’ve got a lot of family that’s never been able to come out and watch me fight cause of the travel. I had a blast. A couple of people booed me, but a lot of people cheered me too. At the end of the day, a lot more people know me than they did about three weeks ago, so I’m happy about it, I’m having fun.

“Thanks to Joe [Rogan], a lot of people know who I am now,” she continued. “Thanks to me missing [weight] by a pound, a lot of people know who I am now. It is what it is, yo. What’s most important to me… I kind of do poke at fans, I kind of do [say] ‘ah go ahead, boo me,’ you know? I have a little relish in it. But what’s most important to me closest circle. My coaches love me, my family loves me, my daughter loves me. All of that’s important to me.”

“A couple people boo? Why not. You’re going to tune in to watch me next time. ‘I hate her, I hope she gets her head knocked in.’ But you’re gonna watch the fight so it is what it is.”

Are we watching Sijara Eubanks make a heel-turn?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 11/6/2018.