Bantamweight contenders Ketlen Vieira and Macy Chiasson found themselves in a featherweight fight at UFC Vegas 107, after their bout shifted north on weigh-in day.
Though both fighters had some history of weight struggles (and Chiasson had previously competed at 145lbs), it was Vieira who came in right at the featherweight non-title limit, 146 pounds.
The fight started out with a few quick exchanges, Chiasson circling on the outside. She utilized her kicks, taking advantage of her reach, while Vieira relied more on her hands. The pair came together with about two minutes left in the frame, Ketlen driving Chiasson into the fence, looking for a takedown. Chiasson defended with a whizzer, staying upright, but had difficulty getting off the fence. Vieira would finish the round backing off, landing a few punches, then tying things up again, though the takedown would never come.
Vieira did get the fight down early in round two, going to work in the closed guard of Chiasson. Ketlen was soon in half-guard, looking to slide a leg through and get to mount, or side control— but Chiasson did reclaim guard. Still, Vieira rode out the entirety of the round on top, earning a fair amount of control time in the process.
It was back to the mat to start the third, with Vieira again working from guard, looking to land punches. Chiasson was well away from the fence, and it would take her until the final third seconds of the frame to escape back to her feet. She tried to explode forward, driving Vieira into the fence, and actually managed to bloody the Brazilian. Still short of a Hail Mary KO, the fight was all but Vieira’s, which is how it turned out.
Official Result: Ketlen Vieira def. Macy Chiasson by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
