UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa · May 16, 2026 · Women's Bantamweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa Next Fight
Age 34
Height 5' 8"
Reach 68.0"
Weight 135 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 28
Height 5' 8"
Reach 70.0"
Weight 135 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Ketlen Vieira
2.76 SLpM
40.0% Str. Acc.
3.75 SApM
50.0% Str. Def.
1.33 TD Avg
44.0% TD Acc.
90.0% TD Def.
0.6 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Jacqueline Cavalcanti
5.65 SLpM
46.0% Str. Acc.
3.17 SApM
68.0% Str. Def.
0.0 TD Avg
0.0% TD Acc.
88.0% TD Def.
0.0 Sub. Avg
Ketlen Vieira
Moneyline
Caesars +150
KO/TKO
Cloudbet 22.60
Submission
Cloudbet 15.06
Decision
Cloudbet 3.08
Jacqueline Cavalcanti
Moneyline
Betfair Exchange -137
KO/TKO
BetRivers +700
Submission
Cloudbet 35.84
Decision
Cloudbet 2.15
Ketlen Vieira - Fight History
DEC R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa · May 16, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ketlen Vieira 0 30 of 92 32% 66 of 158 1 of 4 25% 0 0 4:42
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 53 of 110 48% 72 of 130 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ketlen Vieira 0 11 of 47 23% 11 of 47 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 24 of 46 52% 24 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Ketlen Vieira 0 2 of 6 33% 38 of 72 1 of 3 33% 0 0 4:42
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 1 of 3 33% 20 of 23 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Ketlen Vieira 0 17 of 39 43% 17 of 39 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 28 of 61 45% 28 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ketlen Vieira 30 of 92 32% 27 of 86 2 of 5 1 of 1 29 of 90 0 of 0 1 of 2
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 53 of 110 48% 15 of 62 16 of 25 22 of 23 53 of 110 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ketlen Vieira 11 of 47 23% 9 of 44 1 of 2 1 of 1 11 of 47 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 24 of 46 52% 6 of 23 4 of 8 14 of 15 24 of 46 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Ketlen Vieira 2 of 6 33% 1 of 4 1 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 2
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 1 of 3 33% 0 of 1 0 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Ketlen Vieira 17 of 39 43% 17 of 38 0 of 1 0 of 0 17 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 28 of 61 45% 9 of 38 12 of 16 7 of 7 28 of 61 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 10, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Angelo picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, trusting her speed and footwork. He expects Cavalcanti to win the striking exchanges and that Vieira's takedowns won't matter to the judges. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds as a lock. He notes Vieira may have won her last fight but expects a similar decision loss here.

over 2.5 rounds
"I trust the speed. I trust the footwork. I think Jacquelini gets it done. ... The over two and a half here is about as big of a lock as you're going to get."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked May 12, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Big Brady leans toward Jacqueline Cavalcanti, believing she is the better striker with superior volume. He thinks she can stuff takedowns and keep the fight standing, winning by decision. He acknowledges Ketlen Vieira's path to victory via takedowns but doubts she will execute.

"I'm going to take Kavaki to win this fight by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cody picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her high striking volume (6.5 significant strikes per minute) and youth. He notes that Ketlen Vieira often gets out-struck but wins via cage control, but believes Cavalcanti's takedown defense has improved and she is physically strong enough to avoid being smothered. He expects Cavalcanti to out-land Vieira and win a 29-28 decision, though he acknowledges the risk of judges favoring control time.

Suggests Cavalcanti by decision or split decision.
"Calvocanti is going to outland her, but there's a good probability that she will give up the control time."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked May 15, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Connor picks Cavalcanti, agreeing with Zane. He notes Vieira has no progression in her game and only changes aggression level per opponent. Cavalcanti is defensively minded, moves her feet well, and has a jab, making it hard for Vieira to charge in. He hopes Vieira doesn't drag Cavalcanti into the mud.

Same odds as Zane. Connor calls Vieira 'stuck in the mud'.
"The only hope is that she doesn't stick the only, uh, bright spot in the division in the mud with her."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Confident picked May 16, 2026 (fight day)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cavalcanti is better everywhere: more technical striker, higher pace, better fight IQ, difficult to take down, great cardio. Vieira has low volume and bad fight IQ. Cavalcanti will outpoint Vieira and win a comfortable decision.

"I think Ketlen Vieira is going to win relatively convincingly."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked May 10, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Lucrative James leans toward Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her superior striking and consistent volume. He believes Vieira's takedowns may not be enough to win two rounds, and Cavalcanti's composed striking will earn a decision. He notes the fight could be close and split.

"I'm going to say Cavalcante wins the decision. I'm going to say it's 1-1 going into round three and she isn't able to get a takedown."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The host picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Ketlen Vieira, believing this fight will launch Cavalcanti into title contention. He cites Cavalcanti's improved grappling defense and striking edge to pick apart Vieira and win on the scorecards.

"I believe Cavalcanti's grappling defense improvements and her striking edge here will allow her to pick apart Vieira and win this fight on the score cards."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked May 12, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The host thinks Cavalcanti is a slicker striker with a better gas tank, but he is hesitant to bet her at -155 due to Vieira's grappling threat and live dog status. He predicts Cavalcanti wins by decision, but would only bet if the line drops closer to -120.

"I think Cavalcanti has the better gas tank. I think she can land with a little bit more output and I believe enough in her grappling to predict her to win this fight, but not so much to bet her …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Paul picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti by split decision, noting that both fighters are likely to go to decision and that Vieira has been involved in many split decisions. He believes Cavalcanti's volume and more impactful strikes will earn her the nod, but expects it to be contentious. He bet the fight ends in a split decision at plus 400.

Bet on fight ends in split decision at plus 400.
"I took the fight ends in split decision."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked May 15, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Zane picks Cavalcanti because she is a sharp technical striker with good footwork and a jab, while Vieira is stuck in the mud with no progression in her game. He expects Cavalcanti to pick Vieira apart at range, as Vieira's only path is to overpower her in the clinch, but she often spends time at range not knowing what to do.

Odds: Vieira opened +120, now +145; Cavalcanti opened -140, now -170. Zane calls it a 'good fight if Vieira doesn't win it'.
"If that happens, uh, it's basically just the cub Swanson versus Nate Landware or body green versus Jeremy Stevens equation. Again, here's somebody with some idea of positioning with long straight efficient strikes, she should be able to run circles …"
LOSS vs Norma Dumont
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Garcia vs. Onama · Nov 01, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ketlen Vieira 0 25 of 83 30% 58 of 121 2 of 4 50% 1 0 5:19
Norma Dumont 0 62 of 101 61% 87 of 127 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:11
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ketlen Vieira 0 7 of 23 30% 7 of 23 1 of 2 50% 1 0 1:36
Norma Dumont 0 17 of 23 73% 25 of 31 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Ketlen Vieira 0 8 of 29 27% 32 of 57 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:53
Norma Dumont 0 17 of 37 45% 20 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Ketlen Vieira 0 10 of 31 32% 19 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:50
Norma Dumont 0 28 of 41 68% 42 of 56 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:11
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ketlen Vieira 25 of 83 30% 10 of 60 5 of 10 10 of 13 25 of 79 0 of 2 0 of 2
Norma Dumont 62 of 101 61% 24 of 60 18 of 21 20 of 20 57 of 96 5 of 5 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ketlen Vieira 7 of 23 30% 1 of 13 1 of 4 5 of 6 7 of 23 0 of 0 0 of 0
Norma Dumont 17 of 23 73% 5 of 10 2 of 3 10 of 10 17 of 23 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Ketlen Vieira 8 of 29 27% 1 of 19 4 of 5 3 of 5 8 of 26 0 of 1 0 of 2
Norma Dumont 17 of 37 45% 5 of 25 5 of 5 7 of 7 14 of 34 3 of 3 0 of 0
3 Ketlen Vieira 10 of 31 32% 8 of 28 0 of 1 2 of 2 10 of 30 0 of 1 0 of 0
Norma Dumont 28 of 41 68% 14 of 25 11 of 13 3 of 3 26 of 39 2 of 2 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Norma Dumont vs. Ketlen Vieira
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Dumont (-150); Vieira (+120)

Round 1
In the previous match, two athletes vied to save their place on the ever-churning roster. In this fourth fight of the evening, the promotion decided to plug in the most relevant matchup of the whole card, as the winner of this bantamweight pairing will most likely be closest to the next title shot come Monday. While Brazil’s Vieira (15-4, 9-4 UFC) already came up short against champ Kayla Harrison, perhaps it would change should they lock horns for five rounds. Standing in her way of all that is “The Immortal” Dumont (12-2, 8-2 UFC), who has heard the final bell in nine straight outings. Whether they make it 10 straight for the streaking Dumont or get out of their early, referee Mark Smith will handle the necessities from here. There is a sporting clap of hands that precedes the action.
Dumont moves to the center of the cage standing as tall as she can, and she hand-fights a pawing Vieira who is just looking for her range. At 40 seconds in, Vieira finally commits to a strike, albeit a leg kick. Dumont responds immediately with one of her own. Vieira sits down on another calf kick to disrupt her opponent, and Dumont says “two can play that game” and gives it back any time Vieira lands on her. They trade hands from up close, drawing a smile out of Dumont as if she felt Vieira’s power and was not concerned. Vieira darts in behind her jab, and the two are just picking and poking at one another with single strikes. Vieira scores first, and Dumont comes back at her.
“Fenomeno” looks for her right hand several times, but Dumont is able to see them coming in time and avoid them. Leg kicks are traded, and Dumont doubles up on a heavy one. Vieira rushes forward, banging into Dumont and forcing her to awkwardly rebound during a takedown effort. Vieira uses the momentum to drag Dumont down, where she takes her back and looks for a rear-naked choke. Dumont flips over to her back to break up the sub, so Vieira transitions to an arm-triangle choke. Dumont once more twists to get out of the worst of it, so Vieira readjusts and presses her shoulder down to complete the sub. Vieira laces her leg between Dumont’s to give her more leverage to crush her shoulder down, and Dumont stays calm and punches Vieira in the side until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 2
The round begins with kicks, with Vieira throwing first and last. Dumont hurls a one-two her way, and Vieira is not standing there any longer to get hit. When Dumont does reach her with a right hand, Vieira strafes to the side to reset. Dumont is one-and-done with a kick, and Vieira leans in to score and then leans back. Dumont starts to put more than one strike together in her attacks, sometimes doubling or tripling up on offense or stringing a few back-to-back. Vieira nails the inside leg a few times, prompting Dumont to pitch one back on the outside. Vieira checks the second, and they go tit-for-tat with these strikes for a time.
Vieira leaps forward and gets caught with a right hand from Dumont, and she shoots in from a double from too far out. Dumont shuts it down, so Vieira backs off and tries again from another angle. This time, she puts Dumont on her back with about 1:45 left in the round. Like a snake slowly coiling around to consume its prey, Vieira calmly slithers through to advance to half guard and pursue an arm-triangle choke. This takes a great deal of time to get there, so before she can cinch anything up, the second round is over.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 3
The top contenders reach the final frame, and they approach one another in it like the previous two. Dumont moves forward but is generally cautious, and Vieira stays defensively composed from most of what comes her direction. Dumont pushes the action with a storming right hand, colliding with Vieira and putting them on the fence. Vieira quickly turns her foe around, where she imposes her body weight on the streaking Dumont. She leans on Dumont for a time, until Smith calls for them to do more.
Dumont separates first, and she lets loose with her hands. Reaching out with a left and a right, and she looses this two-punch flurry again and again. Vieira stays on the outside edge with her guard high, and Dumont goes to the body when the hands of her foe are up. Dumont swarms forward behind a low kick to open up punches, and she lands cleanly in the midst of her combinations. Vieira is fine to stay on her back heel offering counters and the occasional kick as time ticks off, as Vieira likely expects she is up on the scorecards. Dumont is fighting like she needs the finish, in terms of her own style. She does not bite down on her mouthpiece to bang it out, and she does not point to the ground to force a brawl, but instead remains at kickboxing range leaning in and out to attack. The slow, arduous bantamweight match comes to an end, and both women raise their arms in the air. Could it go either way?

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dumont (29-28 Vieira)
Chris Laporte scores the round: 10-9 Dumont (29-28 Vieira)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Dumont (29-28 Vieira)

The Official Result
Norma Dumont def. Ketlen Vieira via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Norma Dumont

Angelo picks Norma Dumont confidently, citing her technical striking, patience, and takedown defense. He notes Ketlen Vieira is bigger but slower and less technical, relying on cage control. He thinks Norma's speed and accuracy will be too much, and expects a decision win. He is very confident in Norma but doesn't see many points in DFS due to a lack of finishes.

"Very confident in Norma, but I don't think there's a lot of points to be had."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Norma Dumont

Big Brady picks Norma Dumont, noting she looked great in her last fight against Aldana with faster hands. He acknowledges Ketlen Vieira has elite takedown defense but believes the fight will stay standing, where Dumont is the better striker. He predicts a decision win for Dumont.

decision
"I'm going to go Dumont. She looked really good in her last fight against Aldana. ... I think the better striker is going to be Dumont. So yeah, Dumont for me and Dumont to win this fight by decision there."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Norma Dumont

Connor agrees with Zane, noting that Dumont is a sharpshooter who can even things up with one hit. He thinks Vieira is not capable of putting pressure on Dumont, and if the fight is a coin flip, Dumont has the edge because she can push a pace Vieira never has.

Dumont opened at -150, now -163; Vieira opened at +130, now +143.
"I think dumont is enough of a sharpshooter that she can even things up with with one hit."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Hesitant picked Oct 27, 2025 (5 days before fight)
Norma Dumont

Lucrative James picks Norma Dumont, but acknowledges it's a close fight. He believes Dumont is the better striker with better range control and takedown defense, and that she can stop Vieira's takedowns. However, he notes that Vieira's path to victory is through grappling, and if she can get top position, she could win. James sees value in the fight going to decision.

fight goes to decision
"I'm going to pick Dumont. I think she's the better striker."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Norma Dumont

Dumont will get her sixth straight victory by putting it on Vieira with her striking and physicality, possibly landing a few takedowns. Dumont is in much better shape and a better state of her career, leading to a decision win.

"I believe Dant will be successful in getting her six sixth straight victory here as she really puts it on Vieier with her striking, her physicality, maybe landing a few takedowns. But I think Dont is in much better shape …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 30, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Norma Dumont

The MMA Guru picks Norma Dumont, highlighting her recent sharp stand-up performance against Irene Aldana. He criticizes Ketlen Vieira's inconsistency and poor recent performances. He believes Dumont has momentum and will win by decision, possibly 29-28.

"I'm going to say that Norma Dumont's got the momentum right now and I'm going to say that Norma Dumont pulls this one off by decision."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 31, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Norma Dumont

Zane picks Dumont because she is a sharp striker who can push a pace that Vieira cannot match. He notes that Vieira is stiff and wide open, and Dumont has the ability to land fight-changing shots. Even if Dumont has a bad fight, he expects a narrow contest, and if she has a good one, she wins clearly.

