Yuneisy Duben books UFC debut vs. Carli Judice after stunning Dana White's Contender Series knockout
After a knockout upset stunner on Dana White’s Contender Series this past summer, Yuneisy Duben has her first UFC fight set.
At UFC Fight Night 254 on March 15 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Duben (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will battle Carli Judice (3-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a flyweight bout.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Venezuela’s Duben, 28, was a hefty underdog in her DWCS appearance vs. LFA titleholder Shannon Clark in September. However, she brutally knocked Clark out with a massive overhand right 73 seconds into the bout. The knockout sent the UFC brass into pandemonium and kept her 100 percent finishing rate alive.
Judice, 25, earned her UFC contract in a loss on DWCS. Despite losing a split decision to Ernesta Kareckaite, White decided to sign Judice. She made her promotional debut in June when she lost a split decision to Gabriella Fernandes. Judice was initially expected to return Feb. 15, but opponent Juliana Miller withdrew due to injury.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night 254 lineup includes:
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Ryan Spann
- Daniel Barez vs. Andre Lima
- Yuneisy Duben vs. Carli Judice
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 254.