A pair of Brazilian strawweights take the cage tonight, pitting a
woman used to full-length bouts against a sheer finisher. The
former is “Rondinha” Luciano (6-2-1, 1-1 UFC), who has yet to land
a submission despite her namesake. The latter is the
ultra-aggressive Oliveira (7-2-1, 0-1 UFC), who sports a 100%
stoppage rate. Referee Mitch Cadlick will be there for the two
ladies whether it goes 15 seconds or 15 minutes, and the
countrywomen start things off with a sporting clap of hands. Luciano climbs directly in the driver’s seat and starts tossing out
long, reaching kicks. The kicks allow her to slip to the side or
away from straight punches from “Kenoudy,” and she sticks Oliveira
with a solid side kick to stop her in her tracks for a moment.
Luciano slowly works her way forward, evading what comes her way to
pick her own offense, and Oliveira is not missing by much. Luciano
prods with her kicks, and when she sits down on a right hand,
Oliveira beats her to the punch with a check left hook. Oliveira is
jittery and struggling to find her range, landing little more than
a low kick and a couple punches after two minutes. Luciano keeps
her guard up, but manages to get caught when sticking around too
long. Luciano gathers her thoughts, and she gets tagged with a
one-two down the pipe. Oliveira tosses out low kicks of her own in hopes of keeping
Luciano from getting to her, but it is her punches that are more
effective so far. Luciano jabs at her with her feet, and they trade
punches on the inside. Oliveira shrugs at her, and they wade into a
brief firefight which Luciano concludes with an elbow. Oliveira
connects with a left hook that shakes up “Rondinha,” and she takes
pictures of her handiwork and allows Luciano to kick her in the
lead leg three times. The two swing huge elbows at one another, and
barely miss what would have been a concussive connection. Luciano
kicks low and takes a right hand on the temple, and she intercepts
Oliveira with a jump knee. The round concludes. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Luciano

A clap of hands gets the 115ers going again, and they pick up
exactly where they left off. Oliveira just misses with a big
one-two, and Luciano leans back and drives her foe back with a
reaching series of punches. Luciano uses a knee to catch Oliveira
coming at her, and she springs away from anything that Oliveira
hurls at her in the exchange. Luciano changes levels and bullies
Oliveira to the fencing, and they stall out there before deciding
to break apart. Luciano once more has her knee ready to
preemptively counter, and Oliveira is out of reach. When Luciano comes in to strike, Oliveira takes advantage of this
by swinging back. Luciano mixes things up with an axe kick, and
Oliveira is stuck in first gear. Luciano walks down Oliveira
fearlessly, pounding on her foe’s front leg with kicks when not
punching her square in the face. Oliveira hurls back her own
offense, but the varied offense of “Rondinha” is giving Oliveira
fits. Luciano strings a one-two into a body kick, and she ducks to
evade the swings flying at her. Luciano lands first, and Oliveira
tries to connect afterwards but is overswinging and telegraphing
her efforts. One such heavy right hook from Oliveira opens her up
to a clean double-leg takedown, and Luciano takes Oliveira right
off her feet and deposits her flat on her back. As Luciano rains
down punches, the horn sounds. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Luciano

High-fives are shared before the strawweights rev up their engines
for one final frame. After all this time, Oliveira still cannot get
a bead on her opponent, and that allows Luciano to style on her
with side kicks and anything unorthodox she can think of. Oliveira
does score a leg kick, but it is one-and-done and answered
immediately by “Rondinha.” Oliveira sells out with a half-hearted
Superwoman punch, and Luciano takes her off her feet with a blast
double. Luciano lands directly into half guard, and she lets her
hands go. Oliveira pushes her off using her feet on Luciano’s
chest, and Luciano leaps back down to do more damage. Oliveira
times an explosion to get up, and Luciano mat returns her with a
trip takedown and reassumes half guard top control. Oliveira bucks
and scrambles off her back, but Luciano smothers her and beats on
her any time she can find an opening. Oliveira’s upkick allows her
to get a bit of space, and Luciano jumps down while Oliveira is
scrambling and takes her back. Luciano immediately hunts for a rear-naked choke, and Oliveira
fights the hands and keeps the grip on top of her jaw. It is a
tight squeeze, but Oliveira toughs it out. Luciano adjusts her hands, and she slides her forearm beneath the
chin. This time, there is no way out for “Kenoudy,” and she thinks
about going out on her shield but instead surrenders. The woman who calls herself “Rondinha” earns her first career
submission with this victory, and she lets loose a howl of
celebration and takes a bow to the camera.