Dumont opened at -150, now -163; Vieira opened at +130, now +143.
"I think I have to pick norma dumont here because even if she comes out and tries to be a neutralizing fighter, I simply do not have the trust that viera will win that fight."
WIN vs Macy Chiasson
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs. Barber · May 31, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ketlen Vieira 0 28 of 64 43% 106 of 174 0 of 1 0% 0 0 10:06
Macy Chiasson 0 22 of 43 51% 52 of 77 0 of 4 0% 0 0 0:33
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ketlen Vieira 0 18 of 48 37% 29 of 64 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:06
Macy Chiasson 0 17 of 31 54% 18 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:08
2 Ketlen Vieira 0 2 of 4 50% 39 of 56 0 of 1 0% 0 0 4:47
Macy Chiasson 0 0 of 1 0% 9 of 10 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:07
3 Ketlen Vieira 0 8 of 12 66% 38 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 4:13
Macy Chiasson 0 5 of 11 45% 25 of 35 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:18
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ketlen Vieira 28 of 64 43% 25 of 60 3 of 3 0 of 1 15 of 47 5 of 6 8 of 11
Macy Chiasson 22 of 43 51% 8 of 25 6 of 9 8 of 9 20 of 39 2 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ketlen Vieira 18 of 48 37% 15 of 44 3 of 3 0 of 1 13 of 43 5 of 5 0 of 0
Macy Chiasson 17 of 31 54% 5 of 16 5 of 7 7 of 8 17 of 29 0 of 2 0 of 0
2 Ketlen Vieira 2 of 4 50% 2 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 4
Macy Chiasson 0 of 1 0% 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Ketlen Vieira 8 of 12 66% 8 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 4 0 of 1 6 of 7
Macy Chiasson 5 of 11 45% 3 of 8 1 of 2 1 of 1 3 of 9 2 of 2 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ketlen Vieira vs. Macy Chiasson
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Chiasson (-118), Vieira (-102)

Round 1
What was once a likely bantamweight title eliminator has become a featherweight fight of little import, thanks to Vieira (14-4, 8-4 UFC) being unable to get down to the 136-pound limit. Chiasson (10-3, 8-3 UFC), with eyes to the future, gladly accepts 25% of Vieira’s purse before getting to punch her in the face for her transgression. Referee Mark Smith stands by to keep things on the up-and-up, although the match still opens with the ladies clapping hands first. Vieira takes to the center of the Octagon, with Chiasson circling around her probing her with low kicks and jabs. The Louisiana native manages her distance well, staying active and not letting Vieira strike her. Chiasson fires up a head kick, and uses it as a way to open a left hand up. Vieira looks to counter, but Chiasson is out of range from everything besides a pair of body shots. Vieira sits down on a right hand, shaking Chiasson up a little and forcing her to reset. Chiasson goes for a spinning wheel kick that misses the mark significantly, and Vieira tracks her down and smashes her in the face with a ferocious right hand. Chiasson wears it well but is not a fan, scooting out of the way before Vieira can pin her down again. Chiasson prods the body with jabs and kicks, and Vieira counters with a right hand over the top. Vieira connects with a few fast hands, and when Chiasson clinches, she lays into her with another flurry of blows. Both women try to land elbows from up close, but they sway just enough to let them soar past one another. Vieira bullies Chiasson against the fencing, and Chiasson slowly but methodically fights her way out while using a knee to get some space. Vieira pushes her close again and back to the wall, and she punches her way out rather than glom on to the taller woman. Chiasson chips at the front leg a few times, and she catches Vieira on the temple with a long right hand. Vieira scores a combo of punches to end the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 2
The moment gloves are touched, Chiasson shoots in for a takedown. Vieira’s defense spikes them both on their faces, and she recovers just the faster to turn to the side to establish top position. The Brazilian hops a few times to get herself in the conventional guard, but she is intent on passing to somewhere better and clinging to an arm-triangle choke setup. Chiasson is wise to it and she fights back with elbows and even flirts with an armbar setup, but she is stifled when Vieira stays flatly pressed to her. Chiasson pushes off the hips, and she turns to a knee but inadvertently gives up her back. As she rolls, Chiasson finds herself still in Vieira’s clutches. Vieira gets herself back on top in the guard, smothering the American while not otherwise utilizing much offense. Vieira lands punches every so often, preferring to rack up control time while shutting down anything Chiasson can do. Chiasson slashes off her back with her elbow, and she scores two more when Vieira postures up. Vieira rides out the remainder of the round on top.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 3
Before the third round begins, Smith calls in a cutman to slice the tape off of Vieira’s glove. The two touch gloves, and Chiasson comes out shot out of a cannon. Punching her way into a single, Chiasson finds that the Brazilian is not about to go down and falls to her back. Vieira establishes herself on top again, and she embraces the grind immediately. It does not take Smith long to ask for more activity, with Vieira content to work the body with short strikes and remain busy enough to keep her position. Vieira sits up and drills Chiasson with a pair of punches that lead her corner to hoot and holler, and Chiasson fails to employ butterfly hooks to get some space. Vieira’s smothering ground control is sucking the energy out of the building, and when Chiasson attempts to escape, the Brazilian is there to shut her down completely. Smith again asks for Vieira to do more, and it is Chiasson who does some damage with a vicious elbow that rips open a cut on Vieira’s forehead. Chiasson uses the moment to explode to her feet, where she starts laying into Vieira with punches and elbows. Vieira tries to clinch, and Chiasson bails on it and leaps at her with lunging punches and kicks. Chiasson drills the Brazilian with exhausted one-twos, and her late onslaught may sway a judge or two because of the damage inflicted. The not-so-thrilling fight comes to an end.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)

The Official Result
Ketlen Vieira def. Macy Chiasson via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 18, 2025 (13 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Angelo picks Ketlen Vieira, believing she can bully Macy Chiasson by closing the distance and negating Chiasson's length. He notes that Vieira lost to Kayla Harrison (potential champion) while Chiasson's win was due to a cut. He is cautious about betting on someone coming off a loss but would bet on Vieira as a dog if odds flip.

Would bet on Ketlen Vieira if she becomes an underdog.
"I still think Kelan wins this fight. She is big. She is strong."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked May 26, 2025 (5 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Big Brady picks Ketlen Vieira with low confidence, citing her elite takedown defense (88%) as the key factor. He notes that even Kayla Harrison struggled to take Vieira down. He believes Vieira is the better striker if the fight stays standing and may even take Chiasson down, as Chiasson has been taken down by lesser fighters. He expects a close decision.

"I'll take Vieira. Uh, I even think Vieira might be able to get on top."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean picked May 29, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Macy Chiasson

Connor picks Chiasson for being crazy and aggressive, and because Vieira looks consistently uncomfortable on the feet. He notes that if Vieira cannot get takedowns, Chiasson could be the more aggressive clinch striker. However, he acknowledges the fight is low-level and hard to call.

"I'll take Jason for being crazy and aggressive. I suppose for looking, uh, looking consistently more uncomfortable. Yeah. I mean, all, all it seems like it would take is for Vieira to just get into clinches consistently and put Jason …"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 29, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Macy Chiasson

Matt picks Macy Chiasson to win by decision. He values Chiasson's physicality and improving striking, which he believes will overcome Vieira's technical striking. He notes that Chiasson blends her striking with grappling effectively and sees value at -125, estimating her true odds around -150 to -185. He expects a decision win.

Chiasson by decision +150, Vieira by decision +175
"I'm going to lean on the physicality of Kasan to grind this fight out."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 28, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Macy Chiasson

The MMA Guru picks Macy Chiasson over Ketlen Vieira, citing Chiasson's volume, pressure, and physicality advantage. He criticizes Vieira's recent performance against Miesha Tate and believes Chiasson's grit will force a high-output fight. He worries about a potential submission from Vieira but overall favors Chiasson.

"I'm going to go with Macy Shasson. I think her volume's good. I think her pressure is good... She's got a physicality advantage here."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean picked May 29, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Zane picks Vieira because he believes she can out-wrestle and out-grapple Chiasson, and that her strength and top control will be decisive. He notes that Chiasson has improved but still struggles in the clinch and is easy to hit. However, he acknowledges that if Vieira cannot get takedowns, she will struggle due to her poor striking confidence.

"I got to pick Vieira. I'll pick Jason who gives a fuck low level MMA. I mean, the fact that this is the other fight with two ranked fighters in it is a, is a cruel joke about women's banter …"
LOSS vs Kayla Harrison
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. · Oct 05, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kayla Harrison 0 24 of 61 39% 67 of 108 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ketlen Vieira 0 55 of 94 58% 98 of 149 2 of 8 25% 0 0 7:54
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kayla Harrison 0 5 of 16 31% 27 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ketlen Vieira 0 17 of 27 62% 37 of 53 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:46
2 Kayla Harrison 0 14 of 32 43% 29 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ketlen Vieira 0 15 of 35 42% 27 of 50 0 of 2 0% 0 0 2:02
3 Kayla Harrison 0 5 of 13 38% 11 of 21 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Ketlen Vieira 0 23 of 32 71% 34 of 46 1 of 4 25% 0 0 3:06
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kayla Harrison 24 of 61 39% 12 of 38 4 of 15 8 of 8 21 of 58 3 of 3 0 of 0
Ketlen Vieira 55 of 94 58% 34 of 69 14 of 16 7 of 9 19 of 50 15 of 17 21 of 27
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kayla Harrison 5 of 16 31% 1 of 8 0 of 4 4 of 4 5 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ketlen Vieira 17 of 27 62% 7 of 17 9 of 9 1 of 1 4 of 12 9 of 11 4 of 4
2 Kayla Harrison 14 of 32 43% 8 of 22 3 of 7 3 of 3 11 of 29 3 of 3 0 of 0
Ketlen Vieira 15 of 35 42% 8 of 25 4 of 6 3 of 4 9 of 29 6 of 6 0 of 0
3 Kayla Harrison 5 of 13 38% 3 of 8 1 of 4 1 of 1 5 of 13 0 of 0 0 of 0
Ketlen Vieira 23 of 32 71% 19 of 27 1 of 1 3 of 4 6 of 9 0 of 0 17 of 23
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Kayla Harrison vs. Ketlen Vieira
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Harrison (-800), Vieira (+550)

Round 1
Even though she is currently ranked higher than her opponent, Vieira (14-3, 8-3 UFC) finds herself as a massive betting underdog at around +700 against enormous favorite Harrison (17-1, 1-0 UFC). Anything can happen in this glorious sport, and it often does. This grappling-centric affair will draw oversight from referee Marc Goddard, and the main card commences as the bantamweights touch ‘em up. Vieira flicks out a jab towards the jittery Harrison, and she gets knocked back by a left hand. Vieira reaches out with her right hand, and chants in support of her opponent rain down in the form of “USA!” Harrison does not channel this energy immediately, taking to the center of the cage and checking a low kick. Harrison kicks her to the chest, and Vieira skirts out the outer edge of the cage. Harrison tries to hit a trip, and Vieira slips away. Harrison fires off a high kick, and Vieira blocks it as the judoka stumbles. Harrison springs back to her feet and grasps Vieira around the waist, delivering knees to the body as Vieira tries to catch them fruitlessly. Harrison goes for a knee up top, and she hunts for a few trips to no avail. Harrison slams a knee in the ribs, and she uses her other to smack the Brazilian in the face with it. Goddard asks for more activity, and the audience turns on the ladies as they spend a lot of time in the clinch. Vieira tries to escape, and she blocks a knee and wings as right hand that bounces off the guard. Harrison checks another kick and parries a body kick, and she returns fire with her own kick to the stomach. Harrison sticks and moves with a low kick and one high, and Vieira swings and misses. This allows Harrison to close in on her, and she bowls Vieira over and ultimately lands in half guard. “USA” chants for Harrison rain down again, and she moves to mount and blasts Vieira in the face with an elbow. Vieira turns around to give up her back, and Harrison follows her every step of the way, battering her with elbows and punches. Vieira rides out the position under fire until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Harrison
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Harrison
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Harrison

Round 2
The ladies meet in the middle, and they lob inaccurate strikes at one another. The first one landed is a low kick from the American, and she dances out of the way of a few long right hands from Vieira. Vieira sits down on a right hand to catch Harrison on the chin, and she gets tripped out with an inside low kick. Vieira stands back up without issue, and she parries a high kick. Vieira gets off her own leg kick, and she again tags Harrison with a right on the side of the head. Vieira digs a right to the body, and Harrison punches her way into a takedown attempt where she grabs the leg and puts her hand behind the neck to throw her foe down. Vieira fights it off and resets, blocking another head kick so she can jab Harrison in the ribs. Harrison shoots for a takedown and complains of an eye poke when Vieira posted off, and Harrison signals she is fine and does not need to pause. Vieira stops two more attempts and lands a few strikes, and Harrison plants her feet to connect with a heavy leg kick. Harrison pushes in tight to the clinch, and she is warned for holding the fence. Vieira breaks away, and Harrison plows forward with a knee to the body before clinching up again. While Vieira answers with an elbow, she cannot gain any space. Vieira rings her bell with another elbow, and Harrison pushes through it to get back up close and personal with knees to the body. Vieira blasts her with another elbow, and swelling has developed above Harrison’s right eye. Harrison digs several more knees to the body, and blood trickles out of the lump on her head. Goddard asks for more action, and he splits them up with 20 seconds left in the round. Vieira kicks low, gets checked, and pushes past a head kick to throw one back. The round ends with both ladies whiffing on kicks.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Harrison

Round 3
The ladies bump fists and then bow to one another to start the round. Harrison comes out aggressively, blocking a kick and shooting in for a double. Vieira breaks out of it and lobs back a one-two that busts open Harrison’s nose, with blood flowing immediately. Harrison tries for another takedown, and that fails again. Harrison gets off an inside leg kick that disrupts Vieira’s balance, and she pursues a takedown and comes up short. Harrison checks a calf kick and goes for a takedown that is nowhere close to landing. Vieira swipes a right to the body, and her guard is high to block a head kick. Harrison crashes forward for a takedown, lifts Vieira’s leg up and cannot get her down. On Harrison’s second attempt, she succeeds in wrenching the Brazilian to the mat. Vieira tries to tug on the fencing to stop it, but she is placed on her back with Harrison raining down elbows. Vieira pushes her back, and Harrison comes back to drill her with a left hand. Harrison stays busy with ground-and-pound, and Vieira pulls her toes on the wire to get to a more advantageous position. Harrison postures up to drop down three left hands, and Vieira throws her legs up for a high guard or a triangle choke. Harrison is wise to it and continues slamming down punches, and she brings down the hammer with a few high-amplitude elbows. Harrison passes to half guard, and she slices over to mount with 45 seconds to spare. Harrison slashes down with a few elbows, and Vieira clings to her tightly. Vieira turns over, and Harrison spins with her and wrenches on her neck with a brute force crank more than a choke. Harrison swirls over to half guard when Vieira turns, and she gets pushed to her feet as the match concludes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Harrison (29-28 Harrison)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Harrison (29-28 Harrison)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Harrison (30-27 Harrison)

The Official Result
Kayla Harrison def. Ketlen Vieira via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Sep 29, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Angelo picks Kayla Harrison to dominate, citing her Olympic gold medal judo and physical strength. He notes Ketlen Vieira relies on being big and strong to bully opponents, but that won't work against Harrison. He expects Harrison to toss Vieira and control the fight. He also suggests looking at the under 2.5 rounds line for potential value.

Look at under 2.5 rounds line for value
"Kayla Harrison dominates here she's absolutely the pick"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 3, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Big Brady picks Kayla Harrison confidently, acknowledging Vieira is solid but believes Harrison is on a different level. He expects Harrison's judo to overcome Vieira's takedown defense, and once on top, Harrison will control and win a decision, possibly with a finish. He notes the weight cut is something to monitor.

"I'll go Kayla Harrison to win this fight and Win It by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 2, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Cody picks Harrison, believing her Judo and ground-and-pound will be effective. He acknowledges Vieira's takedown defense and altitude concerns but thinks Harrison's UFC debut win over Holly Holm showed her potential. He warns against betting the heavy favorite.

"Harrison will be the pick"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 3, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Connor also picks Harrison, echoing Zane's reasoning. He notes that Vieira has never believed in her hands since being knocked out by Raquel Pennington and relies on clinch work, which plays into Harrison's strengths. Connor expects Harrison to win impressively and set up a title fight.

Same odds commentary.
"Hey, if they're if they're hoping for a pania win that then sets up harrison in a uh for a title fight where that actually has like not just two b sides."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Oct 3, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Daniel Vreeland picks Kayla Harrison. He admits he hasn't been the biggest Harrison fan and has faded her before, but notes that her one-dimensional grappling is so elite that it doesn't matter. He points out that Harrison's takedown game is elite and she is physically very strong for the weight class, even though she is cutting a lot of weight. He believes she will pile things on and get a win, possibly by submission.

Harrison by submission +350
"I like Kayla Harrison here I think we see her absolutely pile things on"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Oct 1, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Daniel Vreeland confidently picks Kayla Harrison, calling her a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. He notes that Harrison's drop to 135 has made her more explosive and athletic. While Vieira has 92% takedown defense, Vreeland believes Harrison's Judo and wrestling will overcome that. He expects Harrison to win and secure a title shot, though he is unsure of the method.

"Kayla Harrison coming out here getting this win securing a title shot"
JE
Jeff Fox Expert Confident picked Oct 3, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Jeff Fox picks Kayla Harrison. He notes that Harrison is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo and has elite grappling. He believes her takedown game and physical strength will be too much for Ketlen Vieira, even though Vieira has a grappling base. Fox thinks Harrison will dominate on the ground and likely get a finish.

"I'm taking Kayla Harrison obviously"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 4, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Kayla Harrison

The host thinks the odds are a bit wide for his liking but still believes Harrison will go out and grind the fight out. He notes Harrison is the superior grappler and may be at a disadvantage in striking, but not enough to prevent her from closing distance and using judo. He expects Harrison to win on the scorecards, as Vieira will show enough resistance to avoid a finish.

odds a little bit wide for my liking
"the odds a little bit wide for my liking but that still does not take away from the fact that I think that Harrison goes out there and grinds this fight out"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 2, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Paul picks Harrison, noting her world-class grappling and the fact that she can now use elbows in the UFC. He mentions Vieira's cardio issues and Harrison's ability to grind out a win, but cautions about the weight cut and altitude.

"I'm picking Kayla Harrison"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 1, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

The MMA Guru picks Kayla Harrison over Ketlen Vieira, citing Harrison's dominant grappling and physicality. He notes Harrison's ability to toss around training partners like Alex Pereira and her past performance against Holly Holm. He believes Harrison will be the champion and that Vieira is not on her level. He also mentions the fight is three rounds, so altitude is less of a concern.

