Securing a matchup is proving tougher than expected for Lupita Godinez.
The Vancouver-based competitor who trains at Titan MMA stands at 2-0 as a pro, having competed exclusively for the Sparta Combat League (SCL) across events held in Colorado.
After her most recent outing in May — a first-round submission victory against Ashlee Mastin — the 25-year-old has been searching desperately for her next opponent, without finding one yet.
"My record sits at 2-0 right now, and I genuinely believe I'd test anyone in the division," Godinez told reporters. "I think people are too afraid of losing their own records. They'd rather chase easy matchups and save themselves for the bigger stages."
"It's honestly frustrating. So many athletes are obsessed with building their Instagram presence — great photos, great content — but they're avoiding stepping onto the mats."
Throughout both her pro and amateur run, Godinez has refused to shy away from competition, sharing space with names like Jamey-Lyn Horth Wessels, Morgan Engelhardt, and Alexandra Delgado-Lopez.
At this stage, she said she isn't targeting any specific rival. Instead, she's issued an open challenge to any woman competing at strawweight or flyweight.
"Anybody at 115 pounds or 125 pounds — just let's do it," she said. "There's no real reason not to."
"If you call yourself a fighter, you need to actually fight."
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Though she resides in British Columbia, four of her last five bouts have taken place south of the border, mainly because fighters down there have been willing to compete.
While she'd love the chance to train and fight closer to home, Godinez insisted she's prepared to go wherever necessary to lock in a bout.
"I really don't care — I'd head to China for a fight tomorrow," she said. "I don't care anymore. At this moment, I don't have a contract, so I'll fight anywhere. We don't care; we just want to fight."
Across the professional ranks in Western Canada, only eight female fighters have remained active in the last two years, and just two of them have stepped into the cage for major promotions.
Although the UFC remains her ultimate destination, Godinez also expressed a desire to use her platform to inspire more women to begin training in MMA.
"I want to motivate more women to pick up fighting," she said.
"Being a woman doesn't mean you have to expose yourself to succeed in life."
Godinez's Shoutouts
"I want to give thanks to Titan MMA, my coaches, my boyfriend, my sisters, my family, and everyone else involved with my career." Follow Godinez on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
