Iasmin Lucindo got UFC 333 started with a shutout. The Brazilian strawweight beat Nicolle Caliari by unanimous decision Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, and all three judges turned in identical 30-27 cards.
MMA Mania posted the result on X and noted it scored the fight the same way. UFC Canada called it the first hand raise of the night. UFC Brasil had the win up within minutes, then later grouped Lucindo with Daniel Santos as the Brazilian winners on the card.
The scale got there first
This one was lopsided before anybody touched gloves. Caliari stepped on the scale Friday at 120.5 pounds, according to MMA Fighting. That’s 4.5 pounds over the strawweight limit even after the one-pound allowance for non-title fights, which is a big miss in a 115-pound division. Lucindo weighed in at exactly 115.
View post on X
The bout went ahead at a catchweight, and Caliari forfeited 30 percent of her purse. She was the only one of the 28 fighters on Friday’s scale who failed to make weight. On a card with two title fights at the top, the lone miss came from the first fight of the night.
So Lucindo spent 15 minutes across from an opponent who had weighed in almost five pounds heavier, and she still didn’t drop a round on any card. That’s about as clean as a fighter can answer a weight miss.
View post on X
Where she stood going in
MMA Fighting’s Global Rankings had Lucindo at No. 11 heading into fight week. Caliari didn’t have a number next to her name. MMA Fighting’s staff predictions also had Lucindo winning, so the result held to form.
The fight opened a five-bout early prelim block that started at 10 a.m. ET on Paramount+. Kody Steele vs. Noah Gugnon, Bolaji Oki vs. Daniel Santos, Abubakar Vagaev vs. Jacob Malkoun, and Colby Thicknesse vs. Asaf Chopurov rounded out that portion of the night. The headliners came later. Alexander Volkanovski defended his featherweight title against the undefeated Movsar Evloev, and Petr Yan put his bantamweight belt up against Merab Dvalishvili in their trilogy fight.
Nobody has reported anything yet on what Lucindo does next. There was no callout in the sources and no booking.
View post on X
Quick take
I’ll give Lucindo full credit here. She made 115 on the nose, gave up the size to a fighter who couldn’t, and won every round on every card. A lot of fighters let a weight miss get in their heads and spend the week stewing about it. She went out and won 30-27 three times at 10 a.m. Eastern. Caliari leaves Abu Dhabi with a loss, a catchweight asterisk and 30 percent less money. Lucindo leaves with a clean sweep and a No. 11 ranking that should get her a ranked opponent with a number next to her name the next time out.
