Vanessa Demopoulos feeling ‘comfortable’ heading into LFA 69

Following a loss in her second pro bout versus Itzel Esquivel at LFA 52 last October, strawweight prospect Vanessa Demopoulos was looking to get back on track when she faced Valerie Ann Marie Soto at LFA 62 this past March.

After three rounds, Demopoulos was able to pick up a majority decision win over Soto. Demopoulos credits a change in camp to helping her rebound with a victory over Soto.

“I had moved to California two weeks prior to that fight happening,” Demopoulos told MMAWeekly.com. “I had changed my entire training camp, game plan and mindset. I moved out here to Black House in LA.

“I went into that fight with pure heart and trusting in my coaches and trusting the process. I felt like it was awesome. I loved the entire experience. It was the best thing I could have done.”

Demopoulos explained the move to Black House came as a result of wanting to shift her focus from Jiu-Jitsu to MMA as her primary sport.

“I went from going from a full time Jiu-Jitsu practitioner competing in professional Jiu-Jitsu and also fighting in MMA to focusing on MMA,” said Demopoulos. “100 percent full-go everything I do is based around being a cage fighter and allowing that process to be my full focus.

“Having training partners who are some of the elite practitioners in the world as well having some of the elite coaches to pair along with that it can’t be any smarter being here. My game has evolved to adapting MMA instead of being a Jiu-Jitsu person who also fights.”

This Friday in Cabazon, California, Demopoulos (2-1) will look to build a winning streak when she faces Nadine Mandiau (0-0) in a main card 115-pound bout at LFA 69.

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“This girl is very much taller than myself and I know she likes to focus on her Jiu-Jitsu, which is something that I’m very confident in,” Demopoulos said of Mandiau.

“I plan on going in there fighting my best fight. I have always been the shorter opponent, so this is nothing new to me. I’m feeling very comfortable with my game plan and skills.”

While Demopoulos would like to move up to the next level in her career before 2019 is out, her main focus is on her bout Friday night.

“I always have a vision for the future,” said Demopoulos. “I would like to be in the UFC before the end of the year; whatever the process is on getting there is great; I love exactly where I am with the LFA right now.

“I’m very much single-sighted to what is directly in front of my face because that is the only thing that matters. Nothing else matters (but my upcoming fight with Mandiau) at this moment coming up for me.”