With Viviane Araujo out of her fight with Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC Denver, Invicta FC vet Fatima Kline accepted the call for a short-notice scrap. Best known as a strawweight, she’ll be moving up to 125lbs to get her foot in the door against Jasudavicius, who stands ranked #15 in the women’s flyweight division.
Fatima “The Archangel” Kline
Standing at five-foot-six
Fighting at 115 lbs (strawweight)
24-years-old
Fighting out of Hyde Park, New York, US
Training out of Silver Fox BJJ
A pro record of 6-0
2 KO/TKOs, 1 Submission
How Kline will fare in the UFC:
Fatima Kline came to MMA with an extensive jiu-jitsu background. Kline is a BJJ black belt with much success in the sport. Kline has only fought in MMA for three years, but despite that is well beyond her years. Wins over Natasha Kuziutina, Sidney Trillo, and Laura Gallardo are all strong wins.
We’ve seen a lot of jiu-jitsu fighters fall flat on their face once they reach a certain level. The problem is the majority can’t wrestle nor can they strike. Kline doesn’t fit that mold as she’s a different breed. I do like the wrestling of Kline. She times her entries well and has good traditional wrestling fundamentals. She also does a great job of using foot sweeps and kicking out her opponent’s leg. On the feet, she is a bit green but she’s relaxed. You see Kline light on her feet switching stances and just finding a rhythm. She throws a lot of kicks and she can because she’s comfortable if those are caught and the fight hits the mat. I like her right hand and on a few occasions, she’s stunned her foe with a punch. Kline does a great job of throwing everything together and shooting takedowns behind the output.
Kline is a high-level grappler. From the control, transitions, and submission attack she’s top-notch. You have to mention the damaging ground and pound she batters her opponents with as well. Not to mention but she can also fight at a relentless pace for a solid three rounds no problem. Kline has fought good wrestlers and her takedown defense has been sensational. She’s bouncing right back up or scrambling like crazy when in a bad position. She’s never even been on her back but it’s somewhere that nobody should want to put her.
Kline, in my opinion, is the best female prospect in the world, no doubt about it. I’m never this high about a female prospect but I am with Kline. I’m so confident with the career trajectory Kline is heading towards that I think she’s a future world champion. An excellent signing for the UFC.
How she matches up with Jasudavicius:
The gray area about the Kline signing is the circumstances behind it. Kline is having to fight on short notice up a weight class at elevation. Kline is also fighting a bigger physical flyweight in Jasudavicius. This fight reminds me of the Felipe Lima/Muhammad Naimov fight a couple of weeks ago. Lima was at a size disadvantage but was clearly the more skilled fighter and that prevailed. Jasudavicius is the bigger fighter but Kline is better in every area. Kline is the pick despite the size difference.
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