"I'm going to go Kayla Harrison you guys I just got a hunch that she's going to get this one done"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 3, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Kayla Harrison

Zane picks Harrison confidently, noting that Vieira is a swing-and-clinch artist who lacks the nuance to deal with Harrison's superior judo and grappling. He highlights Harrison's adjustment in the Holly Holm fight where she let go of a hip toss to land in top position. Zane expects Harrison to dominate in the clinch and win decisively.

Harrison opened at -769, now -1042. Vieira opened at +483, now +659.
"Kayla harrison's gonna win. what is I know shocker."
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs. Tybura · Jul 22, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ketlen Vieira 0 15 of 33 45% 65 of 103 3 of 3 100% 3 0 10:49
Pannie Kianzad 0 22 of 51 43% 92 of 144 0 of 0 --- 0 1 2:11
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ketlen Vieira 0 5 of 15 33% 23 of 40 1 of 1 100% 0 0 3:53
Pannie Kianzad 0 4 of 16 25% 7 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Ketlen Vieira 0 7 of 13 53% 25 of 34 1 of 1 100% 2 0 4:18
Pannie Kianzad 0 4 of 9 44% 15 of 21 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Ketlen Vieira 0 3 of 5 60% 17 of 29 1 of 1 100% 1 0 2:38
Pannie Kianzad 0 14 of 26 53% 70 of 104 0 of 0 --- 0 1 2:11
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ketlen Vieira 15 of 33 45% 13 of 31 1 of 1 1 of 1 8 of 25 1 of 2 6 of 6
Pannie Kianzad 22 of 51 43% 17 of 45 3 of 4 2 of 2 10 of 30 0 of 0 12 of 21
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ketlen Vieira 5 of 15 33% 4 of 14 0 of 0 1 of 1 4 of 14 0 of 0 1 of 1
Pannie Kianzad 4 of 16 25% 2 of 13 1 of 2 1 of 1 4 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Ketlen Vieira 7 of 13 53% 7 of 13 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 10 0 of 0 3 of 3
Pannie Kianzad 4 of 9 44% 3 of 8 0 of 0 1 of 1 4 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Ketlen Vieira 3 of 5 60% 2 of 4 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 1 1 of 2 2 of 2
Pannie Kianzad 14 of 26 53% 12 of 24 2 of 2 0 of 0 2 of 5 0 of 0 12 of 21
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Pannie Kianzad vs. Ketlen Vieira
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Vieira (-150), Kianzad (+130)

Round 1
The fight with arguably the greatest title implications tonight is buried in the middle of the prelims, as the women’s bantamweight division is still championless and the perceived “uncrowned queen” of Holly Holm was knocked down a peg last week. Both women on the outside of the UFC’s top five looking in, Vieira (13-3, 7-3 UFC) and Kianzad (16-6, 5-3 UFC) will engage in a crucial contest at 135 pounds. With neither woman sporting a stoppage rate over 50%, referee Jason Herzog could be in it for the long haul here. Vieira offers a glove touch, but Kianzad wants nothing to do with it. Instead, Kianzad races forward pushing out straight punches down the middle. Vieira dodges back and reaches out with a heavy right hand, and Kianzad is out of the way in time. Vieira sticks out a jab, and Kianzad catches her with a left hand and a right over the top. Kianzad pokes out a jab, and she follows with a left hook that bounces off the guard. Vieira shoots in for a low single-leg takedown, and she lifts Kianzad’s leg up and throws her down to land right in side control. Kianzad recovers to half guard when Vieira sets up an arm-triangle choke, and the Brazilian still has her left arm hooked around the head of her opponent. Vieira looks to isolate Kianzad’s left arm for a potential armlock, and Kianzad turns to her side to stop it from coming together. Vieira powers her back over with shoulder pressure, smothering “Banzai” and returning her flat to her back. Kianzad gets back to a guard and she sets up butterfly hooks to push off, and this allows Vieira to punch her square in the face. Kianzad responds with a few strikes off her back, but the ones she absorbs from “Fenomeno” are far heavier. Kianzad looks to push off the midsection, but Vieira stays heavy as a ton of bricks and steps into the half guard. Vieira controls her adversary and presses her shoulder into Kianzad’s face and neck, and frustrating the Swede. Vieira grabs hold of the left arm and isolates it to grip for a kimura, and Kianzad protects herself by putting it under her back. As Vieira shifts to north-south position, the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 2
The ladies meet in the middle of the cage, and Kianzad leads off with a looping left hook. Vieira blocks it and replies in kind, and the strike from the Brazilian glances off the raised guard. When Kianzad kicks low, Vieira gives her three punches over the top. Kianzad steps in to punch, and Vieira snatches up the lead leg and easily throws Kianzad to the canvas. Vieira goes right to half guard, and a desperate Kianzad is able to pull her into her guard and closes it up. Kianzad times a moment in transition to push her foot off Vieira’s body, but Vieira is able to casually shift back over the half guard. Vieira starts hunting for a kimura, and Kianzad defends it but starts taking heavy body shots. Vieira gloms onto her, and she hops into full mount and quickly locks down an arm-triangle choke. Vieira squeezes with her full body weight, and Kianzad defends it with her left arm between the grip of her opponent and her own neck. Kianzad turns the proper way to protect her neck, and Vieira abandons the submission. Kianzad explodes to her side, and she attempts to turn over and get to her knees so she can get back up. Vieira bowls her over and puts her on her back again. With 30 seconds remaining, Vieira tries to lock down an arm-triangle choke on the other side, but Kianzad is wise to it and is not in submission danger. The round ends with Vieira on top.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 3
A fire seemingly lit under her backside, Kianzad springs right into action, rushing at Vieira with punches in bunches. When Kianzad overextends on a left hook, Vieira smartly changes levels, coming up with a clean double-leg takedown to put Kianzad on her back 15 seconds into the final frame. Kianzad does everything she can to scoot her way to the wall, and this gives up her back in the process. Vieira leans with her back against the fencing, holding onto Kianzad from behind and sliding her hooks in. The leverage for any submission is not there, until she turns to lower herself to the floor. Vieira sets up a rear-naked choke, and Kianzad hand-fights to save herself from getting tapped. When Kianzad thwarts the choke, Vieira locks up a body triangle to further make Kianzad’s life miserable. Kianzad is able to defend from the choke setups, and she grits her teeth and spins around to secure top position with about two minutes left in the fight. Kianzad opens up with punches when she winds up on top, and Vieira clings to her to shut down the offense. Kianzad frees herself and stands up, and she jumps down to nail Vieira with a diving right hand. As Kianzad does damage from the guard, the commentary team starts discussing people walking their cats in strollers. All the while, Kianzad is doing anything she can to hunt for a finish, flailing with punches and hammerfists. Vieira pushes off with the ball of her foot, and she smacks Kianzad in the face with one illegally. Herzog checks on Kianzad, who says she is fine and wants to keep going. Kianzad rains down punches to any target, marking up Vieira’s right eye, and swinging frantically. Vieira throws her legs up high for a triangle choke, and she simultaneously grips an armbar, and the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (30-27 Vieira)

The Official Result
Ketlen Vieira def. Pannie Kianzad via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 16, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Pannie Kianzad

Angelo favors Pannie Kianzad's footwork, speed, athleticism, and jab over Ketlen Vieira's size and strength. He notes Vieira's recent performances have been spotty and that her lack of speed could be exploited. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds and a plus 3.5 betting line on Kianzad.

over 2.5 rounds likely a lock; plus 3.5 on Pannie Kianzad (buying points)
"the pick is going to be Pawnee I like the footwork I like the speed I like the athleticism I like the jab"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Jul 18, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Pannie Kianzad

Big Brady picks Pannie Kianzad by decision, but says he doesn't care about the fight and won't bet it. He likes Kianzad's volume striking and believes she can keep the fight standing with 80% takedown defense. He notes Vieira lands harder shots but Kianzad will outwork her. He is concerned if Vieira gets takedowns.

by decision
"give me Kanza to win this fight give me to Win It by decision but I will not be putting a dollar on this matchup"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 19, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Cody picks Vieira, noting her superior competition and grappling advantage. He thinks she will use clinch and takedowns to control Kianzad. He acknowledges it could be a close decision but sees value at -140.

"minus 140 seems pretty fair for for Viera"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jul 20, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Daniel slightly leans toward Ketlen Vieira, noting she has historically been on a higher level and is stronger in the clinch with better top control. However, he thinks she hasn't looked the same since her injury and surgery after the Zingano fight. He acknowledges Pannie Kianzad has better hands and durability, and expects a closely contested fight that could go either way. He is not surprised if Kianzad wins a split decision.

Daniel says 'I slightly lean with Catlin' but does not bet. He mentions the line: Vieira -140, Kianzad +120.
"I slightly lean with Catlin I've always viewed her kind of on a higher level"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

The host picks Ketlen Vieira, believing her damaging strikes will outweigh Kianzad's volume. He notes Vieira's power and ability to hurt opponents, while Kianzad struggles against higher competition and takes damage poorly. He expects Vieira to storm back and win by decision.

"I think Catelyn storms back here and picks up a victory gets back into the win column"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 19, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Paul picks Vieira, citing her size, strength, and grappling. He notes Kianzad struggles in the clinch and has been knocked down. He thinks Vieira's boxing improvements will help, but expects a close decision.

"the pick would be ketling there for me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lean picked Jul 17, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

The MMA Guru leans towards Ketlen Vieira, calling it a coin flip but favoring her based on level of competition. He notes that Amanda Nunes' retirement may motivate contenders. He dismisses Pannie Kianzad's win over Lina Länsberg and criticizes her performance against Alexis Davis. The Guru believes Vieira's size, strength, and reach advantage will lead to a 29-28 split decision win.

"I am gonna lean towards Caitlin Vieira just based on level of competition that she's been fighting recently"
Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Imavov · Jan 14, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Raquel Pennington 0 64 of 152 42% 138 of 230 0 of 0 --- 0 0 4:45
Ketlen Vieira 0 81 of 159 50% 104 of 184 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:18
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Raquel Pennington 0 23 of 71 32% 29 of 78 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:13
Ketlen Vieira 0 27 of 58 46% 27 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Raquel Pennington 0 21 of 51 41% 42 of 72 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:28
Ketlen Vieira 0 29 of 61 47% 32 of 64 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:37
3 Raquel Pennington 0 20 of 30 66% 67 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:04
Ketlen Vieira 0 25 of 40 62% 45 of 62 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:41
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Raquel Pennington 64 of 152 42% 41 of 122 5 of 10 18 of 20 56 of 143 8 of 9 0 of 0
Ketlen Vieira 81 of 159 50% 37 of 111 32 of 35 12 of 13 59 of 134 22 of 25 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Raquel Pennington 23 of 71 32% 15 of 58 3 of 7 5 of 6 21 of 69 2 of 2 0 of 0
Ketlen Vieira 27 of 58 46% 14 of 44 9 of 9 4 of 5 24 of 54 3 of 4 0 of 0
2 Raquel Pennington 21 of 51 41% 10 of 39 2 of 3 9 of 9 19 of 48 2 of 3 0 of 0
Ketlen Vieira 29 of 61 47% 14 of 43 11 of 14 4 of 4 21 of 51 8 of 10 0 of 0
3 Raquel Pennington 20 of 30 66% 16 of 25 0 of 0 4 of 5 16 of 26 4 of 4 0 of 0
Ketlen Vieira 25 of 40 62% 9 of 24 12 of 12 4 of 4 14 of 29 11 of 11 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Raquel Pennington vs. Ketlen Vieira
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Vieira (-115), Pennington (-105)

Round 1
In terms of pure rankings, no fight on the billing is more relevant than this fight that is not on the marquee. This women’s bantamweight pairing, one pitting the second-ranked Vieira (13-2, 7-2 UFC) against the no. 5 Pennington (14-8, 11-5 UFC), could have immediate title implications depending on how it plays out. One woman will take her first defeat in quite some time, and referee Chris Tognoni will be the first to know who that is. The ladies sportingly clap hands ahead of their important fight, and they are jittery and not ready to engage. At the 20-second mark, Pennington leaps forward with a superwoman punch, and Vieira backs her off with a solid right hand in response. Vieira walks through a low kick on the inside and a jab to the body so that she can swing a swatting left hook, but this misses the mark. The Brazilian whiffs on a big right as well, prompting Pennington to charge in with a stream of jabs. Vieira parries two looping strikes to catch “Rocky” with a short right hand on the way in. Pennington appears no worse for wear as she goes for another kick on the inside of the knee, and she ducks back when a big left hook whizzes past her face. Vieira grabs a charging Pennington to knee her right in the chest, and she sends her backpedaling with a clean right hand across the bow. Pennington slams her shin on the low calf of her opponent, and she fakes a second to draw an exaggerated reaction out of the Brazilian. Vieira snipes with a left hand to open a cut on the top of Pennington’s forehead, and she chains together a combination of punches and a low kick to keep Pennington guessing. Vieira absorbs a kick to the ribs as she closes the distance, and she reaches her foe with a left hook in a short salvo. Vieira paws out a trio of low kicks before lunging with a straight punch to the body, and Pennington answers with a similar punch before swinging a left hand at her. Vieira lands at the end of her left hook, and another superwoman punch from Pennington allows her to close the distance and tie the Brazilian up to the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 2
The bantamweight contenders touch hands before re-engaging, and engage they do almost immediately, when Pennington coming out firing. Vieira answers with a counter left hook, as she measures this strike to draw ever closer to the mark. Vieira takes one on the chin to throw back two, and she has a handful of punches ricochet off the guard. Pennington connects with a heavy one-two, and Vieira blinks it out but cannot keep an advancing Pennington off of her. “Rocky” grabs hold of Vieira from behind, where she considers elevating the Brazilian to drop her on the mat, or otherwise force Vieira to carry her body weight. Vieira gets warned for bragging the fence, and she turns back around in the clinch and belts Pennington in the face with a stern elbow. Vieira opens up with a one-two, and she starts slugging it out with her opponent and gets marked up as well. The right side of Pennington’s face is growingly covered in blood, while Vieira’s mouth is also turning a brilliant shade of scarlet. Vieira spins Pennington around, and a knee from the former title challenger slams square into Vieira’s groin. Tognoni recognizes the foul as Vieira appears in clear pain, and the action is paused for about 45 seconds until they get back to it. Pennington starts off the initial aggressor, slinging a high kick and a few lancing punches while Vieira throws back in volume. Vieira gets off with a right hand, and Pennington replies in kind to snap the head back. Pennington nails her with another right over the top before latching on to the clinch and clubbing the body with a pair of knees. Pennington checks the clock when pinned to the fence – it reads about 58 seconds – and she tries with all her might to break off. When she cannot get out of the clinch, she settles for knee after unanswered knee to the chest and midsection. Vieira is sticking to her tightly without striking back, and Pennington remains the busier of the two with body shots. Vieira slithers around to the back with seconds to spare, and there is nothing to be had before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Pennington

Round 3
The ladies double touch hands, hug and then bump fists again to start the last round. They immediately go for broke, with Pennington not wasting any time engaging and throwing hands. Pennington cracks Vieira with a superwoman punch, and Vieira answers with several speedy punches in response. The two close the distance and end up tied up, with Vieira pushing the former title challenger against the wall. Pennington grinds her elbow on the chin as Vieira stays close enough to not take many knees as she did the end of the last round. When Pennington sets up a Thai plum, Vieira disengages. Vieira resets and dings Pennington with a right hand, stringing together a few strikes before Pennington closes in to grab hold of her. They trade short single punches up close, and both try to attempt a throw or toss to change position. When neither succeed, Vieira spins her around in the tie-up, and Pennington looks for a Thai clinch again. This time, Pennington is able to score a knee before they separate, and Vieira leaps forward suddenly with a crushing elbow. Pennington takes it cleanly and tries to escape, so Vieira follows her and nails her with another before snagging here again up close. Vieira targets elbows, and Pennington rips the body with a knee. When in the clinch, Vieira slips around to nearly take the back, and she knees the thigh while Pennington punches her from over her own shoulder. Vieira looks to elevate Pennington, but she cannot throw her as Pennington’s base is too solid. Vieira stays clung to her adversary right to the bitter end, and the judges have their hands full with this one.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (29-28 Vieira)
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (29-28 Vieira)
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (29-28 Vieira)

The Official Result
Raquel Pennington def. Ketlen Vieira via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jan 11, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Angelo picks Vieira, citing her size, power, and Judo. He thinks she will be busier in the clinch and work off the cage, making Pennington look boring. He acknowledges Pennington's toughness but believes Vieira's recent win over Holly Holm and physical advantages will secure a decision. He is willing to bet on her.

"I like Caitlin to win this fight I think minus 117 I actually think that's good money on her"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Jan 9, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Big Brady picks Ketlen Vieira but is not confident, calling it his least favorite fight on the card. He sees Vieira having a grappling advantage if she gets on top, but notes she often does nothing with control time, as seen in fights against Yana Kunitskaya and Holly Holm. He also acknowledges Pennington's clinch work and ability to push Vieira against the cage. He predicts a close, ugly decision that judges might get wrong, and he will not bet on the fight.

