Bethe Correia was tenacious, but Irene Aldana was able to wear her down at UFC 237, securing an armbar in the final round.
Bethe Correia was set to return to the Octagon for the first time since 2017 at UFC 237 on Saturday night. It was a return that nearly hit a roadblock, as Correia was heavy at Friday’s weigh-ins, coming in at 141lbs. A full five pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. A shocking miss for a fighter who once challenged Ronda Rousey for the bantamweight title. Still, Correia’s fight with Irene Aldana moved forward at a catchweight, albeit with the Brazilian paying a hefty fine.
Round one was a back and forth round where both women had their moments. While a clear round for Aldana most likely, Bethe still had some nice moments. However she appeared to struggle with the size of Aldana and the reach of her, as anytime she attempted to move in she would get hit with a long jab from the Mexican fighter. However, by the end of the round, she began to find her range, and begin to overwhelm her with strikes. A good round for Aldana, but also a good sign for Correia.
Bethe Correia’s success from the end of the previous round would continue into round two. Bethe found excellent success moving forward with leg kicks and combination punches. She would eat punches on the way in from Aldana, but she would throw a flurry of strikes back as an answer. Overall, a very good second round from Correia to get back into the fight.
In round three, Bethe was doing well early, including landing a couple of nice one-twos straight down the middle. However, Aldana started hitting Correia with some nice shots, and Correia looked for a takedown which Aldana sprawled on. Bethe would then give up her back, and Aldana would jump on a ruthless armbar and get the tap.
Irene Aldana def. Bethe Correia by Submission (Armbar) in Round 3 (3:24)
