Gallery Cynthia Calvillo def. Cortney Casey at UFC on ESPN 1: Best photos view 12 images

PHOENIX – After taking a unanimous decision over Cortney Casey on the main card of Sunday’s UFC on ESPN 1, Cynthia Calvillo was quick to respectfully let everyone know that she’d like a fight with Tatiana Suarez next.

Calvillo’s (7-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) courageous call-out immediately caught people’s attention. After all, with recent finishes over Alexa Grasso and Carla Esparza capping off her unbeaten MMA record, Suarez (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) hasn’t exactly been a name we hear coming out of the mouths of many UFC strawweights.

So why did it come out of Calvillo’s?

“Everybody’s like ‘Bird Box,’ they mention Tatiana Suarez and they’re like, ‘Where?’” Calvillo told reporters, including MMAjunkie, after the ESPN-televised bout at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. “They’re looking everywhere else. Honestly, like I said, she’s one of the best in the world. She’s undefeated. Nobody’s able to beat her yet, and I want to be the best.

“I want to be the best in the world, I want to be a champion, and I feel like I don’t want to pick just the right fights to get me to the title. I want to beat the best and, whatever happens, like I said, I want to fight the best and I think she’s one of the best in the world.”

Well, we’ve got some bad news and some good news.

The bad news is that Suarez doesn’t seem that excited about the idea. On Twitter, the wrestling ace and “The Ultimate Fighter 23” winner said she believes she deserves a top-5 opponent – and, assuming she’s referring to the UFC’s official rankings, that group wouldn’t include No. 12-ranked Calvillo at the moment.

I appreciate the compliment by Cynthia but I think I deserve a top five as well. That’s why I consider a title contention fight. 🙏🏽 — Tatiana Suarez (@TSPMMA115) February 18, 2019

Yes! I’d love that — Tatiana Suarez (@TSPMMA115) February 18, 2019

The good news for Calvillo, however, is that she did manage to get a key supported on her side. The call-out, it turns out, was duly noted by UFC president Dana White, who seemed inclined to making it happen during a post-fight show on ESPN+.

“I’m going to tell you this: Nobody’s calling out Tatiana,” White said. “Listen to me, we’re in matchmaking meetings every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday now. Nobody will fight her. Everybody is turning her down, Tatiana, and Cynthia calls her out. I love it. I respect it very much, and I might give it to her.

“Nobody wants to fight Tatiana. Not one person in the top-15 wants to fight this girl. Cynthia actually calls her out, which is pretty incredible.”

Calvillo is is now two wins removed from the first loss of her pro MMA career, brought upon by ex-champ Esparza. She came into Sunday’s bout off a first-round submission of Poliana Botelho at UFC Fight Night 140 last November.

To hear more from Calvillo, check out the video above.

For complete coverage of UFC on ESPN 1, check out the UFC Events section of the site.