Former strawweight title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz faced Denise Gomes in the featured prelim at UFC Vegas 100 on Saturday.
Gomes had started her professional fighting career in 2017, the year after Kowalkiewicz had faced fellow Polish star Joanna Jedrzejczyk for the UFC’s 115lb title.
Early on, Gomes worked kicks, low and to the body, while Karolina struggled to counter or close the distance. Gomes feigned a spinning attack (or simply held up on it), and instead the pair traded kicks and single strikes. Near the midway mark, Gomes opened up, closing the distance, attacking, and adding a knee. She then clinched up, pursuing a takedown despite having the edge on the feet. Much of the remaining time would be spent grappling and battling for position.
Round two saw the pair find their way back to the fence, Gomes in control, again pursuing a takedown. She added knees, and looked to land a trip, but Kowalkiewicz was able to turn things around and get her back off the cage. Still, at range, she was out-gunned, with Gomes firing long, straight kicks and left/right hands, exploding forward. That led to Kowalkiewicz grabbing a body lock and going back to the fence, only to be reversed by Gomes.
The third round likely had Gomes up, with Karolina Kowalkiewicz in need of a finish. Instead, the pair clinched up again, at least for the first 90 seconds. At center, Kowalkiewicz found a bit of success, working her jab and even going to the body. She’d try to take the back later in the round, working to set up a submission to no avail. In the end, the scorecards offered zero surprises, with Denise Gomes claiming a unanimous decision victory.
Official Result: Denise Gomes def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
