The last time fans saw Wood inside the Octagon was earlier this year at UFC 263, when she faced flyweight Lauren Murphy. Wood fell to Murphy by split decision, while Murphy took the victory and went on to face UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 267.
And while the loss stung, considering how close Wood came to a title shot, she isn’t dwelling on it and knows that it is now a matter of when, not if.
“It’s going to happen when it’s going to happen,” Wood said. “I’ve been so close a few times. It’s kind of a letdown when you’re like, ‘Geez, I’ve let all of the people that thought I was going to be next down.’ Myself, my team, it’s a lot of burden to carry. Now, I’m just like, it’s going to happen. I just need to concentrate on getting back to the win column and putting on a good performance.”
This weekend at UFC Fight Night: Vieira vs Tate, Wood will fight at the UFC APEX for only the second time in her career. The Scottish fighter is known for feeding off the crowd’s energy that comes in sold-out arenas worldwide. The last time she fought in the APEX was August 2020, with no fans.
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This time around, there will be a handful of fans cheering her on, and even though it won’t be in a large arena, she still knows how much it will benefit her.
“I just need noise and I need support. Just to hear the crowd makes a world of difference,” Wood said. “I’ve also been here as a fan watching fellow teammates fighting, so I know the atmosphere. I know what to expect, so I’m looking forward to coming in, and even though it’s not going to be very much or in an arena, I know it’s going to be that extra noise that makes me want to dig in there deeper.”