Not betting on this fight; Vieira by decision
"I'm gonna stick with with Vera though I don't love it I will not be betting on this fight but I will pick Viera to win"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Jan 11, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Raquel Pennington

Cody leans slightly towards Pennington, noting her striking output against Aspen Ladd and potential bulldog choke. He sees it as a close fight and prefers to bet it live after seeing who is stronger in the clinch.

"I'll lean ever so slightly to Rocky Pennington... but uh no way I'm getting money invested in it early"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Jan 12, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Connor picks Vieira because she is physically stronger and more powerful, and has a wrestling advantage that can neutralize Pennington's boxing. He notes that Pennington often gets taken down at least once per fight, and Vieira's clinch work and top control can sway judges. Connor also mentions that Vieira showed renewed confidence against Holly Holm, throwing off her back foot and in clinches.

Odds: Vieira opened -145, jumped to -105, currently -123. Pennington opened +125, jumped to -112, currently +101. Connor expects a split decision either way.
"I'm going to pick her here. ... Vieira is more she's more powerful. She's she's the bigger hitter and at least the little bit of confidence renewed confidence. She showed against home to at least throw off her back foot …"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Jan 12, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Connor also picks Vieira, agreeing that she has improved and has more options. He notes that Pennington has power and patience, which could create opportunities, but Vieira's grappling and overall game should prevail. Connor mentions that Pennington has made herself interesting but Vieira is the better fighter.

"I'm gonna take you banks as well but uh yeah I you know it I would I will be interested to see if if cash aware I can win a fight like this"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Jan 11, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Raquel Pennington

Jacob picks Pennington, calling Vieira overrated and Pennington underrated. He argues Pennington's recent wins are more impressive and she is the better overall fighter. He notes Vieira's split decision losses and that Pennington's clinch control and striking looked sharp. He is confident enough to bet $100 against Angelo.

Bet $100 with Angelo
"I'll pick Rocky in this fight I think she's the better fighter"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jan 11, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Paul leans towards Vieira, citing her size and recent five-round experience. He expects a clinch-heavy fight and thinks Vieira may get the better of it, but admits he has low confidence and sees it as a pass or live-bet situation.

"the official pick will be Kellen Vieira but it's like you know there's Fighters that you can trust... I couldn't tell you"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Jan 12, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Raquel Pennington

Zane picks Pennington because she has steadily improved her boxing and showed excellent counter-punching against Aspen Ladd. He notes that Pennington is a solid defensive wrestler who doesn't give up much even when taken down, and that she makes good decisions as the fight goes on. Zane also points out that Vieira's striking has become overly cautious since her knockout loss, relying on clinch work rather than developing her forward striking.

Odds: Vieira opened -145, jumped to -105, currently -123. Pennington opened +125, jumped to -112, currently +101. Zane expects a close fight and thinks Pennington's technical acumen could earn her a decision.
"I'm going to take Pennington though. ... Pennington is just she is a very solid defensive wrestling grappler even when she gets surprised by somebody's strength or you know gets put in a bad position. She doesn't give a lot …"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Jan 12, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Zane picks Vieira, noting that she has shown improvements in tactical depth and technique over her last few fights. He believes she has too many options and has gotten better at connecting phases of her game, defense, and counterpunching. However, he worries about her last fight against Melissa Gatto where she couldn't finish and got reversed. He still thinks she should be a lock to win.

Odds mentioned: Vieira opened at -160, currently -248; Pennington opened at +140, currently +200.
"I'm gonna take you banks as well but uh yeah I you know it I would I will be interested to see if if cash aware I can win a fight like this"
WIN vs Holly Holm
Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 48–47) R5 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Vieira · May 21, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ketlen Vieira 0 96 of 157 61% 188 of 263 0 of 6 0% 0 0 10:03
Holly Holm 0 85 of 151 56% 122 of 190 1 of 7 14% 1 0 1:24
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ketlen Vieira 0 6 of 9 66% 33 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:36
Holly Holm 0 19 of 22 86% 40 of 45 0 of 5 0% 0 0 0:19
2 Ketlen Vieira 0 14 of 21 66% 33 of 44 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:46
Holly Holm 0 10 of 22 45% 17 of 29 1 of 1 100% 1 0 0:56
3 Ketlen Vieira 0 18 of 30 60% 42 of 56 0 of 2 0% 0 0 2:50
Holly Holm 0 23 of 37 62% 27 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:06
4 Ketlen Vieira 0 37 of 68 54% 37 of 68 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:09
Holly Holm 0 23 of 51 45% 23 of 51 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
5 Ketlen Vieira 0 21 of 29 72% 43 of 54 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:42
Holly Holm 0 10 of 19 52% 15 of 24 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:03
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ketlen Vieira 96 of 157 61% 26 of 79 34 of 40 36 of 38 76 of 133 20 of 24 0 of 0
Holly Holm 85 of 151 56% 49 of 109 29 of 34 7 of 8 49 of 110 32 of 37 4 of 4
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ketlen Vieira 6 of 9 66% 2 of 4 0 of 1 4 of 4 3 of 5 3 of 4 0 of 0
Holly Holm 19 of 22 86% 3 of 5 14 of 15 2 of 2 3 of 6 14 of 14 2 of 2
2 Ketlen Vieira 14 of 21 66% 6 of 13 2 of 2 6 of 6 8 of 15 6 of 6 0 of 0
Holly Holm 10 of 22 45% 7 of 15 2 of 5 1 of 2 6 of 15 2 of 5 2 of 2
3 Ketlen Vieira 18 of 30 60% 4 of 13 9 of 11 5 of 6 13 of 25 5 of 5 0 of 0
Holly Holm 23 of 37 62% 11 of 25 11 of 11 1 of 1 13 of 26 10 of 11 0 of 0
4 Ketlen Vieira 37 of 68 54% 5 of 33 16 of 18 16 of 17 36 of 66 1 of 2 0 of 0
Holly Holm 23 of 51 45% 19 of 46 2 of 3 2 of 2 20 of 47 3 of 4 0 of 0
5 Ketlen Vieira 21 of 29 72% 9 of 16 7 of 8 5 of 5 16 of 22 5 of 7 0 of 0
Holly Holm 10 of 19 52% 9 of 18 0 of 0 1 of 1 7 of 16 3 of 3 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Holly Holm vs. Ketlen Vieira
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Holm (-240), Vieira (+195)

Round 1
Jason Herzog will oversee the evening’s bantamweight headliner. After having multiple fights fall through, Holm makes her first appearance since a dominant win over Irene Aldana in October 2020. Vieira, meanwhile, will attempt to add another notable name to her ledger after besting ex-champ Miesha Tate this past November. Holm opens up with an outside leg kick and Vieira answers with a heavy inside leg kick. Holm with a side kick to the knee of her opponent. Vieira closes distance and shoves Holm into the fence. The Jackson-Wink product quickly reverses position. Vieira attempts to execute a throw and then lands a few punches as Holm scrambles up. They remain in the clinch, with Holm in control, pushing Vieira into the fence. Holm with a few short punches to the head. Holm defends a trip and lands a few punches. Holm is controlling the clinch and appears to be the stronger fighter, but there’s not a ton of action in this position. They trade knees and Holm drops for a single leg. Holm gives up on it and continues to grind away against the fence. Holm lands a few knees to the thigh of Vieira, who responds with knees of her own to the midsection. Holm defends another throw and the round ends in the clinch.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Holm
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Holm
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Holm

Round 2
Holm begins with an outside leg kick. Vieira just misses the mark on a head kick. The Brazilian moves forward and fires off a straight right. Vieira closes the distance behind a combination, but Holm circles out. Another leg kick for Holm. Holm with a leg kick yet again, and she moves away from Vieira’s counter. Holm punches her way into the clinch and Vieira executes a nice hip toss. Holm immediately slides to the fence and posts an arm before standing. Vieira shoves Holm into the cage, but “The Preacher’s Daughter” turns off the cage and separates. Holm with a standing side kick to the head. Holm gets in on a single leg. Vieira hops on one leg while attacking a guillotine. Holm clings to the leg and atttempts to drag Viera to the mat. She leaves her neck exposed and Vieira briefly has a really tight standing rear-naked choke. Somehow Holm, with her face red and eyes bulging, turns out of it and shoves Vieira into the cage. Holm fires off a hard elbow from the clinch. Another elbow for Holm with time winding down. The round ends with Holm controlling position against the fence.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tudor Leonte scores the round:10-9 Vieira

Round 3
Holm goes back to the outside leg kick and Vieira answers with an inside low kick. Holm with a punching flurry, but Vieira counters her. Moments later, a front kick to the face from Vieira appears to catch Holm, who keeps her bearings and turns her foe into the cage. Holm is content to grind away from the clinch, but Vieira breaks free. Holm with an outside leg kick followed by a side kick to the midsection. Holm goes with a high kick, but Vieira blocks it. A right hand from Vieira lands flush, so Holm punches her way into the clinch. Vieira does a good job landing a few knees up the middle with her back to the cage. Holm continues to control head positioning with an underhook while occasionally flurrying with left hands. Holm with more short left hands to the head, and Vieira breaks free and lands a solid right hand. Holm lands a standing side kick but Vieira marches forward and sticks a stiff right nad to the chin. Holm ends the frame with a few knees in close quarters.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 4
Holm moves forward behind a combination, but Vieira answers with a clean right hand. Holm attempts to close the distance, but she’s stung by a right nand from Vieira. A front kick to the face lands for Holm but Vieira eats it without issue. Holm rushes forward but Vieira counters with the more significant punches. Vieira tags Holm with a combination. They briefly clinch and Vieira sticks another right. Holm’s blitzes aren’t effectively, but a standing side kick puts Vieira on her seat and Holm follows with a body kick when she stands. Another Vieira right hand catches Holm coming in. Holm forces the clinch but eats an uppercut in the process. Vieira is able to separate and circle away. A straight right snaps Holm’s head back. It’s another close round, but Vieira counters effectively with a punching combination yet again as Holm wades forward. Holm continues to throw a variety of kicks, but the punching exchanges are going Vieira’s way. Holm with another furious flurry before the bantamweights clinch at the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Holm
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Holm
Tudor Leonte scores the round:10-9 Holm

Round 5
The combatants hug to start the round. Vieira gets Holm’s attention with a head kick. They clinch, and Vieira breaks with a spinning elbow. Holm with a big left hand into the clinch. Vieira breaks free and Holm attacks with a front kick to the body. Holm forces the clinch again and the fighters stall before they reach the fence. Holm lands a short elbow on the break. Vieira counters a kick with a solid right hand. Holm forces the clinch and shoves Vieira into the cage, where she lands a knee. Vieira separates, but Holm lands a pair of nice front kicks to the face. A glancing head kick also finds the mark for Holm. Vieira counters an onrushing Holm with an uppercut. Holm changes levels and grabs a single leg. She shoves Vieira into the fence with less than 2:00 to go. Holm lets go of the leg but maintains the underhook. A short right hook lands for Holm on the break. Holm with a kick to the body and they clinch again. Holm shoves Vieira back into the fence. On the break, Holm with a flurry of punches. Holm stuffs an ensuing takedown from Vieira, turns her foe into the fence and lands several short punches. Holm drops for a takedown, can't get it and then lands some punches to the thigh before the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Holm (48-47 Holm)
Keith Shillan scores the round: 10-9 Holm (48-47 Holm)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Holm (48-47 Holm)

The Official Result
Ketlen Vieira def. Holly Holm via Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) R3 5:00
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 15, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Holly Holm

Angelo picks Holly Holm because she can turn the fight into a kickboxing match and has excellent takedown defense. He notes that Vieira's charging forward plays into Holm's counter-striking. He doesn't factor in the layoff because Holm has never been an active fighter. He expects a decision win for Holm and suggests a prop bet on Holm by decision.

Holly Holm by decision
"holly holm by decision is probably the best bet in this fight"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 17, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Holly Holm

Big Brady picks Holly Holm to win by decision, citing her superior striking, cardio, and competition level. He notes Vieira has a grappling advantage but doubts she can out-grapple Holm for five rounds. His only concern is Holm's age (40) and 19-month layoff, but he believes if she looks like she did against Irene Aldana, she should cruise. He sees no path to victory for Vieira unless Holm is old.

"i like holly holm to win i like calling him to win by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 18, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Holly Holm

Cody believes Holly Holm's striking volume, improved wrestling, and five-round experience will be too much for Ketlen Vieira. He notes Holm's lateral mobility and speed, and that Vieira has been outstruck in most of her UFC fights. He is confident Holm wins but finds the -240 moneyline a bit steep, preferring to bet Holm by decision or late-round finishes.

Holm round 4 (+2500), Holm round 5 (+3000), Holm by decision
"i'm willing to pay if i need to but i'd like to improve it and whereas normally i would just hammer up this holly holm by decision i almost do get that bad impression as you mentioned that home could …"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert picked May 21, 2022 (fight day)

The host discusses the main event but does not make a clear pick. He mentions Holly Holm's age and questions whether she can still compete at 40, but does not state a preference. He also notes that the fight could go to decision and includes it in a totals parlay (over 4.5 rounds), but does not pick a winner.

over 4.5 rounds (part of totals parlay)
"home vieta over four and a half"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked May 18, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Holly Holm

Paul likes Holly Holm to win but is hesitant due to the -240 price and Holm's age (40). He notes Holm's striking and improved wrestling, but says he doesn't love the moneyline. He is interested in sprinkling on Holm round 4 (+2500) and round 5 (+3000) if Vieira shows up like she did against Yana Kunitskaya, as Holm could finish her late.

Holm round 4 (+2500), Holm round 5 (+3000)
"i like holly holm to win -240 scares me a little bit off she obviously she's 40 years old um but like i mean she's still in damn good shape for her age the volume is always there obviously she's …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 17, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Holly Holm

The MMA Guru picks Holly Holm, citing her superior striking, conditioning, and athleticism. He thinks Ketlen Vieira lacks KO power and will struggle to get the fight to the ground. He predicts Holm will lose the first round but win the next four via decision.

"i'm going to go with holly holm i'm going to go decision win"
WIN vs Miesha Tate
Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 49–46) R5 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Vieira vs. Tate · Nov 20, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ketlen Vieira 0 113 of 263 42% 156 of 313 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Miesha Tate 0 122 of 276 44% 145 of 302 1 of 6 16% 0 0 2:52
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ketlen Vieira 0 14 of 38 36% 18 of 44 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Miesha Tate 0 13 of 38 34% 16 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:52
2 Ketlen Vieira 0 29 of 54 53% 29 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Miesha Tate 0 21 of 54 38% 21 of 54 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Ketlen Vieira 0 20 of 55 36% 28 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Miesha Tate 0 24 of 57 42% 26 of 59 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:26
4 Ketlen Vieira 0 20 of 43 46% 50 of 78 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Miesha Tate 0 31 of 54 57% 44 of 70 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:34
5 Ketlen Vieira 0 30 of 73 41% 31 of 74 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Miesha Tate 0 33 of 73 45% 38 of 78 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ketlen Vieira 113 of 263 42% 95 of 243 14 of 16 4 of 4 105 of 254 8 of 9 0 of 0
Miesha Tate 122 of 276 44% 52 of 175 60 of 88 10 of 13 110 of 260 12 of 16 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ketlen Vieira 14 of 38 36% 12 of 36 1 of 1 1 of 1 13 of 36 1 of 2 0 of 0
Miesha Tate 13 of 38 34% 8 of 24 4 of 11 1 of 3 13 of 37 0 of 1 0 of 0
2 Ketlen Vieira 29 of 54 53% 24 of 48 2 of 3 3 of 3 29 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
Miesha Tate 21 of 54 38% 14 of 42 6 of 10 1 of 2 21 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Ketlen Vieira 20 of 55 36% 18 of 52 2 of 3 0 of 0 20 of 55 0 of 0 0 of 0
Miesha Tate 24 of 57 42% 4 of 28 15 of 24 5 of 5 21 of 54 3 of 3 0 of 0
4 Ketlen Vieira 20 of 43 46% 16 of 39 4 of 4 0 of 0 15 of 38 5 of 5 0 of 0
Miesha Tate 31 of 54 57% 8 of 27 21 of 25 2 of 2 24 of 45 7 of 9 0 of 0
5 Ketlen Vieira 30 of 73 41% 25 of 68 5 of 5 0 of 0 28 of 71 2 of 2 0 of 0
Miesha Tate 33 of 73 45% 18 of 54 14 of 18 1 of 1 31 of 70 2 of 3 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ketlen Vieira vs. Miesha Tate

