After a disappointing result (and temporary partial blindness) in a fight with Jasmine Jasudavicius just last month, Miranda Maverick made the short turnaround to step into the cage with Priscila Cachoeira at UFC 291 on Saturday.
The preliminary card bout saw Maverick replacing Joanne Wood, and looking to regain some momentum against the hard-hitting Brazilian.
This turned out to be a wise decision in the end.
Maverick passed on a glove touch to open the fight, instead closing the distance, firing a punch, and backing away. Cachoeira pressed back as Maverick circled; moments later, Maverick connected with a kick upstairs. That high kick would come again later, but Maverick spun out of position on it and Cachoeira came charging in with a kick of her own. That was caught by Maverick, who converted the takedown.
Cachoeira, with her back to the fence, looked to post up as Maverick tied up her legs. Maverick added a few short punches as Cachoeira found herself wedged against the fence. Just as the Brazilian appeared to have worked her way up, Maverick forced her back down. Maverick sat in half-guard, nearly side control, landing punches, and nearly caught Cachoeira in a crucifix.
Maverick closed the distance immediately in round two, firing an overhand. She ducked down for a takedown, but backed off. Another attempt was fought off by Cachoeira. But a third spelled trouble for Priscila Cachoeira. She tried grabbing the fence, and Maverick gave up her neck, but the Brazilian didn’t make her pay, and Miranda finished the attempt with a trip. That landed her in guard guard, where she had done plenty of damage towards the end of the first. This time, Maverick was able to mount, but Cachoeira used the fence — and her toes, unnoticed by the ref — to spin around and escape. Maverick was right back on her, however, and she finished the round on top.
An early clinch led to an elbow by Maverick, and later a left hand, before she landed an early takedown. That was worst case scenario for Cachoeira, who had lost the first two rounds on her back. She wouldn’t just lose the round here, however, but the fight. Maverick snatched an arm, and suddenly the arm-bar was in. Cachoeira tapped, and that was the fight!
Miranda Maverick kicks off #UFC291 with a finish!@FearTheMAVERICK locks the armbar in Round 3 💪 pic.twitter.com/lUox5wVbrc
— UFC (@ufc) July 29, 2023
The short-notice gamble pays off for Maverick, who is now 3-1 in her last four.
Official Result: Miranda Maverick def. Priscila Cachoeira by submission (arm-bar), Round 3, 2:11
