VANESSA DEMOPOULOS revealed she quit her STRIPPER job just six weeks before beating Silvana Juarez at UFC 270.
The strawweight stopped her 13-year pole dancing career to focus fully on her most recent training camp.
A post shared by Crystal "Vanessa" Demopoulos (@lilmonsterdemo)
And the decision paid off as Demopoulos beat Juarez with a first-round armbar.
She admitted: “I don’t think it’s a secret, I was an exotic entertainer for 13 years.
“And I didn’t actually say it on the mic, but I’d like to say it right now – I walked away from being a stripper to continue this camp.
“I quit dancing about six to eight weeks ago just so I could focus full-time on MMA, take this extremely seriously in the gym every single day.”
Demopoulos, who improved to 6-4, even revealed her performing days helped improve her jiu-jitsu.
She said: “A lot of my jiu-jitsu actually comes from my expertise as a pole dancer."
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Demopoulos is now 1-1 officially in the UFC and hopes to break out as a star in the promotion.
She said: “I’m glad I look like the new superstar because I am. I am definitely the new superstar so they need to keep their eyes peeled on that.
“I didn’t feel the pressure because I wasn’t trying to be anything that I’m not.”
Demopoulos added: “I’ve heard all the, ‘Don’t waste your energy when you’re walking out.’
"You should see me in the locker room. You’d think that was all the energy anybody has.”
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