Round 1
At long last, we have reached the main event. It’s been a journey tonight. Vieira (11-2, 5-2 UFC) will try to get back in the win column against former champ Tate (19-7, 6-4 UFC). The cage commander for this final fight of the night is referee Jason Herzog, and both with an eye on a crack at the bantamweight belt in the future touch hands to start things out. Vieira captures the center of the cage in the early going, but they keep a very safe range from the other to not land punches or kicks. They take turns following the other, until Vieira sits down with a right hand to smack Tate in the face. Tate tries to jab the body a few times, and Vieira is there to pop her with a left hand over the top. Tate swings, misses, and gets countered by the Brazilian. Vieira sticks out a crisp jab, and her range is giving Tate pause at how to get in on her. When Tate jumps forward into a one-two, Vieira swats it out of the way and dances back when Tate aims a kick at her leg. Tate appears jittery as she hops back and forth to try to get in on Vieira, throwing a single front kick to the body. Vieira tags Tate with a right hand when Tate closes in on her, and the former champ lands a pair of successful punches. Caught celebrating her work a little too long, Vieira counters her with heavier blows before Tate can escape. The distance between the two is vast, and Tate resorts to staggering and stutter-stepping her way in. Tate chases Vieira down and slugs her in the face with a combination, and when Vieira tries to answer her with strikes of her own, Tate ties her up and presses her into the wall. Although Vieira separates, Tate knees her once to the body. Tate ducks a punch combination to push Vieira back into the wire, and like before, Vieira is able to separate without issue. From a distance, Vieira shoots in for a takedown, and Tate is able to stop it from succeeding. They end the round in an awkward position with Tate’s hand on her foe’s backside.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tate
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Tate
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tate

Round 2
A tense exchange begins the second round, and Vieira lands cleanly on Tate’s left eye, forcing some reddening and immediate swelling. Tate pays it no mind as she kicks Vieira in the head, but it is only a glancing blow as the Brazilian rolls with it. Tate keeps reaching out to try to get in on her opponent, and she eats a Vieira punch so that she can score a solid right hand. The former champ plants the fall of her foot on Vieira’s torso, interrupting Vieira from landing a strike. Tate winds up with a stiff right hand, nailing Vieira and forcing her to reel. In response, Vieira scores a left hand down the pipe. Vieira chops at the leg, and they both start trading heavy leather in front of one another. Tate lands, and Vieira is stuck countering instead of leading the exchanges. This allows Tate to land on her first before replying. Tate connects with a big kick to Vieira’s face, and she sees that it has done some damage as she follows it with a chain of punches. Tate strings together a few one-twos, and Vieira shakes it off and lands her own thudding left hook on the side of Tate’s head. The woman formerly known as “Takedown” attempts one in the open cage, and Vieira stuffs it without issue. She tries again, and Vieira stops that one as well and separates. Tate walks Vieira down with kicks and punches, while not appearing too worried about the single counters that come back at her. Tate scores with a pair of clean right hands, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tate
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tate

Round 3
Tate comes out firing to start off the second round, surprising the Brazilian early with a short blitz of blows. Backing away before the counters follow suit, Tate changes things up with an inside leg kick and then one on the outside. Vieira leans into a left hand, and after a lull in the action, Tate reaches out with a left hand to stop a punch and she pokes Vieira square in the eyeball. Herzog acknowledges this and brings in the doctor, and after a minute to clear things out, Vieira is ready to go again. Tate wants to capitalize on this accident by chasing Vieira down with jabs and follow-up right hands. Tate keeps a low stance, and she punches the body while Vieira is sitting firmly on counters. Tate punches, slips the response and jabs out again. Tate gives chase, and a big right hand gets caught under Vieira’s armpit. Tate lands a right, tries to clinch up and eats a short right hand for her effort. Tate goes up high with a kick, and when it collides off of Vieira’s guard, Vieira aims a right hand down the middle. Tate advances, and Vieira swings a pair of looping hooks to keep Tate honest. The former champ lands a single strike, while Vieira’s prepared counter of an uppercut and a right hand knocks Tate back. The Brazilian lands cleanly in another exchange, forcing Tate to change levels and pursue a takedown. Vieira defends it well and separates without going down to her knees. When Vieira gets up, Tate meets her outstretched leg with a kick, and Vieira lances her with a right hand in a sharp retort. Tate rushes forward to clinch her up to end the round, and she holds on to the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Tate
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira

Round 4
They meet and touch gloves in the center of the cage to initiate the championship rounds. Tate starts off aggressively, chasing her opponent down and landing punches. Tate clubs her opponent with a crisp right hand, and she escapes when Vieira sets up a counter. The Brazilian lands a few punches from a distance, and they trade heavily suddenly. Tate mixes things up with a takedown attempt, and she finally hits it and gets Vieira down. As “Fenomeno” stands up, Tate takes her back and looks to hit a mat return by tripping Vieira down. Clinched up, Tate gives up on the takedown entry so that she can land short strikes to the body and head. Staying tight keeps Tate away from eating any counters, and she presses her full body weight on her opponent that had never before fought beyond the third round. Vieira grits her teeth and pushes Tate away, and she starts lunging out with jabs. Tate marks her up with a big punch, and Vieira blasts her right back. Both women wear it well, and Tate kicks Vieira in the body from afar. Tate lands a few punches before coming in to clinch, and she knees Vieira in the body once. Vieira gives several punches back to the midsection, until Tate has had enough of that and pushes away. A Tate leg kick is met with a straight left hand, and Vieira catches Tate coming in with a string of punches. Vieira loads up on a right hand, and she elbows Tate when Tate tries to clinch. Vieira welcomes the clinch again in the open cage, as she repeatedly punches Tate in the side as she did before. Tate holds on tight with a clinch, and she releases a knee to the head. Another knee scores for the former champ, who ends the round in the Thai clinch.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Vieira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tate

Round 5
The bantamweights touch hands and then come in to hug to commence the last round. Vieira lets her hands go when they start fighting, and she connects cleanly with power punches as Tate looks to be safe. They come together in a clinch, and Tate works the body before Vieira separates. Vieira tags her opponent with an uppercut and a left hand, and Tate is forced to back off and gather her thoughts. When she does, the ex-champ kicks the body and then tries to get a knee off to the chest. Tate kicks the body, but Vieira is there to bang with her as she starts throwing hard. As Tate backs off, Vieira leans on a long jab, and she busts Tate’s nose open with a powerful knee and a few punches up top. Tate misses on one-twos as Vieira appears to be the fresher, more composed woman right now. Tate springs back and forth, jabbing out but not throwing nearly as much as she did before the nose got cracked. Tate sneaks a right hand over the top, but Vieira throws three back at her that are much heavier. They trade single jabs, and Tate steps forward into a one-two that knocks Vieira back. Vieira returns fire with jabs that continue to pound into Tate’s bloodied nose, and the former champion’s face has transformed into a crimson mask. Hardly recognizable, Tate does not care, as she continues to swing punches while Vieira is tight and crisp with her boxing. The jabs have shut Tate’s left eye as well as making her nose bleed furiously, and Tate marches on and kicks her in the side. Tate continues to pour it on as Vieira stays on her bicycle, successfully scoring with laser-accurate strikes that barely register for Tate. The fight comes to an end after 25 minutes of action, and it could be anyone’s guess who wins this fight based on how close most of the rounds were. UFC Fight Night 198, and a consecutive weekend stretch of 10 UFC cards, comes to an end with an event that brought 10 decisions in 11 bouts. We all could use a week off, and we will have it. When the UFC returns in December, it will be on ESPN for U.S. audiences with a barnburner of a main event between Rob Font and Jose Aldo. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (48-47 Vieira)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (48-47 Vieira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vieira (48-47 Tate)

The Official Result
Ketlen Vieira def. Miesha Tate via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 17, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Angelo picks Ketlen Vieira, citing her power, size, and solid takedown defense (92%). He notes Miesha Tate's striking is poor and she relies on takedowns, but Vieira has stuffed takedowns from Olympic wrestler Sarah McMahon. He expects Vieira to win by decision or late stoppage, and placed a moneyline bet at even money (+100). He also mentions live betting opportunities.

Moneyline bet at +100, 1 unit; DraftKings price 7900; monkey knife fight more/more; mentions live betting if Tate has takedown success early
"caitlyn is the pick"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 16, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Miesha Tate

Big Brady picks Miesha Tate to win by late finish (4th or 5th round). He notes that Ketlen Vieira has never fought five rounds and tends to slow down in the third round, as seen in fights against Eubanks and Kanutsukai. He believes Tate's improved striking and wrestling will allow her to survive early and take over as Vieira fades. He sees a late stoppage as very live.

win by TKO or submission, fourth or fifth round
"I'm gonna take misha tate to win give me like a fourth or fifth round late late round uh later on stoppage here for tate"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Miesha Tate

Cody believes Miesha Tate is undervalued as a slight underdog. He points to Tate's championship pedigree, improved striking, and excellent conditioning for a five-round fight. He highlights Ketlen Vieira's history of gassing in the third round of her fights, including against Yana Kunitskaya where she was out-struck 44-7. Cody argues that Tate's wrestling is good enough to stuff takedowns and that if the fight stays standing, Tate has the advantage. He expects Tate to take over in rounds four and five as Vieira fades.

"what am i missing here paul like what i don't under 100 and understand why uh it's misha tate's slight underdog status versus ket and vieira"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Hesitant picked Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Ketlen Vieira

Daniel Levi picks Ketlen Vieira despite her history of mental lapses and cardio issues. He notes that Vieira has superior skills across the board, including judo and power, but worries about her hitting a wall in later rounds. He believes Miesha Tate is stiff and slow, and that Vieira has no pressure on her in this fight. However, he acknowledges Tate's toughness and comeback ability, making this a hesitant pick.

"i think vieira's the better fighter honestly across the board... i'm gonna go with kellen vieira she's been very quiet very business business-minded approach this week"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 19, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Miesha Tate

Lock sees this as a classic early Vera vs late Tate fight. He thinks Vera gasses badly after round two, and Tate will take over with takedowns and top control. He notes Tate is hunting a finish and might get it late. Lock likes the under 4.5 rounds at +140 and Tate inside the distance at +375. He also sprinkled Tate round 4 and round 5 props.

Under 4.5 rounds +140, Miesha Tate inside the distance +375, Miesha Tate round 4 +2500, Miesha Tate round 5 +3000, Ketlen Vieira by KO +600
"I like the under four and a half at plus 140ish... I think those takedowns will come a little bit easier for tate as the fight wears on."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Nov 18, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Miesha Tate

Paul agrees with Cody's assessment, noting that Vieira's gas tank is a major concern, especially in a five-round fight. He references the Yana Kunitskaya fight where Vieira missed weight and gassed hard at the end of round three. Paul believes that if Vieira cannot put Tate away early, Tate will take over late. He also mentions that this could be a good live bet opportunity if Vieira slows down in round three and Tate is still available at plus money.

Paul mentions this could be an even better live bet if we get into round three and Vieira starts slowing down; he notes Tate was plus money (-105) at DraftKings.
"i'm gonna have some money on misha tape straight up but i feel like potentially this could be an even better live bet"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 15, 2021 (5 days before fight)
Miesha Tate

The MMA Guru picks Miesha Tate over Ketlen Vieira. He notes that Vieira slows down in later rounds, as seen against Yana Kunitskaya and Sijara Eubanks. He highlights Tate's championship experience, composure, and conditioning. He expects a stalemate on the feet early, but Tate to win scrambles and land ground and pound in the later rounds, finishing with a fourth-round TKO.

fourth round TKO via ground and pound
"i'm going with misha tate as the favorite here i reckon she's got this one in the bag"
Jacqueline Cavalcanti - Fight History
LOSS vs Ketlen Vieira
DEC R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa · May 16, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ketlen Vieira 0 30 of 92 32% 66 of 158 1 of 4 25% 0 0 4:42
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 53 of 110 48% 72 of 130 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ketlen Vieira 0 11 of 47 23% 11 of 47 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 24 of 46 52% 24 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Ketlen Vieira 0 2 of 6 33% 38 of 72 1 of 3 33% 0 0 4:42
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 1 of 3 33% 20 of 23 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Ketlen Vieira 0 17 of 39 43% 17 of 39 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 28 of 61 45% 28 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ketlen Vieira 30 of 92 32% 27 of 86 2 of 5 1 of 1 29 of 90 0 of 0 1 of 2
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 53 of 110 48% 15 of 62 16 of 25 22 of 23 53 of 110 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ketlen Vieira 11 of 47 23% 9 of 44 1 of 2 1 of 1 11 of 47 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 24 of 46 52% 6 of 23 4 of 8 14 of 15 24 of 46 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Ketlen Vieira 2 of 6 33% 1 of 4 1 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 2
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 1 of 3 33% 0 of 1 0 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Ketlen Vieira 17 of 39 43% 17 of 38 0 of 1 0 of 0 17 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 28 of 61 45% 9 of 38 12 of 16 7 of 7 28 of 61 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 10, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Angelo picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, trusting her speed and footwork. He expects Cavalcanti to win the striking exchanges and that Vieira's takedowns won't matter to the judges. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds as a lock. He notes Vieira may have won her last fight but expects a similar decision loss here.

over 2.5 rounds
"I trust the speed. I trust the footwork. I think Jacquelini gets it done. ... The over two and a half here is about as big of a lock as you're going to get."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked May 12, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Big Brady leans toward Jacqueline Cavalcanti, believing she is the better striker with superior volume. He thinks she can stuff takedowns and keep the fight standing, winning by decision. He acknowledges Ketlen Vieira's path to victory via takedowns but doubts she will execute.

"I'm going to take Kavaki to win this fight by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cody picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her high striking volume (6.5 significant strikes per minute) and youth. He notes that Ketlen Vieira often gets out-struck but wins via cage control, but believes Cavalcanti's takedown defense has improved and she is physically strong enough to avoid being smothered. He expects Cavalcanti to out-land Vieira and win a 29-28 decision, though he acknowledges the risk of judges favoring control time.

Suggests Cavalcanti by decision or split decision.
"Calvocanti is going to outland her, but there's a good probability that she will give up the control time."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked May 15, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Connor picks Cavalcanti, agreeing with Zane. He notes Vieira has no progression in her game and only changes aggression level per opponent. Cavalcanti is defensively minded, moves her feet well, and has a jab, making it hard for Vieira to charge in. He hopes Vieira doesn't drag Cavalcanti into the mud.

Same odds as Zane. Connor calls Vieira 'stuck in the mud'.
"The only hope is that she doesn't stick the only, uh, bright spot in the division in the mud with her."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Confident picked May 16, 2026 (fight day)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cavalcanti is better everywhere: more technical striker, higher pace, better fight IQ, difficult to take down, great cardio. Vieira has low volume and bad fight IQ. Cavalcanti will outpoint Vieira and win a comfortable decision.

"I think Ketlen Vieira is going to win relatively convincingly."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked May 10, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Lucrative James leans toward Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her superior striking and consistent volume. He believes Vieira's takedowns may not be enough to win two rounds, and Cavalcanti's composed striking will earn a decision. He notes the fight could be close and split.

"I'm going to say Cavalcante wins the decision. I'm going to say it's 1-1 going into round three and she isn't able to get a takedown."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked May 12, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The host thinks Cavalcanti is a slicker striker with a better gas tank, but he is hesitant to bet her at -155 due to Vieira's grappling threat and live dog status. He predicts Cavalcanti wins by decision, but would only bet if the line drops closer to -120.

"I think Cavalcanti has the better gas tank. I think she can land with a little bit more output and I believe enough in her grappling to predict her to win this fight, but not so much to bet her …"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The host picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Ketlen Vieira, believing this fight will launch Cavalcanti into title contention. He cites Cavalcanti's improved grappling defense and striking edge to pick apart Vieira and win on the scorecards.

"I believe Cavalcanti's grappling defense improvements and her striking edge here will allow her to pick apart Vieira and win this fight on the score cards."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Paul picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti by split decision, noting that both fighters are likely to go to decision and that Vieira has been involved in many split decisions. He believes Cavalcanti's volume and more impactful strikes will earn her the nod, but expects it to be contentious. He bet the fight ends in a split decision at plus 400.

Bet on fight ends in split decision at plus 400.
"I took the fight ends in split decision."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked May 15, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Zane picks Cavalcanti because she is a sharp technical striker with good footwork and a jab, while Vieira is stuck in the mud with no progression in her game. He expects Cavalcanti to pick Vieira apart at range, as Vieira's only path is to overpower her in the clinch, but she often spends time at range not knowing what to do.

