Tale of the Tape
Result Summary
Dione Barbosa submitted Anna Melisano via rear-naked choke at 4:04 of round one in a women's flyweight bout on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night: du Plessis vs. Usman in Oklahoma City. Barbosa worked to Melisano's back and cinched the choke before the midway point of the opening round. Melisano, stepping in on short notice as a replacement for injured Veronica Hardy, was making her promotional debut after a six-fight winning streak on the regional circuit and could not survive Barbosa's grappling pressure. The submission gave Barbosa back-to-back wins in the UFC, moving her record to 10-4.
Fight Overview
Brazilian flyweight Dione Barbosa, 9-4 and armed with four submission wins, takes on Birmingham-based Muay Thai striker Anna Melisano, who steps up from strawweight as a late replacement for Veronica Hardy. Melisano brings a 6-1 record and sharp striking, but the jump to flyweight against a grappler of Barbosa's submission depth makes this a steep task for the Alabama fighter.
Keys to Victory
Dione Barbosa
- Close distance quickly and get inside Melisano's Muay Thai range before she can establish her striking rhythm.
- Use judo throws and takedowns to bring the fight to the mat where her submission game is the primary weapon.
- Stay active in the clinch and deny Melisano the space to land the kicks and knees she favors.
Anna Melisano
- Keep the fight at range using Muay Thai technique and deny Barbosa the clinch entries she relies on.
- Use her physicality at the heavier weight class to create separation whenever Barbosa attempts takedowns.
- Target Barbosa's forward pressure with sharp counter strikes that punish her aggression from the outside.
Last 5 fights
Dione Barbosa
Anna Melisano
- W Andrea Amaro
- W Lydia Warren
- W Blanca Medina
- W Ana Martinez
- W Kendal Holowell
Related articles
AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.