Nicolle Caliari came out aggressive in the UFC 318 card-opener, a women’s flyweight affair with Carli Judice — looking to set the tone for what was to come.
Judice looked to land to the body with a front kick, with the pair circling one another at center, both women staying busy. Judice again landed up the middle to the body, forcing Caliari to shoot in on a takedown, which she briefly landed but couldn’t fully secure. Judice was right back up, though Caliari remained on her, first from the back, then driving her into the fence with underhooks before they finally broke.
The pair finished the opening five minutes trading on the feet, Carliari landing a right hand but Judice doing as well if not better ahead of one final clinch.
Round two saw a competitive back-and-forth on the feet early. Judice had success with her body kicks, when she threw them, and her left hand. Caliari proved tough, eating some solid shots, and though she was soon showing damage, including a trickle of blood from the nose, she stayed in the fight. Judice, however, began really picking her shots in the final minute, splitting the guard and snapping Caliari’s head back.
The fight, entertaining for two rounds, was over in a heartbeat in the third. Judice backed up Caliari with a combo, then stepped in with a knee clean to the midsection. Caliari folded like a bedsheet, crumping to the ground.
Judice, once of the least experienced fighters in MMA on the UFC roster, improved to 5-2 with the win, and has won her last two bouts inside the octagon. She’s now 2-1 in the company overall.
Official Result: Carli Judice def. Nicolle Caliari by TKO (knee to the body), Round 3, 1:30