Odds: Vieira opened +120, now +145; Cavalcanti opened -140, now -170. Zane calls it a 'good fight if Vieira doesn't win it'.
"If that happens, uh, it's basically just the cub Swanson versus Nate Landware or body green versus Jeremy Stevens equation. Again, here's somebody with some idea of positioning with long straight efficient strikes, she should be able to run circles …"
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Bonfim vs. Brown · Nov 08, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Mayra Bueno Silva 0 39 of 97 40% 46 of 107 0 of 4 0% 0 0 1:12
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 80 of 164 48% 87 of 172 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:55
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Mayra Bueno Silva 0 9 of 24 37% 11 of 26 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:57
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 21 of 40 52% 21 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
2 Mayra Bueno Silva 0 16 of 31 51% 21 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 23 of 57 40% 28 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:54
3 Mayra Bueno Silva 0 14 of 42 33% 14 of 42 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:15
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 36 of 67 53% 38 of 69 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Mayra Bueno Silva 39 of 97 40% 15 of 62 8 of 14 16 of 21 36 of 93 3 of 4 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 80 of 164 48% 45 of 118 20 of 26 15 of 20 73 of 156 7 of 8 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Mayra Bueno Silva 9 of 24 37% 1 of 11 2 of 7 6 of 6 8 of 23 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 21 of 40 52% 6 of 21 5 of 7 10 of 12 20 of 38 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Mayra Bueno Silva 16 of 31 51% 3 of 16 5 of 5 8 of 10 15 of 30 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 23 of 57 40% 15 of 45 8 of 10 0 of 2 20 of 54 3 of 3 0 of 0
3 Mayra Bueno Silva 14 of 42 33% 11 of 35 1 of 2 2 of 5 13 of 40 1 of 2 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 36 of 67 53% 24 of 52 7 of 9 5 of 6 33 of 64 3 of 3 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Mayra Bueno Silva
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-250); Bueno Silva (+210)

Round 1
The promotion as of late has fallen in love with smashing two fighters together of drastically different trajectories hoping the one on the rise pulls it off. In this case, it is the women’s bantamweight division in dire need of contenders. It would be unfair to claim that the promotion
wants
one fighter to win, but the younger woman in Cavalcanti (9-1, 4-0 UFC) with a spotless UFC record intact is a far easier sell. In her fifth walk to the UFC cage, she collides with former flyweight title challenger Silva (10-5-1, 1 NC; 5-5-1, 1 NC UFC), who has tumbled down the rankings and may be fighting to keep her place on the roster. Referee Chris Tognoni draws the charge for this uneven momentum bout, one that should see some movement at 135 pounds no matter who prevails.
The ladies bump their fists together. Cavalcanti bounces back and forth to establish herself in the cage, pushing out a jab and trading low kicks. Cavalcanti connects with a kick to the thigh, and Silva’s response goes wide. Cavalcanti chips at the front leg, and she checks one coming back and doubles up on counters. She goes to the midsection, and Silva responds in kind. Silva ignores a one-two to sit down on a calf kick, and she stays out of range of Cavalcanti’s subsequent punches. The two are jittery and still not willing to commit to much, with Silva barely even in first gear. When she does throw something, it is in response and generally mirroring what already struck her. She chains a low kick into a wheel kick, and Cavalcanti leans back to dodge the latter and drills Silva with a right hand down the middle.
Silva stabs her toes out with a kick to the body, and Cavalcanti has not stopped with her low kick attack yet. She mixes in front kicks with calf kicks, and she swarms her way in. Silva ties her up, and Cavalcanti knees her in the gut and pushes off the face. Silva shoots down suddenly in pursuit of a double-leg entry, and Cavalcanti puts her back to the wall to defend it. Tognoni asks for them to do more, so Silva tries to lift her foe but cannot elevate her very high. Silva breaks off willingly, and she flicks out a few jabs. Cavalcanti looks to loop punches behind the jab, and she changes stances to keep Silva guessing at which side the kicks will be from. One final push kick from “Sheetara” concludes the tepid sparring match of a round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 2
The bantamweights touch gloves to get going again, and Cavalcanti gets right in her rhythm of low kicks, jabs and forward movement. Silva tries to fire back, and Cavalcanti pushes off before getting caught with anything. Silva turns her hips into a harder-than-usual low kick, so Cavalcanti walks her down and strings five punches together to the body and head. Cavalcanti lifts a leg to check a kick and knees Silva in the belly to push her to the wire. They trade knees on the inside, with Cavalcanti spinning her foe around and landing more knees. Cavalcanti abandons the tie-up, and she puts three punches on the face.
Cavalcanti lifts her leg up to take some of the sting out of a kick, and both women let their lands go in a sudden exchange. Silva starts committing to more heavy leg kicks, and Cavalcanti’s volume remains steady with moves that touch rather than sting. Silva boots Cavalcanti upside the head, and it is narrowly blocked in time. Commentator Dominick Cruz chastises the women for not putting their full effort into this fight, and they apparently can hear him as they again whir into action and start drilling one another with strikes. Cavalcanti kicks, and Silva kicks her back in the ribs. Cavalcanti splits the guard with a jab and shakes her hand out, and she plants a one-two on the jaw as she drives the Brazilian back. Cavalcanti stomp kicks the lead knee of her adversary, and her jab has marked up the bridge of Silva’s nose. As Silva tries to circle to the side and avoid all contact to end the round, Cavalcanti walks her down and boots her in the guts as time expires.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 3
Of the two women in the cage, it is Cavalcanti who is fired up and ready to push the pace in the final frame. She does just that right out of the cage, walking behind a right hand that she bangs into Silva’s temple. As she chains punches together, Cavalcanti’s punches draw a failed takedown shot out of her opponent that pushes her to the wire but little else. Cavalcanti’s offense has drawn some swelling around Silva’s left eye and right temple, and she is quickly blowing up all over like golf balls slid under her skin. Cavalcanti pecks at the front leg with sticking her hands out, and she even tries a trip and throw but Silva bounces off. Cavalcanti’s one-two barely reaches as Silva’s right hand does not land cleanly, and Cavalcanti is walking forward without fear of reprisal.
Cavalcanti jabs the body with the ball of her foot, and she reams Silva with a one-two. Silva tries to grab hold of the woman from Portugal and get some dirty boxing going, but when that does not amount to much, it is a power jab that has the best effect of her strikes thus far. Cavalcanti recovers and snaps out her own jab in Silva’s face, using it to open up a few clubbing right hands. The once-beaten woman lets Silva buzz past her with a spinning strike, and she resets and works the body. Silva loads up on a right hand, and her subsequent low kick is checked. They flash jabs simultaneously, but Silva will likely need more if she wants to get her hand raised in the next 55 seconds. Cavalcanti stays in front of her foe, and she measures a right hand on the swollen eye socket. She follows it with a few more, and Silva walks forward as if she wants to brawl. When Cavalcanti lands on her, she changes her mind. Cavalcanti’s stance switches alone take most of Silva’s offense out of the equation, and she marches the former title challenger down and busts her in the chops with a left hand. The fight concludes, and the two ladies embrace as a camera quickly shows that Silva’s right foot has also ballooned as a result of this match.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)

The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Mayra Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 2, 2025 (6 days before fight)

Angelo picks Joselyne Edwards because she is the much better striker and can piece up Mayra Bueno Silva on the feet. He notes that Mayra is on a three-fight skid and may be desperate for takedowns, but Joselyne's takedown defense should hold up if she avoids naked kicks. He prefers Joselyne to box rather than kick to avoid getting taken down.

"Joselyne is the pick. I think she can keep this standing. Mayra Bueno Silva on a three-fight skid is not a great look."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Nov 7, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Big Brady is not high on Cavalcanti, noting her underwhelming wins and split decisions against lower-level opponents. He acknowledges Bueno Silva's dangerous guard but criticizes her refusal to wrestle offensively. He thinks Cavalcanti will pick apart Bueno Silva at range for 15 minutes, winning a decision, but notes Bueno Silva has a path if she takes the fight to the ground.

decision
"I think Kvaki is going to pick apart Maruenos Silva at range for 15 minutes. Going to be a very underwhelming fight. But yeah, I'm going to go Kavoci. Kakoni by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Nov 5, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Mayra Bueno Silva

Cody picks Silva as a dog, citing her superior grappling and competition level. He thinks Cavalcanti's wins are over low-level opponents and that Silva can take her down and submit her.

"I'm going to take the underdog here."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Nov 2, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Lucrative James confidently picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti. He notes her cleaner striking, volume, and defensive skills, while Mayra Bueno Silva is on a downslide and has bounced between weight classes. He acknowledges Silva's submission threat but believes Cavalcanti can avoid it and win a decision. He also mentions Silva's recent black belt but doubts it will change the outcome.

"I'm picking Cavalcante via decision in this fight."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 6, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The host believes Cavalcanti's striking edge will allow her to pick Silva apart from distance, though Silva's aggression could make it close. Ultimately, Cavalcanti should land better shots and win on the scorecards.

"I believe Kavakanti striking edge here should allow her to pick Silva apart from distance, but the aggression of Silva in the striking and grappling game could make this a lot closer than the odds suggest."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert picked Nov 5, 2025 (3 days before fight)

Paul is torn, leaning pass. He notes Silva's inconsistency and Cavalcanti's lack of impressive wins, but can't back Cavalcanti at minus 260.

"Dog or pass, CF dot model for me, but I'm leaning more towards a pass."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 6, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The Guru picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Mayra Bueno Silva. He cites Silva's recent losses and inability to bully opponents, while Cavalcanti has shown good striking and range management. He expects a competitive decision, with Cavalcanti outlanding Silva to a 29-28 win.

fight goes to decision
"I'm going to go with Jacqueline Cavalcante at range picking at Mayor Robeno Silva, outlanding her to a 29-28."
WIN vs Julia Avila
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues · Feb 15, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Julia Avila 0 54 of 138 39% 57 of 145 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:39
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 73 of 199 36% 75 of 201 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Julia Avila 0 24 of 49 48% 24 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 32 of 81 39% 32 of 81 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Julia Avila 0 12 of 35 34% 15 of 40 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:23
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 17 of 54 31% 17 of 54 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Julia Avila 0 18 of 54 33% 18 of 56 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:16
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 24 of 64 37% 26 of 66 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Julia Avila 54 of 138 39% 17 of 86 9 of 18 28 of 34 51 of 134 3 of 4 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 73 of 199 36% 54 of 176 11 of 13 8 of 10 73 of 198 0 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Julia Avila 24 of 49 48% 5 of 28 3 of 4 16 of 17 24 of 49 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 32 of 81 39% 21 of 69 5 of 6 6 of 6 32 of 81 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Julia Avila 12 of 35 34% 4 of 20 2 of 6 6 of 9 12 of 34 0 of 1 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 17 of 54 31% 12 of 48 3 of 3 2 of 3 17 of 53 0 of 1 0 of 0
3 Julia Avila 18 of 54 33% 8 of 38 4 of 8 6 of 8 15 of 51 3 of 3 0 of 0
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 24 of 64 37% 21 of 59 3 of 4 0 of 1 24 of 64 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Julia Avila vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-440), Avila (+340)

Round 1
There still ain’t no gettin’ offa’ this train we’re on until the middle of April, so strap in and enjoy the ride. We surge through February with a UFC Apex offering, the first of three in the next five weeks for better or worse. Suitably, the event only features a couple ranked competitors and a few names could be on the chopping block should they come up short. Potentially with her back against the wall is bantamweight Avila (9-3, 3-2 UFC), who took 2024 off instead of completely retiring, having lost two of her last three. The same cannot be said for Portugal’s Cavalcanti (8-1, 3-0 UFC) who will be nine years the younger. The ladies touch ‘em up over the oversight of referee Chris Tognoni, and the fights begin. As a note, the old gloves are officially in effect for every UFC card going forward. Cavalcanti in the center of the cage paws out with jabs that clatter off the guard, and Avila gives her back a surprisingly heavy leg kick to think about. Avila kicks on the other side of the leg, and she backs off as Cavalcanti swarms her. Avila circles away to check a kick and let one go, and the two try to find their range from distance. Both lunge with long strikes, and Avila mixes in low kicks. Avila parries a front kick and chews up the Portuguese woman’s front calf, making her shake it out. Cavalcanti jabs a foot to the belly and strings a few punches together, and this activates Avila into start trading. Cavalcanti reaches out with a long left hook to intercept Avila a few times, and she gets a body shot in to further frustrate the geologist. Avila checks a kick and loops a right hand over the top to keep Cavalcanti honest. The woman from Portugal strings together a one-two down the pipe, and she chains a few punches behind it but gets smacked with an overhand right. Cavalcanti leans back to dodge the worst of the swinging strike and connects on Avila, putting in body work to open up the head. Cavalcanti brushes a pair of hooks off the temple, and she wraps a kick around the side. Avila kicks her back at the end of the round.
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Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 2
Cavalcanti is the aggressor to start off the second round, having found her preferred range with jabs and kicks. Avila throws caution to the wind, absorbing a strike to get in, and she connects cleanly on her opponent. Cavalcanti shrugs it off to put a one-two on the chin and slide back from the anticipated looping counter. Avila is telegraphing her approach, giving Cavalcanti the right read to avoid the worst of the damage. Cavalcanti draws out a counter, prods out a pair of stabbing kicks to the midsection and catches a kick that flies back at her. Cavalcanti sets it down after landing once, and her one-two again is right on point. Cavalcanti snaps the head to the side with a right hand down Broadway, and Avila’s lunging blows are hitting air. Cavalcanti uses a perfect front kick to intercept the advancing Avila, stunning her and clipping her with a pair of fists. Cavalcanti wraps two punches around the guard and sneaks a kick up, with Avila practically standing straight in front of her foe taking shots. Avila sinks in on a hearty low kick, and she belts the belly with a resounding thud. As Cavalcanti turns away, Avila falls over and grabs Cavalcanti’s ankle. Cavalcanti tries to escape, but Avila torques her down to the mat and blood starts streaming down her face from a sharp right hand from the Portuguese woman. Cavalcanti controls the guard, tying Avila up from all but the least effective ground strikes, with Avila largely settling for bleeding on her foe. Avila wraps up a guillotine choke when Cavalcanti stands, but she is too slippery to get it so the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 3
Blood flow on Avila’s cut is largely stemmed for now, but a few good strikes in the third round will undoubtedly open it up again. Avila keeps her guard up high while rattling off solid leg kicks, and she rushes forward and gets her leg caught. The pressure of Avila surprises her opponent, as she wings punches and forces awkward exchanges befitting of her “Raging Panda” nickname. Cavalcanti slows her foe down with jabs, busting Avila’s nose up and practically ignoring anything thrown at her. Avila slings for the bleachers, but Cavalcanti is the more accurate and active of the two. Avila hurls all power, and those strikes glide past her adversary. Cavalcanti lets Avila crowd her so she can pop her with short, effective punches, and picks her opportunities to get away safely in time. Cavalcanti connects with a one-two from afar, letting Avila flail back as Avila is still swinging hard but her accuracy is falling fast. Cavalcanti lets her overswing so she can ding here, staying calm under fire and further transforming Avila’s face into a crimson mask. The two crash together at the same time, and it is Cavalcanti who bounces forward first. Avila jabs and scores a right hand to tie the heavy favorite up and jam her to the wall, but this clinch exchange will not likely get her the edge she was seeking. With seconds to go, Avila lets go with everything she has, and the horn blares.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)

The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Julia Avila via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Feb 9, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Angelo is confident in Jacqueline Cavalcanti, noting she is younger, stronger, and faster. He believes Julia Avila's best days are behind her and that toughness alone is not enough. He wishes Cavalcanti wrestled more to exploit Avila's defensive gaps, but still picks her confidently.

"Jacqueline calante who is almost 10 years younger Stronger Faster bigger is going to be a pretty confident pick"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 12, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Big Brady picks Cavalcanti, noting that while she is overrated and has gone to split decisions, Avila has no path to victory. Avila cannot take Cavalcanti down (90% takedown defense) and is outmatched on the feet. He expects a unanimous decision win for Cavalcanti.

"I just really struggle to see a path for Avila... it should just be kavak Kani doing enough to get the win"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 15, 2025 (fight day)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cavalcanti is the better striker with technical advantages that will allow her to keep the fight standing and batter Avila from distance. However, the host notes that Cavalcanti is too big a favorite and wouldn't mind a small bet on Avila for the upset. Official pick is Cavalcanti by decision.

Cavalcanti by decision; small chip shot on Avila upset
"I believe Cavalcanti is the better striker here and I think her technical advantages will allow her to keep this fight standing and batter Avila from distance."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 13, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The MMA Guru picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Julia Avila, citing Avila's recent loss to Miesha Tate and her age (36). He notes Cavalcanti's wins over tough opponents like Josiane Nunes and Nora Cornolle, and sees her as younger, rangier, and with more room to improve.

