Coming into the women’s bantamweight fight between Joselyne Edwards and Tamires Vidal at UFC Vegas 99, there was one main storyline.
That was the weight of Edwards, who came in three pounds heavy for the fight, even after shedding her clothes and taking the braids out of her hair. It was Edwards’ third time missing weight in the UFC, following incidents in 2022 and 2023.
The pair opened with kicks, going back and forth, until Edwards fired off a combo. Vidal would close the distance a minute in, battling for a takedown. When they went to the ground, it was in a heap, and Edwards threatened to reverse; instead they got back up still in a clinch, with Vidal refusing to bail on it. Edwards then reversed the position, putting Vidal against the cage. She broke free at long last, firing a punch over the top as she did, then went back to firing jabs and kicks, using her range. Vidal, in contrast, threw some haymakers, clearly looking to do damage or find the finish. Edwards kept at Vidal’s lead leg with her kicks, targeted the body with a jab, and fired off a pair of spinning back fists. But Vidal was undeterred, attacking the body herself and brushing off yet another spinning back fist.
A fourth spinning back fist attempt with just over a minute on the clock fanned. What didn’t miss was the combo she fired off moments later. Edwards then changed levels for a takedown and landed it, but not before eating several elbows.
Edwards opened round two with a kick, and followed that with a sizzling right hand. Another spinning back fist by Edwards was blocked. Spinning back fist count: five (four either landing or blocked, one sailing wide). Vidal touched a thigh with a kick, and Edwards answered in kind. Vidal then closed the distance, got a body lock in place, and went after a takedown, initially unable to land it. She did however take the back and attempt to sneak a hook in, only for Edwards to defend, dropping elbows. After more clinch work, Edwards drove her opponent across the octagon, eventually landing her own takedown, settling into half guard. Edwards was close to pulling her leg through, with side control available. Vidal wound up just hanging on, doing enough to keep Edwards from passing, but unable to scramble free or reverse.
Round three saw Vidal try her own spinning back fist 90 seconds or so in, which Edwards took advantage of. She chose that moment to land a well-timed takedown. Vidal was on her back, at center, miles away from the fence. Edwards had over half a round to work. Smashing elbows rained down from Edwards, but Vidal survived, grabbing a leg. With no submission to be found Edwards instead took the back, fired some elbows, and got a body triangle in place, sinking in a rear-naked choke then forcing the tap!
The weight misses remain a concern, but Joselyne Edwards may have saved her job, snapping a two-fight skid with the submission win.
Official Result: Joselyne Edwards def. Tamires Vidal by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 3, 4:33
