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Moldovan-born Russian strawweight Aleksandra Albu isn’t known to fight consistently as her last three fights were held in two-year intervals (2013, 2015 and 2017). But she sure makes up for it with exciting performances every time. She currently holds a record of 3-0, two of which were by stoppage.
Albu was last seen inside the Octagon against Kailin Curran, who pushed her to a decision at the stacked UFC 214. And right on schedule, “Stitch” will be back for her third trip to the Ultimate Fighting Championship cage opposite Xtreme Couture’s Emily Whitmire.
The two strawweight prospects will clash at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, this weekend. As fans anticipate Albu’s return, here are five things you might not know about her.
1. Studies (and health) first.
After finishing Lyubov Demidova at UFC Fight Night 64 by submission on April 11, 2015, Albu took some time off to finish school. It was her last year at the university and she had to defend her graduation thesis. That’s on top of nursing some injuries. Albu tore her ACL and injured her meniscus during training. In fact, she underwent surgery right after the fight with Demidova. Doctors had to stitch her ACL together, and rehabilitation took seven months. But just the same, she never stopped training except during her recovery period.
2. Yes, she got her nickname from the cartoon character.
Actually, her trainer did. Unlike many fighters, her name didn’t come from the way she fights or anything like that. Her trainer said she looks like Stitch from the animated Walt Disney film, “Lilo & Stitch.” That simple, and needless to say, it stuck. Even Albu herself likes her moniker.
3. She does pole dancing.
Albu is one of those fighters who regularly posts training photos and videos on social media. But for her, training sessions aren’t just confined with combat sports. The strawweight has picked up pole dancing and proudly shares her skills through Instagram. So far, the reception has been quite good.
4. Karate is her original combat sport.
Most martial artists have their base art, perfecting their craft before taking the plunge into MMA. For Albu, it’s traditional karate. Albu is a Goshin Jutsu karate black belt who has won numerous national and international competitions. She is a two-time IJKA Russian champion, multiple-time Moldovan champion, and multiple-time Ukrainian champion. In addition, she also competed and won several judo tournaments.
5. She is a real fitness buff.
Given her impressive physique, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that Albu is a fitness advocate. But even before lending her skills to MMA, she was already into bodybuilding and powerlifting and was in fact a winner of the Moscow Open Championships. She is also a fitness instructor and crossfitter who strictly watches what she eats.