Ernesta Kareckaite and Melissa Gatto Fight to a Majority Draw
Ernesta Kareckaite and Melissa Gatto fought to a majority draw in the women’s flyweight opener of UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Duncan. The official cards read 29-27, 28-28, and 28-28 after three rounds at Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Neither fighter landed a knockdown. Kareckaite was the busier striker, landing 104 of 180 total strikes at 57.8 percent and 48 of 121 significant strikes at 39.7 percent. Gatto connected on 74 of 115 total strikes at 64.3 percent and 41 of 79 significant strikes at 51.9 percent.
Gatto was the only fighter who secured a takedown, finishing 1 of 11 attempts at 9.1 percent. She also recorded both of the fight’s submission attempts. Kareckaite went 0 for 1 on takedowns and did not attempt a submission.
The first round produced the only point deduction of the night. Kareckaite grabbed the fence during a clinch exchange, and referee Chris Tognoni docked her a point. Sherdog’s scorers all gave the round to Gatto as a 10-8 because of that deduction.
Gatto spent stretches of the third round on top after a trip takedown. She moved to the back with both hooks, landed short punches, dropped elbows from side control, and tried an armbar in the final seconds. Kareckaite answered with volume on the feet and spent the second round landing the cleaner combinations, including a head kick.
Kareckaite entered the fight at 6-2-1 and leaves it at 6-2-2. Gatto entered at 9-3-2 and leaves it at 9-3-3. Both women had lost their previous bouts, Kareckaite by unanimous decision to Regina Tarin in February and Gatto by majority decision to Dione Barbosa earlier in the year.
The Lithuanian has never been finished in her professional career. The Brazilian is a former finisher who has stopped opponents with kicks and volume but could not close the armbar attempts or turn the top control into a stoppage. The 29-27 card reflected the fence deduction. The two 28-28 cards reflected a fight that stayed competitive enough for the remaining judges to call it even.
No winner was announced in the cage. Kareckaite and Gatto both move on with a draw on their UFC records and no change in the women’s flyweight picture. The next booking for either fighter has not been announced.
