Jessica-Rose Clark (8-4-0-1) stood across the Octagon from fellow Aussie Bec Rawlings in Sydney, Australia, on Nov. 19, the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Tybura. She wasn’t supposed to be there. She should have been back in Las Vegas training with her coach John Wood at Syndicate MMA for her upcoming fight with Vanessa Porto at Invicta FC 26 and looking forward to her 30th birthday celebrations.
But here she was.
Fate, and an injury to Rawlings’ original opponent Joanne Calderwood, had given Clark a UFC contract only eleven days before the scheduled flyweight bout.