"I'm going to go of Jacqueline kavalan over Julia rilla"
WIN vs Nora Cornolle
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis · Sep 28, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 54 of 114 47% 80 of 156 1 of 9 11% 0 0 3:56
Nora Cornolle 0 54 of 154 35% 87 of 194 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:09
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 16 of 27 59% 29 of 48 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:41
Nora Cornolle 0 11 of 43 25% 25 of 60 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:34
2 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 17 of 32 53% 29 of 50 0 of 5 0% 0 0 1:51
Nora Cornolle 0 13 of 41 31% 24 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:27
3 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 21 of 55 38% 22 of 58 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:24
Nora Cornolle 0 30 of 70 42% 38 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:08
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 54 of 114 47% 15 of 65 17 of 23 22 of 26 41 of 95 13 of 19 0 of 0
Nora Cornolle 54 of 154 35% 28 of 117 12 of 15 14 of 22 48 of 146 6 of 8 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 16 of 27 59% 7 of 17 2 of 3 7 of 7 13 of 22 3 of 5 0 of 0
Nora Cornolle 11 of 43 25% 1 of 28 4 of 4 6 of 11 11 of 42 0 of 1 0 of 0
2 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 17 of 32 53% 2 of 14 10 of 11 5 of 7 10 of 24 7 of 8 0 of 0
Nora Cornolle 13 of 41 31% 8 of 34 2 of 3 3 of 4 10 of 37 3 of 4 0 of 0
3 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 21 of 55 38% 6 of 34 5 of 9 10 of 12 18 of 49 3 of 6 0 of 0
Nora Cornolle 30 of 70 42% 19 of 55 6 of 8 5 of 7 27 of 67 3 of 3 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Nora Cornolle

Round 1
It’s no time like the present to move to the next fight, which comes at the 135-pound weight class in a wide-open division. A pair of ladies with two wins in the promotion will aim for win no. 3, with Cavalcanti (7-1, 2-0 UFC) returning from a quick turnaround against home country Cornolle (8-1, 2-0 UFC). While the woman from Portugal is currently riding a five-fight win streak, the local Cornolle has not tasted defeat since her pro debut—which came against Cavalcanti—and is flying high. Referee Christophe Chapuis takes charge of the cage, and he starts the rematch as the two women touch gloves. Cornolle stays on the outside while Cavalcanti is in the middle, and she pecks at her foe with a few low kicks. Cavalcanti responds in kind, and they dart in at one another with single jabs. Cavalcanti looks for a right hand over the top when a leg kick is aimed at her, and she continues to work the Frenchwoman’s lead leg over with her shin. Another leg kick from Cornolle is answered with an overhand right, but it is a bit too slow to get to her. Cornolle ducks and reaches her way in, only to find herself out of range. Cavalcanti jams a hard low kick on the front wheel, and she checks a kick that comes back her way. Cornolle reaches her foe with a winging right hand, using this strike to close the distance and wrap her arms around Cavalcanti’s waist. Cavalcanti leans her head against the cage as Cornolle hangs on from behind her, with the woman from France pursuing a level change. When Cavalcanti stands her up, Cornolle dings her with a pair of sneaky elbows and two knees. The third knee from Cornolle allows her to lift her opponent and chuck her to the floor, where she is stuck in an odd position until she steps all the way over to full mount. Cavalcanti rolls her over and finds herself in armbar danger, so she stands back up and stars slapping Cornolle’s legs with kicks. Cornolle responds with axe kicks, so Cavalcanti does the same. When “Wonder” works her way back up, Cavalcanti walks her down and beans her with a pair of punches. Cornolle tosses out a naked leg kick, and two more fists fly at her mug. Cavalcanti chains several punches together as a head kick brushes past her shoulder, and Cornolle tries a second high kick from up close. Cavalcanti pays it no mind, walking through a high knee to put her hands on her opponent until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cornolle
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 2
Cavalcanti deploys her same game plan to start the second round, claiming the center of the cage while slowly advancing. Cavalcanti picks at her adversary with kicks, avoiding a wheel kick and landing a right hand over the top. Cornolle connects with a left hand, and she has a head kick come up short of the mark. Cavalcanti keeps crowding her, and they trade low kicks. A high kick from Cornolle gets closer than before, whipping it up in close proximity. She appears to celebrate her work a little too long, as Cavalcanti rings her bell with a right hand down the middle. The power punches from the woman born in Brazil but now a Portuguese local do serious damage, and Cornolle wobbles and bounces off the fence. Cavalcanti stays composed as she traps Cornolle against the wire, ringing her bell with another big right, and Cornolle bends over and has to shake it off. To save her composure, the Frenchwoman changes levels and succeeds in tripping Cavalcanti’s legs out. Cavalcanti climbs back up, and she grabs the fence to keep herself from getting mat returned as Chapuis slaps her hand. Cornolle stays tightly pressed to her opponent, chipping away with knees and dirty boxing until Cavalcanti spins her about. Cornolle uses a knee to get a bit of space, and she fires off a head kick from up close to break away. Cavalcanti shrugs it off and keeps the pressure fully on “Wonder,” and she stuffs a takedown but cannot stop Cornolle from grabbing her. Cornolle opens up with a number of knees from up close as she clinches, continuing this until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 3
The bantamweights are lathered up for five more minutes of combat, and Cavalcanti leads off the round where she prefers, in the center slowly spreading her way towards the cage to back her opponent up. Cavalcanti uses her jabs to keep a safe range, but Cornolle steps in to break that up momentarily with a hard right elbow. Cavalcanti no-sells it and hammers Cornolle’s front leg with a kick, and she leans back to dodge a head kick. Cavalcanti checks a kick as Cornolle staggers back, and she avoids a high kick and a spinning back fist while sneaking in an overhand right. Cornolle shoots in but cannot get to the hips, settling for a clinch and a knee to the breadbasket. Cavalcanti frames off with an elbow to split up, and she shakes her arms out. Cavalcanti tries to pin a one-two on the chin, and a follow-up right reaches its intended target. Cornolle responds with a head kick that slaps off the guard, and she gets marked up with a right hand that shakes up her balance. Cavalcanti’s right finds its home once more, not letting the head kick counter get to her, and she pushes off another clinch setup. Cavalcanti stalks the Frenchwoman down, ignoring a high kick to stretch out with three punches. The crowd attempts to inspire their fighter with two minutes left, and she channels their energy to explode into a slugfest. Cavalcanti stands her ground and knocks her back, and Cornolle shrugs at her as if to say that Cavalcanti’s blows do not hurt her. When Cavalcanti connects hard, Cornolle turns around and shouts something at her own team, which allows Cavalcanti to hit her again. Cornolle gathers herself, and Cavalcanti reaches a right hand that misses the mark when “Wonder” attacks the hips. Cornolle hangs on and mashes her elbow on Cavalcanti’s face, and Cavalcanti bursts out of the tie-up and boots Cornolle in the belly. Cornolle again waves her own, and Cavalcanti obliges, lobbing punches, elbows and kicks at her until the final bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (29-28 Cavalcanti)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)

The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Nora Cornolle via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Sep 22, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Nora Cornolle

Angelo picks Nora Cornolle despite acknowledging Jacob's strong disagreement. He argues that Nora's forward pressure and busy striking will be effective against Jacqueline, who tends to back up. He believes Jacqueline's split decision win over Josiane Nunes was questionable and that Nora's aggression will earn her rounds. However, he is not confident enough to bet on Nora straight up, but considers betting the +3.5 spread if available.

considering Nora +3.5 spread when available; might be plus money
"I do think Nora wins this fight... am I confident enough to bet on Nora? No... what I might do is bet her plus three and a half..."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Sep 27, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Nora Cornolle

Big Brady picks the underdog Nora Cornolle, noting she has shown rapid improvement and looked impressive in her last fight against Melissa Mullins. He thinks the fight will be close and go to decision, with Cornolle having home-field advantage in Paris. He is not high on either fighter but sees value in the dog.

Cornolle by decision
"give me the dog here in cornhole cornhole to win this fight by decision I think it's going to be a close fight so cornhole by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Sep 24, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Nora Cornolle

Cody picks Cornolle as an underdog, citing the hometown advantage and the fact that both are strikers. He notes that Cavalcanti's recent win over Josiane Nunes was a close split decision, and Cornolle has shown high volume when not taken down. He expects a close fight that could go Cornolle's way via split decision.

"I'll take another random Underdog shot here"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Sep 27, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Connor agrees, noting that Cavalcanti is technical enough and has a bright future. He was impressed by her performance against Nunes and thinks she will be able to out-strike Cornolle, who relies on clinch work. Connor expects Cavalcanti to win decisively.

"I was going to pick her anyway. I would like to see that from her, but I also think that if she just has a much more neutral fight, she's just a far more consistent striker."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean picked Sep 24, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Daniel Vreeland picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti to win, but is not confident at the price. He thinks Cavalcanti is the more polished striker and should win at distance, but notes Cornolle has power and can steal moments. He mentions Cornolle's improvements and the home crowd, but believes Cavalcanti's volume and technique will earn a decision.

"I'm going to pick jacine to win this but just also to consider I forgot she's taking this on short notice"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Sep 25, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

JP picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti because she has a reach advantage and has fought Nora Cornolle before, winning by decision. He notes Cornolle is a wild striker with power but Cavalcanti's volume should win her the fight. He also mentions Cavalcanti is younger at 27 vs Cornolle's 34, and he is fading older fighters.

over 1.5 rounds
"I'm also going to back uh cavanti as well over one and a half that that should be a lock in itself"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Sep 24, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Nora Cornolle

Paul switches to Cornolle after discussion, citing the CF model and the fact that Cavalcanti is on short notice and fought a month ago. He notes that Cornolle has good volume and that the fight being in France could lead to a favorable decision. He expects a close striking match that Cornolle might win.

"CF up cornal is the pick"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 24, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Nora Cornolle

The MMA Guru picks Nora Cornolle over Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing Cavalcanti's short-notice turnaround as a red flag. He notes that Cavalcanti fought a month ago and usually fights twice a year, while Cornolle was preparing for a bigger fight. He believes Cornolle is more prepared and will win despite similar skill levels.

"I'm going to go with Nora Canal I don't trust the reasons as to why caval KY wants to make this quick turnaround"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Sep 27, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Zane thinks Cavalcanti will win the rematch because she is a more consistent striker and has improved since their first fight, where she dominated Cornolle. He notes that Cavalcanti is fundamental and handled pressure well against Josiane Nunes. Cornolle's only path is clinch work, but Cavalcanti should be able to out-strike her.

"I think it's pretty clear that Kalakansh is going to win this rematch."
WIN vs Josiane Nunes
Decision (split) (27–30, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Borralho · Aug 24, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 91 of 171 53% 91 of 171 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Josiane Nunes 0 52 of 153 33% 52 of 153 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 34 of 62 54% 34 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Josiane Nunes 0 20 of 52 38% 20 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 31 of 60 51% 31 of 60 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Josiane Nunes 0 18 of 48 37% 18 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 26 of 49 53% 26 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Josiane Nunes 0 14 of 53 26% 14 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:08
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 91 of 171 53% 49 of 119 11 of 19 31 of 33 91 of 171 0 of 0 0 of 0
Josiane Nunes 52 of 153 33% 33 of 126 11 of 19 8 of 8 50 of 149 0 of 0 2 of 4
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 34 of 62 54% 17 of 42 6 of 8 11 of 12 34 of 62 0 of 0 0 of 0
Josiane Nunes 20 of 52 38% 8 of 37 6 of 9 6 of 6 20 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 31 of 60 51% 15 of 41 4 of 7 12 of 12 31 of 60 0 of 0 0 of 0
Josiane Nunes 18 of 48 37% 12 of 39 4 of 7 2 of 2 18 of 48 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 26 of 49 53% 17 of 36 1 of 4 8 of 9 26 of 49 0 of 0 0 of 0
Josiane Nunes 14 of 53 26% 13 of 50 1 of 3 0 of 0 12 of 49 0 of 0 2 of 4
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Josiane Nunes
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-192), Nunes (+160)

Round 1
Two Brazilian strikers with deceptively high knockout rates meet in the center of the cage in this next endeavor. Much taller and longer, Cavalcanti (6-1, 1-0 UFC), who now fights out of Portugal but was born on Sao Paulo, will maintain ample natural advantages against the diminutive brawler Nunes (10-2, 3-1 UFC). Even though she measures around 5-foot-2 and short arms to match, it is “Josi” who comes into this fight having knocked out foe in seven of 10 wins, much like a Mark Hunt-esque women’s bantamweight. The countrywomen tap their gloves together to start the fight, with referee Mark Smith watching on with bated breath. Cavalcanti paws out her jab repeatedly right out of the gate, and she sticks out a few low kicks until Nunes counters her over the top. Nunes swarms forward but is out of range, and Cavalcanti peppers her with distant strikes. They trade low kicks, and Nunes just misses with a reaching left hand. Cavalcanti boots her in the head with a kick, and she slides away from the swarming Nunes. Cavalcanti keeps her foe at arm’s reach, not allowing Nunes to get inside to bop her in the chops with any number of winging strike. Cavalcanti jabs and keeps lateral footwork to avoid danger, and she sticks out a one-two to get Nunes’ attention. As Nunes races forward, she does manage to connect with a few punches, and she bites down on her mouthpiece and knows she has to eat a few shots to get inside. She does just that, shrugging off a straight right hand so she can blast Cavalcanti in the side of the head. Nunes keeps slugging, and a particularly effective right hand draws some swelling on Cavalcanti’s temple. Cavalcanti slows things down with a few front kicks to stay at her preferred range, and she sticks a body kick under the guard while moving. Cavalcanti reaches with a jab and a right, and she hops away from a few looping shots that miss the mark. Cavalcanti scores a low kick and slides away when Nunes grabs her leg, and she intercepts Nunes with a stern right hand. Nunes keeps plowing forward, and she runs at Cavalcanti throwing hands until the horn sounds.
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Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nunes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 2
Gloves get touched, and Cavalcanti pokes and prods from her safe distance early. A few twos from Cavalcanti have reddened up Nunes’ left eye, and she uses her jab to set that strike up time and again. Nunes chambers and partially fires her huge left hook to no avail, and she even jumps forward winging one but hits nothing but air. Cavalcanti drives home a one-two on the cheek as Nunes rushes after her, hand-fighting and keeping Nunes from hitting her. Nunes finds her range with a big left hand, bouncing Cavalcanti off the wall, and she connects with another after a serious wind-up. Nunes paws out a right hook that wobbles Cavalcanti, and she blocks a body kick instead of pouncing. Cavalcanti shakes it off and flicks a low kick and a right hand, and she gets back to a jab with a solid two behind it. Cavalcanti’s low kick is caught, and she just gets away when Nunes loads up on pure power. Cavalcanti watches Nunes run at her to crack her with a preemptive right hand, and Nunes tries to pay her back but is just taking damage. Cavalcanti picks her shots and uses her serious reach advantage to disallow Nunes from denting her forehead with huge power strikes. Cavalcanti nails her foe with a right hand, and she gets punched back and claims it was an eye poke. Smith calls time and allows Cavalcanti to recover, but it appears to be a fist that irritated her and not outstretched fingers. When they resume after about 25 seconds, Cavalcanti is on her bike with Nunes fired up, and her long punches open a cut on the cheek of her adversary. Nunes tries to cut Cavalcanti off but is following her around, allowing Cavalcanti to piece her up. Nunes gets off two left hands before Cavalcanti can skirt away, and Cavalcanti looks for a step-in knee when they get up close. Nunes scores with another hook, and a front kick from Cavalcanti makes her think twice about swinging recklessly before the bell rings.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 3
There is one final fist bump to get going, and Nunes charges forward like before. Nunes has a big left hand soar past her opponent, with Cavalcanti deftly avoiding the worst of almost every blow. Nunes briefly draws her foe into a slugfest, and Cavalcanti takes a few and makes the decision to not give Nunes the only chance to put her down. Cavalcanti digs a body shot amidst several jabs, circling away from the power and letting a left brush past her. Nunes walks into several fists, and she grits it out to launch her left twice. Nunes gets into range, but Cavalcanti exits and dodges a haymaker on the way out. Nunes tries to feint and fake her way in, but Cavalcanti is not biting, rather jabbing her in the face. When Nunes bull-rushes her, Cavalcanti clips her with an uppercut, causing Nunes to crash into the wall. Nunes gathers a full head of steam and keeps her guard up, blocking a head kick that makes Cavalcanti topple to the mat. Nunes tries to pounce, but Cavalcanti pushes her off and climbs back to her feet. Cavalcanti gets on her bike, seemingly cruising with jabs and the occasional front kick while Nunes is walking straight into everything. Cavalcanti smacks her in the side of the head with a lead hook, swelling up Nunes’ right eye a bit. Nunes ignores any damage she has sustained and is loaded for bear, but Cavalcanti is faster and longer. Nunes throws caution to the wind, with a few lefts getting in before Cavalcanti evades the rest of the blitz. Cavalcanti jabs with a front kick to the knee, allowing her to take some of the sting out of Nunes’ lunging hook. Cavalcanti slaps the instep of her foot on the midsection of the shorter woman, and she bounces away from further danger. Nunes walks her down, tagging her with two left hands but not flustering Cavalcanti one bit. Cavalcanti picks out a few jabs and right hands, and Nunes no-sells every blow so she can try for one final power strike. That blow does not come because Cavalcanti kicks her in the belly, and the bantamweight bout draws to a close. It could go either way, depending on how judges value Nunes power strikes vs. her foe’s accuracy and activity.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (29-28 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)

The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Josiane Nunes via Split Decision (27-30, 29-28, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Aug 18, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Josiane Nunes

Angelo picks the underdog Josiane Nunes, describing her as a bowling ball who only moves forward and throws bombs. He thinks the odds are too wide in favor of Cavalcanti due to recency bias, and that Cavalcanti doesn't like pressure. He notes that Nunes lost her last fight because a giant held her against the cage, but doesn't see that happening here. He suggests a plus 3.5 bet on Nunes, similar to the Dan Hooker bet.

plus 3.5 points (win one round)
"I'm actually picking the underdog I'm going with josean Nunes here... a plus three and a half might be the way to go"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 20, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cody picks Cavalcanti because of her reach, speed, and striking technique. He notes that Nunes is short and has to close distance, which plays into Cavalcanti's range game. He also uses MMA math: Cavalcanti dominated Zara Fairn, while Nunes had a competitive fight with Fairn. He thinks Cavalcanti will outpoint Nunes and win a decision.