The final women’s match of the evening plays out in the lightest
weight category in the promotion. Calling herself “Rondinha” or
“Little Ronda,” Brazil’s Luciano (6-1-1, 1-0 UFC) fights quite
differently than the woman she named herself after—namely, she has
never won a fight by submission. She takes on gritty Fortis MMA
product Hughes (9-6, 4-5 UFC), who has alternated wins and losses
in her last five outings. The two 115ers have respected referee
Mark Smith in the cage with them, and they touch gloves as he
watches over the proceedings. Hughes sprints forward, lobbing a leg
kick and a few punches after it. Luciano fires back, and Hughes
shakes her up with a one-two. As Luciano tries to dip away from
strikes, Hughes follows her with a clean right hand. Luciano stands
firm and dings Hughes with a pair of punches square on the nose,
but “Sampage” is a woman on a mission tonight. Hughes continues
plodding ever forward, throwing huge punches at her opponent.
Luciano tries to keep her honest with jabs and front kicks, and she
sneaks in a leg kick and her second effort is caught. Hughes lifts
the leg up and dumps “Rondinha” to the mat, finding herself in an
awkward position until the Brazilian explodes back to her feet.
Hughes tries to muscle Luciano around against the fence, and she
stifles a trip attempt and attacks with an elbow over the top.
Luciano escapes from the second elbow slashing at her, and Hughes
takes less than a second to reset before crashing the pocket again
with a big right hand. Luciano contains her with jabs and low
kicks, and when she tries a body kick again, Hughes catches it.
Hughes lets it go, and Luciano jumps at her with a kick. Hughes
grabs hold of a body lock and jams Luciano to the floor, and
Luciano powers her way back upright without being grounded for
long. Hughes goes to the body and head, and she allows Luciano to
jab her so she can loop right hands over the top. Luciano gets off
a one-two, and her leg kicks are starting to get Hughes’ attention.
The fists of Luciano are finding their target on the beak of her
adversary, marking Hughes up and making her face turn read. Luciano
shrugs off a takedown try and jumps at her foe with a flying knee
that does not connect. The horn sounds. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luciano

Like the previous frame, Hughes darts out of her corner ready to
engage. She leads off with straight punches that are quickly
followed by hooks, and she strikes with her own low kick. This
reminds Luciano of the particular strike, and she gives one back.
When Hughes throws a naked leg kick, Luciano times a pair of
punches over the top and steps in with a knee to the guts. Luciano
pins a one-two on the chin to break up Hughes coming at her, and
she pushes off the sternum with a front kick. Hughes ties her foe
up, and Luciano welcomes this with a knee, a few short punches and
an elbow to break. Hughes stutter-steps her way forward to catch
Luciano with a right hand, and she changes levels after it to hit a
clean double-leg takedown. Luciano hits her seat with her back
against the wire, and Hughes steps over to the side and into full
mount. “Sampage” rains down elbows until Luciano turns over, and
Hughes belts her with right hands until she finds a choke is open.
Hughes wraps up a brute force rear-naked choke and wrenches it with
all her might, and Luciano fights the hands to defend it. Luciano
pulls her toes off the fence to wall-walk and free herself from the
precarious position, but not before Smith has to slap her feet a
couple times—you cannot pull on the fence with any digit. Hughes
remains seated comfortably in full mount, hammering the Brazilian
with elbows and punches when she finds an opening. Luciano bucks
and turns, only to give her back up again as Hughes is completely
in control. Hughes sits up and starts pounding on “Rondinha” with
right hands, doing so until Luciano turns about to lay on her back
again. Hughes steps over to wrap up a partial crucifix position,
and she elbows Luciano again and again as Smith watches very
closely. The round ends before Hughes can get the finish she
seeks. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Hughes Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Hughes Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hughes

