Jacqueline Cavalcanti faced Ketlen Vieira in a bantamweight bout at UFC Vegas 117 in Las Vegas. Cavalcanti entered undefeated in the UFC after winning her first five fights, while Vieira came in after a loss to Norma Dumont. Both fighters traded strikes at a brisk pace early, with Cavalcanti using low kicks and body kicks while Vieira worked behind a jab and attempted to find range. Cavalcanti held center and appeared slightly sharper in variety and timing. In round two, Vieira clinched and secured a takedown, then landed punches from inside Cavalcanti’s guard and controlled much of the round. Cavalcanti’s approach in round three remained cautious, with limited impact as Vieira’s control advantage carried forward.
"Vieira and Cavalcanti traded at a brisk pace early, Cavalcanti mixing in a low kick, though little was landed by either lady. Vieira targeted the body with a jab and went upstairs to follow it, but hadn't quite figured out her range any more than Cavalcanti had. Cavalcanti held center as the round went on, Vieira circling, the pair still relatively in tight. Cavalcanti's striking appeared just a little tighter, a little more varied as she mixed in low kicks, and kicks to the body."
"Vieira tied the action up along the fence early in round two, looking for a change of pace. She had a high-crotch single and would eventually land the takedown, though not without effort. From there, she worked from inside Cavalcanti's guard, landing a left hand, then a right. Vieira was active enough on top and Cavalcanti intermittently closed her guard, leading to lots of control time for Ketlen Vieira. She'd finish out the round right there, quite clearly coming out on top in the second."
"Round three found Cavalcanti looking for a way inside, throwing single strikes, feints, and the odd low kick. Yet as they circled, Cavalcanti looked hesitant to commit to her attacks, and her corner had told her between rounds, despite having almost certainly lost the second stanza, not to go crazy in the third. And so Cavalcanti targeted the body, fired the odd kick, but wasn't doing much to put her stamp on the round. A puzzling approach"
Read at Cageside Press
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