JOANNE CALDERWOOD wants a UFC title shot if she beats Katlyn Chookagian next month.

The Scottish flyweight, 32, takes on the No2-ranked American at UFC 238 in Chicago on Saturday.

4 Joanne Calderwood wants a UFC title shot

She heads to the Windy City on a two-fight winning streak and is yet to lose in the division since moving up from strawweight last year.

UFC president Dana White told her to be ready for a title fight after the pair met at the promotion's Las Vegas performance institute back in March.

And Calderwood has now admitted she wants the opportunity to fight either current champion Valentina Shevchenko or her challenger Jessica Eye, who will also face each other in Chicago, if she beats Chookagian.

Speaking exclusively to SunSport Online, she said: "For sure.

4 Calderwood faces the media Credit: Michael Schofield - The Sun Glasgow

"Just over this last year-and-a-half, I've realised that I've been doing this for 20 years and I'm finally fully confident in being who I am.

"This is my destiny and I'm where I'm supposed to be. Right now, I've got a great opportunity and I'm not going to take that lightly.

"Chookagian is No2 and she just closely lost to Jessica Eye, who is fighting on the same card as me.

"I'm not seeing that as a coincidence. I'm seeing that as my destiny, this is what is supposed to happen and I'm going to go in there and fight to my full potential.

"It's supposed to happen like this.

"I'm going to be in the Octagon first on the night so as soon as I win, I'm going to go backstage and watch Shevchenko vs Eye to see who I'm fighting next."

Calderwood faces a tough test against Chookagian when she faces up to the 30-year-old inside the Octagon.

The New Jersey native has just two defeats on her record and and has only lost one of her previous four fights.

4 Calderwood in action against Valerie Letourneau in 2016 Credit: USA Today Sports

But Calderwood, who now trains at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas, insists she is prepared for anything the American throws her way.

She said: "She's legit. She's got a great record, right now she's No2 in the rankings.

"This fight is going to give me different challenges that I've not really faced yet.

"I'm used to people coming into fight me and saying they want to stand and bang with me.

"But I know for a fact - I've watched all her fights - she's not really someone that engages too much.

"That's going to be one challenge I face but I've prepared for that by bringing in training partners.

"I've dealt with different scenarios that I may face in the fight and I'll be ready for that.

"I'll listen to my corner, I've got great confidence in them and I know that whatever it takes, we'll get the win on the night."

4 Calderwood celebrates her victory in front of the Scottish fans in 2015 Credit: Michael Schofield - The Sun Glasgow

Calderwood is one of Scotland's pioneers in the UFC and alongside Robert Whiteford and Stevie Ray, she fought on the promotion's first card in the country back in 2015.

Paul Craig and Danny Henry have since joined the UFC's ranks, while Chris Bungard became the first Scotsman to sign for Bellator last year.

Scott Malone, Paull McBain and Aidan Stephen are all on Cage Warriors' roster, while Ross Houston will defend the promotion's welterweight title later this month.

But Calderwood is the only Scottish woman to make it to the top level of MMA so far and she hopes she can inspire others to progress in the sport.

She added: "Every time I go back to Scotland I always go back to the Griphouse gym in Glasgow. I'm always looking to see the next generation.

"They've got a good few - not so much MMA - Muay Thai girls and I hope I inspire them.

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"I look at them to see some things that I saw in myself when I was at that level.

"There is potential and I do hope that we see more Scottish girls coming through.

"Even if there is just that one girl looking for inspiration, I hope that I can show that even though it's not easy, you can still make it and be happy.

"Hopefully one day I'll be able to say that I'm a champion from Scotland and that I came a long way."