Coming off a closely contested bout back in December, Randa Markos is looking to rebound and get back to winning ways. After an impressive stint on the Ultimate Fighter, Markos is 1-2 in the UFC in two close losses. Currently healing up from a few injuries, she is looking to get back in the octagon and is targeting the UFC Ottawa card for a return.
Her most recent fight was back in December when she took on Karolina Kowalkiewicz in Orlando. The fight was back and forth where Markos was able to get Karolina’s back and control the second round. Eventually Karolina was able to turn the fight around in the third and secure the judges’ decision. Markos wasn’t too happy with her performance overall.
“I didn’t feel like I was myself at any point in that fight,” Markos said. “In the first round, she got me really good in the eye and my vision went blurry and I just kept trying to listen to my corner and I wasn’t comfortable with my corner. I just felt off the entire time, there’s no excuses she’s just a really good fighter and she’s got really good footwork. She was constantly running away and I wasn’t able to hold her down like I wanted to. I really feel like I’d do a lot better if I had a second chance but maybe later in the future.”
Kowalkiewicz who was making her octagon debut, is a Polish prospect that not many had heard of. For Markos, it was perhaps a fight with a lot to lose considering that she was fighting an unranked and relatively unknown opponent but she insists that it didn’t change much.
“I don’t think it made it difficult,” Markos said on not previously knowing Karolina. “I watched a few of her fights and I knew she’s undefeated for a reason. Watching her fights I knew she’s a really smart fighter, she knows how to get out of situations and she’s actually very flexible. Girls are a lot different than guys and I think that has a lot to do with it too. I train with guys all the time and getting a guy in that head and arm position, because they’re so muscular it’s harder for them to get out of. I didn’t underestimate her at all but I just went in there kind of confused and didn’t feel really comfortable in there.”
Markos has now moved back to Detroit at Michigan Top Team where she was previously training. The move to Tristar didn’t prove as effective as she wanted it to be as she felt that her style was being changed a little.
“Yeah actually I came back to Detroit after my last fight,” Markos added. “I just feel like I need to go back to where I started, just work on the little things that helped me be who I was and I felt like going to Tristar really changed my style and I didn’t feel comfortable. I just need to take a few steps back and go back to the basics and where I started.”
While she definitely learnt a lot at the renowned Tristar gym, the move took her out of her comfort zone and she wasn’t able to implement her usual aggressive style.
“I felt my style was different when I was there. Tristar is an amazing gym don’t get me wrong, obviously they’re the best gym in the world. Training with all the guys there was a really great experience and I’m glad I got to experience that. I just felt that, I’m a really aggressive fighter you know and that’s my style. I’m aggressive and I’m a grinder and going to Tristar kind of made me fight like a patient type of fighter and I’m not used to that and it didn’t work out for me in my last fight. I’m sure if I stayed there and kept working on it, it would have helped me but I just like being the grinder and the aggressor.”
Back at Michigan Top Team, Markos will look to get back to her winning ways. She was actually offered to step in for an injured Jessica Aguilar and take on Julianna Lima on a couple of weeks notice but was not healthy enough. Nagging injuries have sidelined her from action.
“I just got kicked really badly in practice and then I had a shoulder injury from before my last fight, I had pinched a nerve in my neck that was sending pain down my arm. No surgery required I’m just going to go see a chiropractor and a massage therapist.”
The strawweight division bookings have been rather slow since the division has been introduced to the UFC. While Markos was unable to capitalize on the opportunity of stepping in at UFC 197, she doesn’t particularly enjoy the long layoffs between each fight.
“I love to fight right away all the time but since my last fight I had an injury and I thought it was going to go away and I could just continue training on it. Right now I’m glad I had a little bit of a break to recover from that injury but if it wasn’t for the injury I’d love to fight right away, I don’t like waiting. In my last fight I had to wait so long and that really sucked, it took a lot out of me to constantly be training for something that never came. It kind of throws you off, you keep training hard but nothing comes so you get discouraged so I’d love to fight more frequently than I have in the past.”
With time to heal and improve, Markos will look to get over the hunch and start a run in the division. With both UFC losses being so close, she knows that there are a few things she needs to tweak in order to win and finish those fights.
“I’m putting the gi back on even though I hate gi,” Markos laughs. “I’m putting the gi on and trying to be really dedicated to every part of my game not just something specific. I feel like I need to improve on every aspect of my game and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get the improvements.”
Although she’s been training at top caliber gyms, Markos admits that the lack of female training partners does make things difficult at times in terms of fight simulations. She stressed how different it is when training with guys as opposed to girls.
