Iasmin Lucindo Outworks Nicolle Caliari Over Three Rounds at UFC 333
Iasmin Lucindo defeated Nicolle Caliari by unanimous decision on the early prelims of UFC 333 on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The official cards read 30-27 across all three judges after the full 15 minutes.
Lucindo improved to 19-6 overall and 6-2 in the UFC. Caliari fell to 9-5 with a 1-3 mark inside the Octagon. The bout was contested at a catchweight after Caliari weighed in at 120.5 pounds, 4.5 pounds over the 116-pound strawweight limit, and forfeited 30 percent of her purse. Lucindo made weight cleanly at 115 pounds.
Control time decided the fight. Lucindo landed 3 of 4 takedown attempts and held 9:11 of control against Caliari’s 2:31. She connected on 20 of 34 significant strikes while Caliari went 17 of 29.
Neither fighter scored a knockdown or attempted a submission. Total strikes favored Lucindo 54 of 74 to 48 of 66.
The pattern started early. Lucindo switched stances and mixed low kicks before clinching along the fence and dragging Caliari down. Once on top she worked elbows and pressure from half guard and side control.
Caliari threatened leglocks and swept at times but spent most of the first two rounds defending from her back. A spinning backfist from Lucindo near the end of round one opened a cut near Caliari’s right eye that required a check before the second round.
Round two followed the same script. Lucindo returned to the clinch, secured another takedown, and stayed active with hammerfists and elbows while Caliari looked for armbars and escapes.
The third round produced the same volume edge without either woman changing the fight enough to swing a scorecard. Official totals confirmed the grappling differential that carried Lucindo through the 15 minutes.
Lucindo, 24, returned after more than a year away following a nine-month suspension for mesterolone. UFC anti-doping officials determined the positive test was consistent with contaminated supplements. She last competed in August 2025, winning a unanimous decision over Angela Hill.
Before the suspension she had climbed as high as the top 10 in the strawweight rankings with decision wins over Marina Rodriguez and Karolina Kowalkiewicz plus a submission of Polyana Viana.
Caliari, 29, entered on the back of her first UFC win, an arm-triangle choke of Shauna Bannon in May. Prior losses to Carli Judice and Ernesta Kareckaite had left her outside the rankings. The size advantage from the missed weight did not translate into sustained top control or enough striking volume to offset Lucindo’s wrestling.
The result puts Lucindo back in the win column and on the path toward re-entering the rankings conversation at 115 pounds. She has now won four of her last five UFC fights, all by decision except the submission of Viana. Caliari’s path is narrower after the second consecutive loss by decision.
The strawweight division remains crowded behind the top contenders, and Lucindo’s next booking will show whether the UFC views this as a step back toward ranked opposition or another opportunity to rebuild momentum.