It takes Hughes no more than a couple seconds to shoot in for a
takedown. Luciano is able to defend it and get back up in the
clinch, and she turns Hughes around and tries to turn the tables on
her. Hughes pushes off, and Luciano starts throwing hands. When
Hughes trades back, Luciano initiates a clinch and pushes her
opponent to the wall. Hughes breaks out of it again, and she ducks
into a jab. Hughes performs a jumping switch kick that lands on the
solar plexus, and the two women are swinging. Luciano probes with
low kicks when trying to keep her distance, but Hughes continues to
walk her down and slug her in the chops. Hughes slips a pair of
punches, but she walks directly into a right hand. Luciano goes to
the body with her foot, and she stifles a takedown shot from the
Fortis MMA fighter. They tie up against the wall, and Hughes is the
aggressor while Luciano swings labored hooks. Hughes is tighter
with straight strikes, while Luciano is putting a lot behind her
efforts. Hughes tanks the ones that catch her on the face, and they
clash heads when leaning forward. Hughes scores, Luciano responds,
and Hughes kicks the lead leg and shoots in for a failed takedown.
Luciano looks for a right hand only to eat a body kick, and she
throws her leg back to intercept her advancing foe. Luciano steps
in with a knee that is just short of the mark, and Hughes kicks her
and scores a few punches. Luciano dings her with a spinning back
fist, and the two trade leather right to the bell. It’s going to be
a close one that could go either way, but we go the distance for
the first time today. Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Luciano (29-28 Luciano) Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Luciano (29-28
Luciano) Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luciano (29-28 Luciano)

A women’s strawweight rematch kicks off the streamlined undercard,
as Alencar (5-0-1, 1-0 UFC) takes on Luciano (5-1-1, 0-0 UFC) for
the second time in less than a year. The 115-pound hopefuls fought
to a draw on Dana White’s Contender Series in September. Luciano
was awarded a UFC contract for her efforts and Alencar received a
traditional call-up for her Octagon debut, as she eked out a split
decision over Rayanne dos Santos at UFC Fight Night 233 on Dec. 9.
Jerin Valel draws the assignment as the referee. A glove touch gets
us underway. Luciano takes the center and eats a head kick right
out of the gate. Fortunately for her, there was not much oomph
behind it. Alencar fires a leg kick, circles out into open space
and steers clear of her opponent’s punches. Luciano tries and fails
to corner Alencar, who continues to circle effectively. Luciano now
using her seven-inch reach advantage to get her jab and one-twos in
gear. She probes to the body, then misfires on an overhand right.
Luciano sneaks in a left hook, then gets back to the jab. Midway
through the first round, and neither woman has established too much
of an advantage. Alencar mixes in a body-head combination, then
fakes a takedown. Luciano jabs and manages to dodge the return
fire. Ninety seconds to go. Luciano jabs, feints a kick and scores
with a pawing right hook. Alencar swings wildly with both hands and
misses. They clinch, and Luciano shoots a few knees to the body,
then punches on the break. A flying knee from Luciano lands to the
body. Jumping switch kick from Luciano gets blocked, but a knee
that follows bloodies Alencar’s nose. Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luciano

Luciano immediately gets back to the jab. Alencar ducks in for a
takedown but fails to corral her counterpart, and Luciano escapes
to a standing position. Luciano separates and unleashes more jabs.
A spinning backfist from Alencar gets blocked. Both women tend to
telegraph their strikes. Luciano sprawls on attempted takedown,
takes top position briefly and disengages. More jabs score. Not
going well for Alencar thus far. Leg kick from Luciano, then a
chopping right hand followed by a left hook. Alencar eats a head
kick without issue. Luciano blocks one in return, then connects
again upstairs. Alencar now reaching on her punches, as she
continues to struggle to find the mark. A minute to go, and Luciano
is in charge. Side kick from Luciano grazes Alencar’s midsection.
She shoots in response, only to get shut down along the fence.
Luciano separates and hammers home a body kick. Alencar fires back
but generally with single shots. Luciano whiffs on a spinning
backfist and denies a takedown as the horn sounds. Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Luciano Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luciano

Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Luciano (30-27 Luciano) Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Luciano (30-27
Luciano) Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Luciano (30-27 Luciano)

Stephanie Luciano

Fight History

Fighter Skills Radar

Key Insights

Striking Profile

Key Insights

Grappling Profile

Key Insights

Conclusions Summary