After a return to form victory over Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger at UFC Fight Night Ottawa, Canadian Randa Markos returns to the Octagon to face Cortney Casey at UFC 202.

Catch Markos as she faces Casey on the UFC 202 Prelims, LIVE tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2.

Markos remarked after her victory in Ottawa that it was the first time she'd had an entire crowd chanting her name as she fought to the unanimous decision victory.  It motivated her to push for a place on the UFC on Fox card that will take place in Vancouver, which ultimately led to her being able to take this bout on shorter notice.

"I've been getting ready since my last fight," Markos told TSN.ca.  "After my last fight I asked to be on the Vancouver card so I was training for that in case they called me, but I also had teammates getting ready for fights so I was in there helping them out.  I'm ready for this fight and I'm really glad they called."

While fighting on a PPV card that features the high profile rematch between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz excites the Windsor based fighter, she would have preferred a bout in front of her supportive countrymen.

"I actually would rather be on the Vancouver card because I got such a good reaction and feedback from the crowd in Ottawa, so I really wanted to be on that card," said Markos.  "The Vegas card is also good so I'm happy either way."

Prior to her fight in Ottawa, Markos returned to Windsor to once again train with Michigan Top Team and the difference in the 31-year-old fighter from her loss to Karolina Kowalkiewicz to her victory over Jones-Lybarger was clear.  The credit goes to familiarity between the fighter and coaches.

"I feel like the team knows me a lot better here at Michigan and I feel more confident with them in my corner," said Markos. "They aren't trying to change me; they're trying to make me a better version of myself.  I feel more confident and like I have more support over here."

"I loved Tristar and it was great working there, but I felt like it was too soon for me to be having a camp there, three months of training and then having a fight.  I feel like maybe I should have stayed a little longer before trying to have them in my corner, obviously if I stayed there longer it would have been better and they would have got to know me more but I think this is a better fit for me."

Now settled in her home and in her gym, Markos turns her attention to improving her fight game and improving her place in the strawweight division.

"I got a little bit better with my hands after that fight, I think it was the first time I ever felt confident with my hands and I've just been trying to get better and get better on the ground," said Markos.  "Every time I fight I get a little bit better and I feel like with a couple more fights I'm going to be ready for a title shot."

The next step towards earning that shot at the strawweight title holder is her UFC 202 bout against Cortney Casey, but Markos' feels the key to victory is actually a focus on herself and not on the fighter that will be standing across from her when they close the cage.

"I'm not really looking to know that much about her, I've got my coaches looking at her and watching her and they're going to tell me what I need to do to do good in this fight," said Markos.  "I need to focus on me and what I need to do, I don't care about what she's going to do I just know she's going to be a tough opponent, she's had tough fights in the past, she's got two Fight of the Nights so I'm preparing for a tough fight and she should as well."