Karine Silva faced Dione Barbosa in a women’s flyweight bout on the preliminary card of <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/mma/ufc/”>UFC 319 on Saturday, marking a highly anticipated rematch between the two Brazilian fighters. Silva sought to avenge a 2019 regional defeat to Barbosa, delivering a performance that earned her a unanimous decision victory.
Intense Exchanges Define the Back-and-Forth Fight
The fight began with Barbosa controlling the center of the octagon while Silva stayed on the outside early in the first round. Silva’s move to the Fighting Nerds camp in Sao Paulo appeared to sharpen her strategy, as she gradually pressured Barbosa by walking her down. Barbosa responded with targeted kicks and body attacks, appearing confident after her recent win over Diana Belbita.
Near the end of the first round, the action went to the ground where Barbosa quickly took Silva’s back and locked in both hooks, attempting a rear-naked choke. Silva managed to defend this submission and avoided an arm-bar attempt from Barbosa as the round ended.
Shifts in Control and Grappling Battles in Rounds Two and Three
The second round featured early ground fighting, with Silva initially gaining control on the mat. Barbosa scrabbled towards the fence and powered up to reverse the position, delivering a knee in the clinch. Barbosa later took Silva down again and landed effective ground and pound as she closed out the round strongly.
The wrestling exchanges in the third round intensified as Silva attempted a guillotine choke near the halfway mark. A frantic scramble followed, during which Barbosa seemed to lose some stamina. Silva then managed better control, but Barbosa reversed again with about a minute and a half left, delivering ground strikes while Silva countered from her back until the final horn.
Judges Award Silva the Victory Despite Crowd Discontent
After three tightly contested rounds, all three judges scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Karine Silva, granting her the unanimous decision win and redemption for her previous loss. The crowd at the United Center, however, appeared displeased with the decision, emphasizing the closeness and intensity of the battle.
Official Result: Karine Silva def. Dione Barbosa by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)