At 4-1 in her last five and having won three straight, Veronica Hardy was looking to press towards a ranking when she took on Eduarda Moura at UFC 309 on Saturday.
The flyweight affair kicked off the preliminary card at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Of note, Eduarda Moura was moving up to 125lbs after missing weight in back-to-back strawweight fights, most recently in a split decision loss to Denise Gomes.
Moura took center early, forcing Hardy on the outside, and when the pair did come together, it was Eduarda Moura connecting with a right hand that had a little mustard on it. Hardy was dwarfed in comparison to the size of Moura, who looked to be a full head taller, and considerably longer, than Hardy. Throughout the first half of the round, Hardy simply could not find a way inside. The back half of the round was similar, though Hardy did try to work in a few kicks. It was Moura capping off the first five minutes with a takedown however.
Between rounds, Hardy’s husband, UFC vet Dan Hardy, underscored that she was the faster fighter. That mattered not when Moura landed another takedown early. Hardy made it back up to the three-point stance, and ate several knees to the thighs from Moura, who continued to control the back. She dragged Hardy back down, and got a hook in. Hardy would survive, but wind up on her back, Moura controlling the action. Hardy would at times get active, and threaten with upkicks, but Moura was in the driver’s seat for the bulk of the round.
Round three had Hardy almost certainly in need of a finish. That was easier said than done. Hardy had to be wary of Moura’s right hand, and after depleting herself to make strawweight, Moura seemed to have far more in the tank as a 125’er. Time was quickly running out for Hardy. While she did find a home for a crisp leg kick, overall, she could not solve the puzzle (and specifically the size) of Eduarda Moura.
Official Result: Eduarda Moura def. Veronica Hardy by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
