Women’s Strawweights
Emily Ducote (11-6, 0-0 UFC) vs. #14 WSW | Jessica Penne (14-5, 3-3 UFC)Strange as it is to say about a former title challenger, Penne is riding the most momentum of her UFC career. A former Invicta Fighting Championships titleholder at atomweight, Penne was well-regarded enough as the UFC launched the strawweight division that it only took her a split decision win over Randa Markos to become a contender. However, things went completely south from there. Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Jessica Andrade each gave her what felt like career-altering beatings, particularly after a third straight loss in a flat performance against Danielle Taylor. Penne then had her career railroaded by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, keeping her out of action for four years, so expectations were not exactly high when she made her return to the Octagon in April 2021. Yet, Penne has done surprisingly well. Formerly a reedy fighter, Penne is not a powerhouse but still looks to be in the best physical form of her career, which has helped her survive and eke out a win over Lupita Godinez before she tapped out Karolina Kowalkiewicz in August. That marks Penne’s first winning streak in nearly a decade, and she looks to keep it going against Ducote. Oklahoma’s Ducote has only been a pro since 2015, but “Gordinha” has traveled a long path to her UFC debut, spending a few years as a flyweight in Bellator MMA before finding much more success as Invicta’s strawweight champion. Initially a submission threat, Ducote has turned into an unspectacularly well-rounded fighter who should hit the ground running in the UFC, as she has shown some impressive power during her current three-fight winning streak. This is basically a toss-up—there is the chance for some fun grappling exchanges that could go either way—but Ducote looks like the safer bet as the harder hitter and more potent offensive force, even with Penne being in a stronger form since her comeback. The pick is Ducote via decision.
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Ducote vs. Penne