The long wait for UFC women’s strawweight Ashley Yoder to return is finally over.
Yoder (8-8) will face Emily Ducote (12-8) at a UFC Fight Night event on October 14, 2023. The fight will mark Yoder’s first action since July of 2021.
MMA Junkie was first to report news of the match-up, with Yoder confirming the booking on her Instagram Story. “It’s been a long time coming but extremely pumped to be back,” Yoder added.
Yoder told Cageside Press earlier this month at UFC X that she expected her next run to be “make or break” for her. “I think that this next run for me, it’s kind of given me a perspective of, this is my opportunity to make or break myself, and I’m really excited to make myself.”
Ashley Yoder’s last fight saw her drop a decision to former Invicta FC champ Jinh Yu Frey, the second of back-to-back losses— with the other coming against Angela Hill.
Now 35, Yoder has been with the UFC since 2016, and is 4-7 in that time.
Ducote, a former Bellator MMA title challenger and Invicta FC champ, will also be looking to snap a two-fight skid, after she suffered losses at the hands of Hill and Loopy Godinez in her last two fights.
Just one other fight has been reported for the UFC’s October 14 card. That sees Irina Alekseeva take on Melissa Dixon.
