Las Vegas, NV – Making her return after more than a year away UFC flyweight Melissa Gatto will be back in the octagon against Ariane Lipski at UFC Vegas 76 on Saturday night.
“I’m so happy. So excited to be back. Of course it’s been a year with the surgery and the medical leave that comes after that. I’m happy to be back. I took that time to actually become better, and become a better fighter,” Gatto told reporters through a translator on Wednesday.
The injury that kept Gatto away for over a year following her loss to Tracy Cortez at UFC 274. Time on the shelf gave her opportunities to improve her game, but also her mental fitness.
“Anytime you have a high-performance athlete that’s removed from the daily routine, training, being there on the mat frequently, just getting better physically. It’s always challenging. It does teach you lessons, specially on the mental side,” she said.
“I do feel that I had to get stronger and prepare mentally. I feel more ready than I’ve ever been. Specially on the mental side. I took the time to actually become a better fighter mentally.”
Next for her is Ariane Lipski in her return fight to MMA. She doesn’t underestimate her opponent.
“When the UFC called, obviously happy to get the call to be able to match with her. She is a tough opponent. She’s an experienced opponent. I think she’s got 10 fights in the UFC,” she said.
“She is from the same state as I am, and it’s going to be important for a lot of us specially the Brazilian fans.”
Melissa Gatto takes on Ariane Lipski at UFC Vegas 76 from the UFC APEX on Saturday night.
