Felice Herrig on Lack of UFC Push: ‘I'm Not Pretty Enough and I'm Not Getting Any Younger’

Felice Herrig holds a 4-1 record inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship and has won three bouts in a row, but it's safe to say that she doesn't feel like her promotional breakout is around the corner.

Following her unanimous decision win over previously undefeated Justine Kish at UFC Fight Night 112 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a victorious Herrig met with the media but wasn't especially enthusiastic about her immediate future, lamenting that she feels she lacks the telegenic appeal of some other women in the company.

“Honestly, if you want to know the truth, I just feel like I’m not young and beautiful for the UFC to want to promote me,” Herrig revealed in her post-fight scrum. “And it’s sad because I’ve really worked hard to be here and it’s hard to see, you know, these people who haven’t been through what I’ve been through and just got to the UFC at the right time and they’re getting all these opportunities. I’ve seen how hard I’ve worked to get here and it just doesn't matter because I’m not pretty enough and I’m not getting any younger, so I don’t know.”

Since her submission loss to Randa Markos in an exhibition bout on “The Ultimate Fighter 20,” the 32-year-old Herrig has taken wins in the Octagon over Lisa Ellis, Kailin Curran, Alexa Grasso and now Kish. Her lone loss came at UFC on Fox 15 in April 2015, dropping a unanimous decision to heavily promoted UFC poster girl Paige VanZant.

“I think fans, the people, the media see and recognize,” continued Herrig. “I mean, I just beat two undefeated fighters, two really good undefeated fighters that were no joke. Alexa Grasso is no joke, Justine Kish is no joke, anybody in this sport that’s not just a casual fan knows better. I don’t need a fancy trophy to tell me I’m good or to tell me what I’m made of; I know.”

The “Lil Bulldog” made it clear that she thinks this is a systemic and promotional issue in the sport, not one simply germane to the UFC ranks.

“I’m not trying to make this like a point finger at the UFC o Dana Whiet or anybody,” she added. “I know they have a business to run, but sometimes, and I’m not the only fighter who feels like this.”

“We put a lot out there as fighters, and I don’t know, I feel like I’ve paid my dues and nobody can deny that. I’m a UFC fighter and I’ve worked my way to the top, so I would like a little more love. That’s it.”