“The Witch” isn’t a dirty fighter.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight fighter Dione Barbosa scored a majority decision win over fellow Brazilian Melissa Gatto at UFC Vegas 115 this past weekend (Sat., April 4, 2026) inside the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada — but the result didn’t come without controversy.
That is because midway through the second round, Barbosa landed an illegal soccer kick while Gatto was grounded, sending her down in a sequence that briefly looked like a knockout.
Whether
it actually landed clean — or how much damage it did — quickly became a point of debate as it looked like Gatto was milking it.
Nevertheless, Gatto was given the full five minutes to recover, Barbosa was docked a point, and the fight ultimately continued to the scorecards, where Barbosa secured the win.
Afterward, Barbosa addressed the moment — and pushed back on any notion that the strike was intentional.
“I didn’t feel contact with her face at all,” Barbosa said. “I feel when I’m in there. I tried to hold her head so I don’t kick her head. It was no intention at all. In the moment, the referee stopped, and I just needed to wait. I’m just there to do my job. I don’t try to be unfair, dirty. I’m a martial artist. I don’t think about doing dirty things to win the fight.”
Still, the moment could have completely changed the outcome of the fight — or even resulted in a disqualification.
Barbosa understands that.
But it won’t change how she fights.
“Well, it is a risk, but every single time I step into the octagon is a risk,” Barbosa said. “Three seconds, something can change, one punch can land, and completely change the fight. So, my life, my style is a risk. I’m a grappler, and today I’m like, I will throw punches here. I want to finish this fight. I want $100,000. I take risks all the time. It’s part of my life. This is what I love to do. So, I will take a risk again. For sure, I will recalculate and try to do better.”
With the win, Barbosa improves to 3-2 inside the Octagon — though the debate around that second-round sequence likely isn’t going away anytime soon.
For complete UFC Vegas 115 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.
