Kicking off the UFC Vegas 118 prelims on Saturday at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Brazilian strawweights Ketlen Souza and Ariane Carnelossi faced off.
The fight was a rematch of the pair’s 2019 confrontation on the regional circuit, which Souza had won care of a body kick.
Carnelossi got aggressive early, moving forward and looking to close distance, striking her way in. Souza answered with kicks; Carnelossi flashed one of her own on her next attack. Souza connected solidly with a right hand, her best strike of the round to that point. Still, Carnelossi was showing little respect, continuing to attack- and she paid for it. In shades of the pair’s first meeting, Souza rocked and dropped Carnelossi with a punch, then caught her with a kick on the way up! Carnelossi fell over onto her back, and ate one final left hand, completely undefended, before the ref waved it off.
No revenge to be had for Ariane Carnelossi, who once again ends up finished care of a kick, only this time to the head. For Ketlen Souza, she’s now won two straight, and will at the very least secure a finish bonus of $25,000, if not a 100K performance bonus.
Official Result: Ketlen Souza def. Ariane Carnelossi by KO (head kick and punches), Round 1, 1:34
