A pair of Brazilian strawweights will collide in at a UFC event in May.
Multiple sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have confirmed to Cageside Press that Tabatha Ricci will fight Polyana Viana on May 21 at a yet-to-be-announced UFC event. Holly Holm and Ketlen Viera are expected to headline the card.
In October, Ricci (6-1) picked up her first UFC win. At UFC Fight Night: Costa vs. Vettori, she defeated Maria Oliveira via unanimous decision. Before that, she lost to Manon Fiorot in her UFC debut, up a weight class on short notice. “Baby Shark” fought four times in 2021, going 3-1 with two finishes in LFA.
Viana (12-4) will be returning from more than a year on the sidelines when she enters the octagon against Ricci. In her last outing at UFC 258, Viana submitted Mallory Martin in the first round with an armbar, which was her only fight in 2021. Prior to that, she also submitted Emily Whitmire in the first round to snap a three-fight losing streak.
The UFC’s May 21, 2022 event does not yet have an official location, venue, or broadcast plan announced.
The May fight card currently looks like this:
- Ketlen Vieira vs. Holly Holm
- Ben Rothwell vs. Alexander Gustafsson
- Felipe Colares vs. Chase Hooper
- Tabatha Ricci vs. Polyana Viana
