Loopy Godinez had all the momentum coming into UFC on ESPN 54, but Virna Jandiroba once again played spoiler.
Former Invicta FC champ Jandiroba (20-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) did what she does best, bringing a 15-minute fight into her style and pace against Godinez (12-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC). As a result, she was awarded the unanimous decision by scores of 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27 in the strawweight bout at Boardwalk Hall.
The fight was heavy on grappling. In the first round, Godinez landed a few solid strikes but spent most of the frame fending off the grappling advances of her opponent. Then, in the second, Godinez spent the majority of the stanza attacked for a leg lock, but Jandiroba patiently defended to escape a tricky round to score.
With either fighter having the chance to make a big impression in the third and final round, it remained competitive. Both women landed some strikes that lacked significant power, but then tied up in a late-round grappling exchange that saw Jandiroba take the back and attack with a rear-naked choke. She couldn’t finish it, but it was the positional statement that she needed for the win.
Jandiroba’s winning streak now hits three fights and includes Godinez, Marina Rodriguez and Angela Hill. Godinez, meanwhile, suffers her first defeat at 115 pounds since April 2021 after winning her past six.
Vitória do Brasil! Vitória de @VirnaJandiroba por decisão unânime no #UFCAtlanticCity! 👏🇧🇷
[ Ao vivo no @UFCFightPassBR ➡️ https://t.co/OD62F561g5 ] pic.twitter.com/2BKiq5gdCn
— UFC Brasil (@UFCBrasil) March 31, 2024
Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 54 results include:
- Virna Jandiroba def. Loopy Godinez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Julio Arce def. Herbert Burns via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:00
- Dennis Buzukja def. Connor Matthews via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 0:22
- Ibo Aslan def. Anton Turkalj via TKO (punch) Round 3, 1:32
- Jacob Malkoun def. Andre Petroski via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 0:39
- Caolan Loughran def. Angel Pacheco via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.
