“King” Casey O’Neill and “Queen of Violence” Ariane Lipski kicked off the televised preliminary card at UFC 296 on Saturday.
The Las Vegas-based show, topped by Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington in a welterweight title fight, had opened with three straight finishes among the night’s early, online prelims.
That gave flyweights O’Neill and Lipski some big footsteps to follow, but they certainly seemed game enough early, with the pair trading almost immediately out of the gate.
In addition to throwing hands, both women proved to have sharp kicks, and before long, the pair had clinched up, with O’Neill in control. Lipski would get her back off the fence, however, with a takedown nowhere to be found for Casey O’Neill.
Out in the open, kicks, knees, and punches were exchanged, with Lipski landing with a decent amount of power. O’Neill ate those strikes, then finally punched her way in, closing the distance to pursue a takedown with just over a minute remaining in the opening frame— only for Ariane Lipski to turn the tables and land a takedown of her own!
Early in round two, Lipski rocked O’Neill, then followed up with a head kick that clipped “King” Casey. O’Neill, eating several more strikes, dove in on a takedown attempt only for Lipski to get on top and drop ground n’ pound. O’Neill survived, but couldn’t get out of harm’s way: after enduring a choke attempt, she wound up caught in an arm-bar, forced to tap! Queen of violence indeed! Ariane Lipski, an ex-KSW champ, arguably looked the best she has in her UFC run.
THE QUEEN OF VIOLENCE DOES IT AGAIN @Ariane_lipski gets the tap and her third win in a row at #UFC296! pic.twitter.com/KPhgUXHBPb
— UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
