The sixth edition of UFC BJJ featured two title fights at the top of the card last Thursday, March 12, at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Mason Fowler extended his reign as the organization’s medium-heavyweight champion by beating Brazilian Pedro Machado in the main event. The American secured the win over the challenger on the judges’ decision, creating more danger with a pressure strategy and giving his opponent no room to develop his game. Pedro tried to mount a comeback, but only a submission would have changed the result.
Cassia Moura earned her Jiu-Jitsu black belt in 2024, before turning 19. Her meteoric rise to the sport’s elite was backed by glory in the colored belts and a solid, confident entry into Jiu-Jitsu’s top tier. Cassia now holds two no-gi world titles and a UFC BJJ belt, one of the biggest grappling platforms in the world.
The Bruno Bastos student faced Ffion Davies in the night’s co-main event and showed the talent to stop the attacks of a far more experienced opponent. With a highly skilled standing game, Cassia Moura secured consecutive takedowns that frustrated the Welsh athlete. After three rounds, the judges declared Cassia the champion by split decision.
ONE TO WATCH: MEYRAM MAQUINÉ ONLY RECENTLY TURNED TO GRAPPLING, BUT HE ALREADY HAS DOMINANT PERFORMANCES
Meyram Maquiné hasn’t been dedicated full-time to grappling for long, but he is already performing like a seasoned veteran. In his UFC BJJ debut, at the event’s sixth edition, Meyram faced Marco Mendes, the reigning IBJJF No-Gi world champion. With a style built entirely on aggression, Meyram set the stage to dominate and finished with an armbar in the second round, the only submission win of the night. In his post-fight interview, the Manaus native said he wants to try dropping a weight class to face Mikey Musumeci, the current bantamweight champion.
Ana Rodrigues came out on top against Jasmine Rocha in one of the most anticipated matches on the UFC BJJ 6 card. Now training at Melqui Galvão’s school in São Paulo, Ana made her UFC debut with the mission of beating Jasmine once again. At an ADCC trial in Brazil, a clash between the two set the gym on fire and ended with Ana’s hand raised. Two years later, the Brazilian did it again with plenty of aggression. On two occasions she nearly finished with a kata gatame and a rear-naked choke. After three rounds, the Brazilian beat Rocha by split decision.
Devhonte Johnson gave Lucas Norat no openings in another match on the UFC BJJ 6 card. Devhonte started the match more determined to finish, and in the very first round he nearly won early with an arm triangle. With more offensive volume, the American won the decision.
JOÃO MIYAO DEBUTS ON THE PLATFORM AND CONSIDERS CHALLENGING MIKEY MUSUMECI FOR THE BANTAMWEIGHT BELT
João Miyao’s first appearance at UFC BJJ produced a win for the sport’s icon. In a bantamweight matchup, João Miyao was on a collision course with Jussier ‘Formiga’, a former UFC fighter who owns a win over Lucas Pinheiro in the UFC’s Jiu-Jitsu league. João Miyao relied on what he does best, a rubbery guard with varied attacks, to secure the win on the scorecards in the second match of UFC BJJ 6.
The opening match of the event’s sixth edition ended with a win for Manuel Ribamar. The Brazilian, an IBJJF No-Gi world champion, faced Caio Vinicius in a match that went all three rounds, marked by plenty of leg attacks from both athletes. On the decision, Ribamar’s game was judged more effective, and he took the win in his debut with the organization.
On a night dominated by decisions, with Meyram Maquiné’s armbar as the only exception, the most frustrating result was the majority draw announced at the end of the match between Nick Rodriguez and Elder Cruz. The bout, which delivered evenly matched action, preceded the title fights.
This article was originally published in Portuguese: read the original version.
