Preview: UFC Fight Night 241 Prelims

Women’s Bantamweights

Melissa Gatto (8-2-2, 2-2 UFC) vs. Tamires Vidal (7-2, 1-1 UFC)

ODDS: Gatto (-340), Vidal (+270)

If nothing else, Gatto has already overachieved in her UFC career. A 2019 signing, Gatto showed little on the Brazilian regional scene that figured to translate up a level. She showed some skill as a submission hunter but looked lucky to keep her undefeated record intact. Her UFC debut wound up getting delayed by about two years, so Gatto was an afterthought once she finally made her first trip to the Octagon. However, she looked surprisingly solid, cutting down to flyweight and showing off a sharp striking game to go along with her grappling skills. A come-from-behind win over Sijara Eubanks kept her momentum going after a successful UFC debut, but things have stalled out for Gatto in the last few years. There have been some long stretches between fights, and Gatto got outwrestled by Tracy Cortez and lured into a slow-paced striking match by Ariane da Silva. Given how much Gatto’s cut down to flyweight seemed to unlock some athleticism, it’s a surprise to see her up at bantamweight for this fight against Vidal, even though it’s unclear if this is a permanent change or a one-off as she steps in as a late replacement. As for Vidal, she’s a raw prospect who’s still mostly potential at this point. She has some horsepower and enough confidence to keep trying things, but her fights tend to turn into low-output grinds, even though she did manage to land a flying knee to knock out Ramona Pascual in her 2022 UFC debut. Gatto’s approach makes a lot more sense, but with the move up in weight class, Vidal might just be able to play bully and grind out a win, particularly if her counterpart is content to hunt for submissions from her back. The pick is Vidal via decision.

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