Jacqueline Cavalcanti by decision
"I like what she brings to the table a lot more than Josan nunz... I think kak's got the speed the the technique the cardio out points her wins this thing fairly smoothly"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Aug 22, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Daniel Vreeland picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her significant size and reach advantage over the much shorter Nunes. He notes Cavalcanti's high volume and well-rounded skills, while Nunes is too small for the division and will be bullied.

"I think that kvak Kani has Nunes covered physically and technically so for that reason I'm a picker to win this fight"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 21, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Brevin picks Cavalcanti by decision, noting she is the bigger fighter and a better striker with range. He dismisses Nunes due to her loss to Chelsea Chandler, which he finds disqualifying. JP agrees, adding that Nunes is much smaller and Cavalcanti is a good striker who is very rangy. Both expect the fight to go the distance.

over 1.5 rounds, fight goes distance
"I'm going to take cavanti by decision I think she's better she's going to be the bigger girl"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Aug 20, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Paul agrees with Cody, noting that Nunes was outworked by Chelsea Chandler. He thinks Cavalcanti's volume will be the difference. He also mentions that women's favorites have been winning at a high rate this year, so he's comfortable backing the favorite here.

"I'm in I'm in 100% I mean calvan was already the pick for me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 21, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Josiane Nunes

The MMA Guru picks Josiane Nunes because he believes she is stronger and has more grit than Jacqueline Cavalcanti. He criticizes Cavalcanti's wins over Zara Fairn and Melissa Gatto as unimpressive, implying Nunes has a better mentality and will dig deeper. He relies on a subjective assessment of who wants it more.

"I'm gonna go with josian Nunes just because I think she's a bit too strong for jacking caval KY"
WIN vs Zarah Fairn
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Spivac · Sep 02, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 39 of 259 15% 39 of 259 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:04
Zarah Fairn 0 126 of 221 57% 127 of 222 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 5 of 86 5% 5 of 86 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Zarah Fairn 0 36 of 62 58% 36 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 10 of 80 12% 10 of 80 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Zarah Fairn 0 46 of 81 56% 46 of 81 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 0 24 of 93 25% 24 of 93 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:04
Zarah Fairn 0 44 of 78 56% 45 of 79 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:08
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jacqueline Cavalcanti 39 of 259 15% 25 of 241 8 of 12 6 of 6 39 of 258 0 of 1 0 of 0
Zarah Fairn 126 of 221 57% 43 of 127 20 of 22 63 of 72 116 of 209 10 of 12 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 5 of 86 5% 2 of 82 2 of 3 1 of 1 5 of 86 0 of 0 0 of 0
Zarah Fairn 36 of 62 58% 4 of 26 8 of 8 24 of 28 36 of 62 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 10 of 80 12% 6 of 74 2 of 4 2 of 2 10 of 80 0 of 0 0 of 0
Zarah Fairn 46 of 81 56% 19 of 48 4 of 6 23 of 27 41 of 74 5 of 7 0 of 0
3 Jacqueline Cavalcanti 24 of 93 25% 17 of 85 4 of 5 3 of 3 24 of 92 0 of 1 0 of 0
Zarah Fairn 44 of 78 56% 20 of 53 8 of 8 16 of 17 39 of 73 5 of 5 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Zarah Fairn dos Santos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-375), Fairn dos Santos (+295)

Round 1
Come l’enfer ou hautes eaux, the promotion was going to put on more than 10 fights on this card, no matter what it had to do with the matchups already on the table. With eight of the 11 pairings on the billing containing at least one French fighter, the deck is stacked for local fight fans to get their money’s worth. We begin with a catchweight contest of 140 pounds, between two women who could not safely reach the bantamweight limit in time. After a bit of struggle, Paris-based Fairn (6-5, 0-3 UFC) managed to make the 140-pound cap, while her debuting Portuguese opponent Cavalcanti (5-1, 0-0 UFC) was all smiles on the scales. Someone here has to earn their first UFC victory, and referee Rich Mitchell will be there every step of the way. The first fight of the early afternoon card – for stateside audiences on the east coast – kicks off with a touch of gloves. Fairn takes to the center of the cage, where she paws out jabs and a right hand to follow one in order to find her range. The newcomer skirts along the outside, and she slaps a few leg kicks out while also swiping with a jab or two. The crowd booms in favor of Fairn, making sure to voice support for the French woman, and she continues moving forward aggressively. Cavalcanti chops at her from the outer edge of the cage, and she swats away the two-punch combos that aim her way. Neither woman engages with much of note, as they are tossing out pitter-patter strikes with very little on them. Fairn continues to plod forward, and Cavalcanti stays on her bike, poking out with low kicks here and there. Fairn follows her and swings, but she cannot find her target cleanly. Cavalcanti parries the punches and kicks the lead leg, and she mixes things up with a front kick. Fairn struggles to reach her foe with her fists, and Cavalcanti hand-fights to defend the majority of the punches that come her way. The Portuguese fighter turns her hips into a few heavier leg kicks, and the former kickboxer Fairn is doing nothing to check or counter them. Cavalcanti connects with a pair of punches, and Fairn pushes off to break up the combination and her fingers jam into both eye sockets of Cavalcanti at the same time. Mitchell calls time to allow Cavalcanti to recover from the Three Stooges-esque double eye poke, and he calls in the doctor to bring in a towel to allow her to wipe her eyes out. Cavalcanti is taking the time she needs to recover instead of rushing things, ignoring the jeers and whistles from the partisan crowd. After about half the time of the five-minute recovery period elapses, the doctor clears her to continue, and Cavalcanti is good to go. There is no apology glove touch offered from the French woman, who instead engages out of the gate by putting her foot on the gas. Mitchell warns Fairn again for her outstretched fingers, and Cavalcanti darts away from the flurries and largely avoids them until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
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Round 2
The second round opens with a more aggressive Fairn, who keeps busy with jabs and reaching push kicks. Mitchell informs the Portuguese fighter to close her fists now, as both women are leading with their fingers pointed at their targets. Fairn catches her foe at the end of a right hand, countering a low kick. Fairn does not change her approach much, with the same patterns and movements that Cavalcanti has picked up on already. Cavalcanti continues to pepper her with frustrating leg kicks, and she strafes to the side to evade the lion’s share of what “Infinite” slings her way. Fairn walks forward swinging a right hand, and Cavalcanti responds with a slapping left hand. The most effective strikes of the fight so far are Cavalcanti’s kicks, as neither land with anything noteworthy with their fists. Cavalcanti closes the distance and suddenly tags Fairn with a crisp combination, and Fairn looks to bully her back but hits nothing but air. Cavalcanti pops the Frenchwoman with another few kicks, and Fairn’s methodical jab is not able to get any respect. Cavalcanti loops a right hand over the guard, and she stings Fairn and throws the same strike two more times. Fairn shakes it off and gets back into her slow, inaccurate groove, seemingly stuck in first gear. Cavalcanti strings a few punches into a leg kick, and Fairn grabs hold of her to set up a clinch or potential takedown. Cavalcanti shrugs it off and resets, and she chops down the lead leg of her opponent from both sides. The kicks force Fairn to preemptively raise her lead leg, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti

Round 3
Cavalcanti leads the dance in the third round, moving right to the middle of the Octagon to strike with jabs and leg kicks. Fairn flails back with impunity, and she ends up walking into the chopping kicks that continue to work on her lead wheel. As the commentary booth loses interest in the matchup, the three men of John Gooden, Michael Bisping and Paul Felder begin to discuss their favorite sandwich – ending up settling on breakfast sandwiches with bacon and chipotle sauce as their top idea. All the while, the 140-pound ladies continue their slow, unhazardous kickboxing match, where there seems to be very little zip on any strikes. Fairn does not change her strategy, allowing Cavalcanti to pick away at her and counter her with small but scoring strikes. When Fairn lunges with a jab, Cavalcanti has a right hand read to smack her in the cheek. Cavalcanti uses head movement to make Fairn miss, and the accuracy rate of the Frenchwoman is likely very low in this contest. Fairn, with little options, moves forward into a clinch. Cavalcanti allows her to do this so that she can bust Fairn in the chops with several clean uppercuts. Fairn lets go of the grip and rebounds off the cage wall, and she is stuck eating shots while Cavalcanti slips the responses. Fairn reaches her with a right hand, and Cavalcanti keeps her guard high as the crowd gives it up for the briefly aggressive Fairn. This surge slows, as Fairn’s left eye begins to swell from the constant right hands she eats. Fairn shoots in for an ill-advised takedown, and Cavalcanti stuffs it with ease and moves around to take her back standing. Fairn shucks her way out of the body control, and Cavalcanti lays into her with a few more punches. The fight ends, and barring an extreme miscarriage of justice, France will be down 0-1 against the world today.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)

The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Zarah Fairn via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Aug 26, 2023 (7 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Angelo picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti because Zarah Fairn is pushing 40 and fades as fights go on. He notes Fairn's striking is technical but age and cardio are issues. Cavalcanti can push pace and stay in Fairn's face, and even if Fairn has early success, she will tire. Angelo acknowledges Fairn would have been his pick a few years ago.

"based on how tired Faron got in that last fight and the fact that she's pushing 40 this is going to be a very clear spot for Jacqueline"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 30, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Big Brady is confident in Cavalcanti, citing her youth, size, and superior skills everywhere. He notes Fairn's age (36 or 39) and questionable UFC caliber, and expects Cavalcanti to dominate on the ground or on the feet. He predicts a finish within the first two rounds, specifically a second-round TKO. He also mentions Fairn's history of missing weight, casting doubt on the fight happening.

Cavalcanti wins by second-round finish
"I like Calvin Concha here to get it done and get it done in pretty dominating fashion... give me a Cava conchi to win this fight Cava Concha to win by second round finish"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 30, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cody picks Cavalcanti, citing her youth (26), improvements, and win over Melissa Croden. He notes Fairn is 40, has missed weight badly, and has poor striking and grappling. Cavalcanti has a striking advantage and can grapple if needed. However, he warns that betting heavy favorites on debut fighters is risky, comparing the card to Minesweeper.

Cavalcanti over 50.5 significant strikes (prize picks)
"cavakanti seems like one of the pieces I'm willing to place because she's fighting Zara fair and at the end of the day"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Aug 31, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Daniel Levi picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her physicality, power, and well-rounded skills. He notes that Fairn is 39 years old and has a history of slowing down, while Cavalcanti is younger and more athletic. Levi acknowledges the risk of a debutant stun but believes Cavalcanti should win if she doesn't suffer from stage fright. He is not laying chalk at this price.

"Jacqueline kavikanchi should come out here and get it done in her debut"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Aug 31, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Zarah Fairn

I'm going with Fairn as a big underdog. She has better experience and can outwork Cavalcanti if the fight stays at range. Cavalcanti is a low-volume striker and may be too patient. Fairn has shown she can put up numbers even in losses. I only take a half unit shot because it's low-level women's MMA and Fairn has weight issues, but I think she wins by decision.

half unit bet
"I'm gonna go with the fair inside here you know plus 285 for a fight that I believe is going to be very close"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Aug 30, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Zarah Fairn

Paul picks Fairn as a contrarian underdog, noting that Fairn outstruck Josiane Nunes 117-102 in her last fight and is a boxer who can stand and trade. He thinks Cavalcanti's loss to Gendrova (who lost to Liv Rock) is concerning. He also mentions the French crowd could influence judges. He takes a three-to-one chewy bet challenge from Cody, betting Fairn.

Fairn by decision +500 (mentioned as a possible prop)
"if you're giving me an opportunity to be fader in some capacity... I'm gonna bite down and say yes"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 29, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The MMA Guru picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, noting she looks decent as a prospect with a good record, while Zarah Fairn lacks technique and has been dominated. He acknowledges uncertainty with women's MMA prospects but believes Cavalcanti will win by decision.

"I'm gonna go with Jacqueline Kabul Canty winning this one in her debut"
Expert Picks (10)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 10, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Angelo picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, trusting her speed and footwork. He expects Cavalcanti to win the striking exchanges and that Vieira's takedowns won't matter to the judges. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds as a lock. He notes Vieira may have won her last fight but expects a similar decision loss here.

over 2.5 rounds
"I trust the speed. I trust the footwork. I think Jacquelini gets it done. ... The over two and a half here is about as big of a lock as you're going to get."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked May 12, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Big Brady leans toward Jacqueline Cavalcanti, believing she is the better striker with superior volume. He thinks she can stuff takedowns and keep the fight standing, winning by decision. He acknowledges Ketlen Vieira's path to victory via takedowns but doubts she will execute.

"I'm going to take Kavaki to win this fight by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cody picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her high striking volume (6.5 significant strikes per minute) and youth. He notes that Ketlen Vieira often gets out-struck but wins via cage control, but believes Cavalcanti's takedown defense has improved and she is physically strong enough to avoid being smothered. He expects Cavalcanti to out-land Vieira and win a 29-28 decision, though he acknowledges the risk of judges favoring control time.

Suggests Cavalcanti by decision or split decision.
"Calvocanti is going to outland her, but there's a good probability that she will give up the control time."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked May 15, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Connor picks Cavalcanti, agreeing with Zane. He notes Vieira has no progression in her game and only changes aggression level per opponent. Cavalcanti is defensively minded, moves her feet well, and has a jab, making it hard for Vieira to charge in. He hopes Vieira doesn't drag Cavalcanti into the mud.

Same odds as Zane. Connor calls Vieira 'stuck in the mud'.
"The only hope is that she doesn't stick the only, uh, bright spot in the division in the mud with her."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Confident picked May 16, 2026 (fight day)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Cavalcanti is better everywhere: more technical striker, higher pace, better fight IQ, difficult to take down, great cardio. Vieira has low volume and bad fight IQ. Cavalcanti will outpoint Vieira and win a comfortable decision.

"I think Ketlen Vieira is going to win relatively convincingly."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked May 10, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Lucrative James leans toward Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her superior striking and consistent volume. He believes Vieira's takedowns may not be enough to win two rounds, and Cavalcanti's composed striking will earn a decision. He notes the fight could be close and split.

"I'm going to say Cavalcante wins the decision. I'm going to say it's 1-1 going into round three and she isn't able to get a takedown."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The host picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Ketlen Vieira, believing this fight will launch Cavalcanti into title contention. He cites Cavalcanti's improved grappling defense and striking edge to pick apart Vieira and win on the scorecards.

"I believe Cavalcanti's grappling defense improvements and her striking edge here will allow her to pick apart Vieira and win this fight on the score cards."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked May 12, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

The host thinks Cavalcanti is a slicker striker with a better gas tank, but he is hesitant to bet her at -155 due to Vieira's grappling threat and live dog status. He predicts Cavalcanti wins by decision, but would only bet if the line drops closer to -120.

"I think Cavalcanti has the better gas tank. I think she can land with a little bit more output and I believe enough in her grappling to predict her to win this fight, but not so much to bet her at minus 155."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 13, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Paul picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti by split decision, noting that both fighters are likely to go to decision and that Vieira has been involved in many split decisions. He believes Cavalcanti's volume and more impactful strikes will earn her the nod, but expects it to be contentious. He bet the fight ends in a split decision at plus 400.

Bet on fight ends in split decision at plus 400.
"I took the fight ends in split decision."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked May 15, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Zane picks Cavalcanti because she is a sharp technical striker with good footwork and a jab, while Vieira is stuck in the mud with no progression in her game. He expects Cavalcanti to pick Vieira apart at range, as Vieira's only path is to overpower her in the clinch, but she often spends time at range not knowing what to do.

Odds: Vieira opened +120, now +145; Cavalcanti opened -140, now -170. Zane calls it a 'good fight if Vieira doesn't win it'.
"If that happens, uh, it's basically just the cub Swanson versus Nate Landware or body green versus Jeremy Stevens equation. Again, here's somebody with some idea of positioning with long straight efficient strikes, she should be able to run circles around Viera and pick her apart because I like Calvaconti …"