TUF 18 finalist Jessica “The Ragin'” Rakoczy looks for a fresh start in a new division when she returns to action at UFC 186: “Dillashaw vs Barao 2” on April 25th in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Rakoczy drops to 115 pounds to face Valérie “Trouble” Létourneau, who makes her strawweight debut.
UFC officials announced the featured matchup on Saturday night. Rakoczy surprised many by fighting her way to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 18 in 2013 before losing to Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Peña. Létourneau won her short-notice Octagon debut as a bantamweight at UFC 174 in June.
UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza makes the first defence of her new title on March 14th at UFC 185: “Pettis vs dos Anjos” in Dallas, Texas. Esparza battles undefeated Polish striker Joanna Jędrzejczyk in the five-round co-main event on the card.
TUF 20 alum Felice “Lil’ Bulldog” Herrig looks for her second Octagon victory on April 18th at UFC on FOX 15: “Rockhold vs Machida” in Newark, New Jersey. Herrig is set to face off against one of the women’s strawweight division’s fastest rising new stars, 20-year-old “12 Gauge” Paige VanZant.
Brazilian standout Jéssica “Bate Estaca” Andrade is set to make her return to the Octagon on February 22nd at UFC Fight Night 61: “Bigfoot vs Mir” in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Andrade meets hard-hitting striker Marion “The Belizean Bruiser” Reneau in a featured bantamweight bout.
Stepping in on short notice, Marion “The Belizean Bruiser” Reneau made a big statement in her Octagon debut tonight at UFC 182: “Jones vs Cormier” in Las Vegas, Nevada. Reneau battered and bloodied an overweight Alexis “Sneaky Zebra” Dufresne in what was intended to be a bantamweight bout.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 182: “Jones vs Cormier.” The event was headlined by a long-awaited UFC Light Heavyweight Championship grudge match between Jon “Bones” Jones and Daniel “D.C.” Cormier.
In stunning fashion, Invicta Fighting Championships crowned a new atomweight champion on December 5th when grappling ace Hérica Tibúrcio submitted Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson to win the title at Invicta FC 10. Tibúrcio vaults into the top spot in the 105-pound women’s rankings.
A bantamweight bout between former boxing world champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm and TUF 18 alum Raquel “Rocky” Pennington has been rebooked for UFC 184: “Weidman vs Belfort.” The event takes place on February 28th at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.