‘We’re prepared’: Russia’s Yana ‘Foxy’ Kunitskaya confronts opponent Irene Aldana at UFC 264, targets Miesha Tate fight (VIDEO)

Russian bantamweight Yana Kunitskaya stared down opponent Irene Aldana as the pair weighed in ahead of their scrap on the McGregor-Poirier bill at UFC 264 – and admitted she wants a crack at returning former champion Miesha Tate.

Entering the scrap on a two-fight winning streak as part of a solitary defeat in her last five fights, 'Foxy' looked fearsome when she stepped off the scales to look into her equally-intent looking opponent's eyes.

By that point, Mexican Aldana had already forfeited 30 percent of her purse to Kunitskaya after failing to make weight by three-and-a-half pounds.

“In all my career, this is the first time I had missed weight," said Aldana, who will proceed with her first outing since losing to Holly Holm in October.

"I tried hard and pushed my body to the limit, but it stopped sweating. I got my menstrual cycle during fight week and I’m sure my body stopped because of that.”

Kunitskaya, who had described her cut as "easy" while picturing herself lying in a sauna with boyfriend and UFC fighter Thiago Santos, said she had been "professional as always" in coming in comfortably inside the limit.

Aldana offered her apologies to Kunitskaya and fans who will attend the showpiece in Las Vegas, which is headlined by Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier's tempestuous trilogy fight.

Aldana is clearly a threat to Kunitskaya, sitting sixth in the division's rankings, but the St. Petersburg powerhouse is not unduly concerned by her rival's noted boxing abilities.

“I think she’s a good boxer but, at this level, everyone is very well-rounded,” Kunitskaya told MMA Junkie. “So we’re prepared for everything, like always.”

A legend of the female fight game, Miesha Tate, is on Kunitskaya's radar should she pass the test posed by Aldana.

Tate makes her long awaited return against one of Kunitskaya's victims, Marion Reneau, next week, and the 31-year-old wants a shot at 'Cupcake'.

“Miesha Tate is coming back, so we’ll see what happens after her fight,” said Kunitskaya.

“I really would like that. I saw a video that she called me out, and maybe if we both win this fight, this will be an interesting matchup.

“We trained a little bit, worked with each other. We rolled a little and worked conditioning, but it’s a fight, you know – it’s not personal.

"I have so much respect for her, but I really would like to have this fight.

“I really like her personality and I think she has a big name. It could be an interesting fight.”