Unranked Ketlen Souza Made Loopy Godinez Fight For Every Inch, And Why That Decision Is Everything

Loopy Godinez got back in the win column at UFC Vegas 122 Saturday night, but man, did she have to earn it against an unranked Ketlen Souza who came out firing. The No. 8 ranked Godinez ultimately took home a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring it 29-28, but if you only looked at the scorecards, you’d miss the absolute battle these two put on inside the Meta Apex.

Seriously, you gotta talk about Ketlen Souza. This fighter came into the bout riding a two-fight winning streak, and even though she weighed in one pound heavy, which meant no performance bonus for her, she clearly left it all in the octagon. Godinez, who was looking to rebound from a loss to Tatiana Suarez, landed the first shot with a leg kick, pressing the action with her jab. Souza, moving on the outside with her hands low, took some big right hands and a knee that backed her up. But Souza found her range in the second half of the first round, picking up the pace. Even with that surge, MMAWeekly scored the opening frame 10-9 for Godinez. The crowd was already buzzing, I tell ya.

Round two? Souza came out like a bat out of hell, super aggressive. Godinez tried for a clinch but they broke apart fast. Souza connected with a combination, then Godinez fired back with a leg kick and a left hook that found its home. Souza, though, fended off a takedown attempt and kept the pressure on, forcing Godinez to react with a flurry. The pace was just absurd through the first two rounds. Godinez just could not get Souza down to the mat, and Souza went on the offense, connecting with a left hand and landing some nasty uppercuts late in the round. That shift was enough for MMAWeekly to score the second round 10-9 for Souza, tying things up going into the final five minutes. You could feel the tension, knowing it was all coming down to this last round.

Heading into the third, both fighters picked up right where they left off. Souza was pawing with her jab, clearly still feeling dangerous. But with three minutes left on the clock, Godinez finally secured the takedown we’d been waiting for. She worked in Souza’s closed guard, delivering punches to the body and head. Souza, tough as nails, just hung on from the bottom, not really trying to get back to her feet. Godinez stayed in top position, peppering Souza with punches and elbows. Just when you thought it was all over, Souza managed to kick Godinez off and got back to her feet in the closing seconds! What a warrior! But it wasn’t enough to sway the judges on that round, with MMAWeekly scoring it 10-9 for Godinez, cementing her unanimous decision victory.

So, Godinez gets the crucial win to put her back on track. But man, you have to wonder what’s next for Ketlen Souza. She came in unranked, missed weight, but showed the kind of grit and skill that makes you think she’s gonna be a problem in the division real soon. That’s a performance that tells you she’s got serious potential, even in a loss.

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From the source Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.