“It never bothered me in the past but in a few of my last fights I feel it is necessary to have female training partners. Women are just way different than men, the way they can get out of certain positions as you saw in Paige’s last fight. That girl is so flexible, she got out of so many situations because of her flexibility and because she’s able to wiggle out of certain positions that guys aren’t able to. I’m definitely looking for more training partners and there are a few more that have been to Michigan Top Team that are helping me out a lot so I feel the best place for me right now is here.”
At Michigan Top Team, Markos is currently training with Daron Cruickshank and his dad who have helped her show noticeable improvements in her stand up game. Cruickshank, who was recently released from the UFC, actually looked pretty good in his last fight with Paul Felder before falling short. Markos is confident that we’ll be seeing her training partner back in the UFC.
“He’s very determined to come back, he was the best I’d ever seen him in his last fight. He’s got his head straight and he’s working on all his little flaws. He’s really looking forward to coming back, he signed with a new company and he’s going to be fighting soon so I think within a couple of fights he’ll be back because he’s so good. He’s got such a unique style and he did so well in his last fight so a couple of wins and he’ll be back for sure. He’s definitely determined to come back.”
Daron has been trained his whole life by his father Dean Cruickshank, who’s a fourth degree black belt in Taekwondo. The presence of both has had a large impact on Markos’ standup and her accuracy and precision have been on point.
“He’s so knowledgeable and he’s been doing this his whole life,” Markos said on Dean Cruickshank. “He trained Daron since he was a little kid and just adding that to my grinding style is really helping me. Also, I’ve been working with Kara Ro; she’s an undefeated boxer whose training me and Daron and working with the two of them has helped my stand up so much. I’m really looking forward to improving everyday and seeing more of an improvement from my last fight.”
Markos also trains with several prospects at Michigan Top Team who push and motivate her on a daily basis. She is also confident that we’ll be seeing them in the UFC someday.
“There are guys that are definitely going to be in the UFC soon, Cody Stamann he just had his fight last weekend and did very well. The guys an animal and you guys will be hearing his name very soon. Also Mike Hernandez, he’s got a ridiculous amount of knockouts and I think you’ll be seeing both fighters very soon in the UFC.”
Currently living in Windsor, Ontario Canada, Markos makes the drive to Detroit every night to attend the night classes. She crosses the border to make sure she gets the work in but has no problem doing it.
“It’s not very far, once I cross the border it’s like 20 minutes away but the border is the tough part. You never know whether you have a long wait, you can get pulled, searched or something like that. It’s not as bad as you’d think it would be. I try to train here in Windsor during the day and for the night classes I’ll go to Michigan and do the stand up and jujitsu and come back.”
That was definitely difficult for her when she previously worked as a pharmacy technician. She quit her job so she can focus on training and that has made her life a lot easier.
“It’s a lot easier and a lot better,” Markos said. “I was waking up really early training and going to work when I should be taking a nap. It was really draining, I’d come home and I literally did not have a life. Now I can get up, train and do whatever I need to do and just relax.”
Now she gets to focus all her attention on training and making the necessary improvements. With a very impressive run on the Ultimate Fighter, a few setbacks have taken her name out of title contention. In a relatively new division, a win or two could get her right back in discussion. Current champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk is set to rematch Claudia Gadelha and Markos believes we may see a new champion.
“I’m going to go for Claudia Gadelha, I think she’s more of a well rounded fighter and she did very well the first time she fought Joanna. I think she’s going to be more prepared this time and I think she’s going to do well.”
Another pivotal strawweight fight is a potential number one contender bout between Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres. Markos who beat Torres and lost to Namajunas on the show, also gave her breakdown on the fight.
“I think Tecia has got a very good style and she’s very good at picking her opponent apart and running away then coming back. I think she’s going to do very well in that fight but Rose has come a long way, she’s very technical. I think if the fight goes to the ground, Rose will be able to take it but I think if it stays on the feet Tecia takes it. If Tecia takes it, I’d love a rematch.”
With no fight set, Markos is just focused on training and getting better. Having previously called out Paige VanZant and Bec Rawlings, the Rawlings fight seems to be at reach and she’d love to take that fight.
“Yeah definitely I’d love to take that fight,” Markos said on potentially fighting Rawlings. “I asked for that fight a little while ago when I couldn’t get Paige but she said she was injured so I was hoping to get it when she was better. So hopefully that’s something that’s in the future for me, I’d love that fight. I didn’t like the way she responded to me when I asked for that fight, it was kind of unnecessary but whatever that’s her mentality and her way to play the game but I’m ready whenever she is.”
If that fight were to materialize, we’d all definitely be watching. Both fighters are very aggressive and it would make for a very exciting fight. Rawlings who picked up a close decision win over Seohee Ham earlier this month, is back in the win column and a fight versus Markos would make perfect sense. Meanwhile, Markos will look to heal up, train and wait for the call from the UFC.
