UFC strawweight Cheyanne Vlismas has attempted to explain why no-one has heard from her since her last win in the octagon.
Vlismas picked up her second UFC win last December when she outpointed Mallory Martin in a bout that earned her a $50,000 performance bonus.
The 26-year-old recently divorced from her husband - fellow UFC fighter JP Buys - and is dealing with other issues outside of the octagon that has left her wanting to "cry".
'The Warrior Princess' would like to fight again soon, but the issues are likely to delay her UFC return until the summer.
"Unfortunately, I would love to fight again [and] soon, but because of reasons beyond belief, I cannot fight, and I cannot make any more money until I finalise some things in my life," she told MMA Fighting.
"I don’t know when that will be. I’m trying to make that soon, but I don’t have an answer. I’m hoping by summer. I’m praying by summer. That’s what I’m gonna shoot for.
"As far as 2022, you’ll see me, but I have no answers. And honestly, it makes me want to cry how I have no answers for anything.”
Vlismas was signed to the UFC in 2020 after winning her fight against Hilarie Rose on Dana White's Contender Series.
She was outwrestled by Montserrat Ruiz in her promotional debut, crediting her sub-par performance in the fight due to an injury suffered 10 days out from the bout.
Vlismas rebounded after her disappointing loss by knocking out Gloria de Paula in her second UFC appearance, earning a Performance of the Night award for the win.
She has since ditched Las Vegas to travel overseas for a holiday and admits getting divorced topped off a rollercoaster of recent personal struggles in her life.
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“A lot of things happened before my fight — and even after my fight — and I decided what’s best is to just escape. I’ve been gone now for two weeks and I love it," she continued.
"I’m overseas and just living my life. The only thing I truly hated was the first time you saw me in 2021, for my debut. It was a great camp, but I got injured right before the fight, 10 days out.
"[I was] very badly injured, needed surgery. I took the fight still, got an opponent change, got embarrassed in my debut, I couldn’t do anything.
"Then (I) got the surgery, got back into fight camp, had a good fight. Then, getting a divorce.. It’s been a roller-coaster, to say the least."
