One fighter has already had a shot at the gold, while the other is trying to win her way to her first title shot. When Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Felice Herrig step into the Octagon for their featured prelim bout Saturday in Brooklyn, a shot at the winner of the UFC 233 co-main event title fight could be the reward.

The UFC 223 prelims can been seen Saturday, starting with the Pre-Fight Show, on TSN5 at 7pm et/ 4pm pt.

Herrig, owner of the longest active win streak in the strawweight division, has never had a shot at the gold or a fight with either of the women contesting the second last bout on the main card.  Two things that, in her eyes, make her the right choice for the next title shot.

“You really never know what the UFC is going to do, but if I win this fight against Karolina I believe I’m the next in line for a title shot.” Herrig told TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter at UFC 223 Media Day.  “Karolina beat the current champion and has also fought Joanna, so I think it would make sense to mix things up and do a different match-up.”

While her opponent is known for having a good standup game, Herrig has always been talked about as more of submission specialist, with her last stoppage victory due to strikes coming in 2011.  The 33-year-old is amused by what she considers to be a misconception of her skillset, especially in light of her recent victories over Justine Kish and Alexa Grasso, two noted strikers.

“I think what can be taken (from my past fights) is that I’m a well-rounded fighter, with a striking background,” said Herrig. “People only look at what you’ve done in the UFC, I had 40 fights before I was in the UFC and 30 of them were kickboxing.  It’s just funny that people still say that and talk about that, I don’t understand it.”

Kowalkiewicz, meanwhile, is trying to earn herself a second shot at the strawweight gold.  She was unsuccessful against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 205, her first professional MMA loss.  Since then, she has dropped a bout to Claudia Gadelha, but more recently holds a win over Jodie Esquibel on her way back up the ladder.

“My biggest dream is to fight for the belt once again,” Kowalkiewicz told MMAJunkie.com. “But right now I’m only focused on Felice, and my biggest goal is win this fight. After this fight I want to have new goals.”

Another fighter looking to take a step forward on the prelim card is Canadian lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier, who will put his three-fight winning streak on the line against Evan Dunham.

The Canadian replaced Mairbek Taisumov on the Brooklyn card in March, after the Russian-born fighter could not secure a visa to fight on the card.

Aubin-Mercier holds victories over Thibault Gouti, Drew Dober and most recently a split decision win over Tony Martin at Fight Night Pittsburgh during his current streak.

He was supposed to return to the Octagon on the Orlando card in February, however his opponent Gibert Burns was pulled from the card due to problems with his weight cut.

The man he has stepped up to face, Dunham, fought to a majority draw with Beneil Dariush in his last fight at UFC 216.

Prior to that bout, the Eugene, Oregon native earned four straight victories, all via unanimous decision.

There will be no love lost in the flyweight bout between Ashlee Evans-Smith and Bec Rawlings, who will also fight on the prelim card.

“I really wouldn’t give her too much praise because I don’t see too many great characteristics in her fight game,” Evans-Smith told Bloodyelbow.com about Rawlings.

Evans-Smith also said Rawlings is a bad role model for women’s MMA, a point that Rawlings does not agree with.

“Firstly, her opinion means nothing,” Rawlings told news.com.au about Evans-Smith. “I have a lot of people tell me, younger girls, older women, that they’re inspired by what I’m doing.  So I know I’m a good role model, a good mother, that’s all that matters.”

Evans-Smith has lost her last two fights, a submission against Sarah Moras and a decision defeat at the hands of Ketlen Vieira.

Rawlings has lost three in a row, after falling to Paige VanZant, Tecia Torres and Jessica-Rose Clark.

A bout between Devin Clark and Mike Rodriguez will open the prelim card.