Preview: UFC 301 Prelims

Women’s Flyweights

Dione Barbosa (6-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Ernesta Kareckaite (5-0-1, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: Barbosa (-205), Kareckaite (+170)

Flyweights look to kick off their UFC careers in impressive fashion in this encounter. Barbosa’s an interesting case. A former judo standout and late convert to mixed martial arts, the Brazilian doesn’t have the type of clean regional resume you’d expect from a prospect with some potential. That’s in part thanks to a surprisingly strong level of competition, as she’s taken on current UFC fighters Karine Silva and Josiane Nunes, along with PFL standout Jena Bishop. There is some hope that Barbosa might be turning a corner after her win on the Contender Series last September. A grinding control artist in her two previous fights, Barbosa found a submission this time around, even if the fight was a bit messier than expected. Barbosa makes her UFC debut against a Lithuanian newcomer in Kareckaite, who’s still mostly physical potential at this point. A rangy flyweight at 5-foot-9, Kareckaite has toughness and cardio, mostly focused on pumping out striking volume in an effort to overwhelm her opponents. However, Kareckaite’s shown surprisingly little dominance thus far in her career. Her Contender Series win over Carli Judice was a scrap that could’ve gone either way, and she wasn’t much of a finisher even on the regional scene. She also isn’t much of a defensive wrestler, so while Kareckaite has some long-term potential, in the here and now, Barbosa should have little trouble turning this into a grind. The pick is Barbosa via decision.

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