The only lead Ava Knight follows is her own.

The former boxing champion knows it’s likely going to happen, but she doesn’t want to be compared to other boxers who have made the transition to MMA.

Not Heather Hardy. Not Ana Julaton. Not anyone.

Saturday, Knight (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), the first women’s WBC diamond belt holder, will enter the cage for her first MMA fight when she takes on Shannon Goughary (3-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) on Bellator 228’s preliminary card.

Bellator 228 takes place at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

“I don’t feel like these girls are like me,” Knight told MMA Junkie. “They haven’t done what I’ve done. They haven’t been through what I’ve been through, especially in boxing. It’s two different roads. I have a different team around me and I’ve done other things, so getting compared to them kind of sucks. That’s really what everyone is going to do. I’m doing this on my own.

“I was a multi-world champion before this. Those other girls weren’t. I was boxing for 18 years. Ana Julaton has been for a long time, but I never thought she was that good. … It’s hard because everyone is still going to compare me to every boxer that’s come to MMA.”

Entering the MMA realm with a decorated boxing career, Knight doesn’t think there has been anyone quite like her in either sport. It’s all about the challenge for Knight, who has returned to the mentality of being a green competitor eager to learn.

“It’s going into an MMA gym and being very humbled,” Knight said. “There’s no ego of that coming in there. It’s not that I’m a champion. I don’t know what I’m doing and I’m a blank piece of paper. Teach me.

“… It’s been fun to see everything that everyone has to offer. Obviously you get to a point where everyone wants to do something different. It’s very hard, but it’s been good knowing that the transition has been really fun.”

Most boxers who transition to MMA enter as a target to be taken down. Knight is aware her opponents’ game plans will likely be grappling-centric, but thinks training over the past six months should adequately prepare her for the challenges ahead.

“Everyone comments, ‘She better know how to do a sprawl,’ but it’s kind of obvious,” Knight said. “A boxer is going to have to learn how not to be on their feet and be comfortable at getting back up.

“… I hated it before. I hated jiu-jitsu. I hated being so close to people. Now that I’m trying something new and want to be successful, it doesn’t bother me. (I did) wrestling the last six weeks and now I’m just putting it all together.”

Knight’s entry into MMA doesn’t mark the conclusion of her boxing career. She plans on competing in both combat sports depending on the opportunities presented.

“I still want to box. I still have championships to win. I still have girls to beat up, so I’ve just been happy I get to do both at the same time as long as I stay healthy. I’m excited about that.

“… If one way is better for a while, go that way. If MMA is doing better, have fun with that for a while. At the end of the day, boxing is boxing. To this day, new girls can’t beat a girl like me.”