LAS VEGAS – Ariane Lipski beat Melissa Gatto with a split decision Saturday on the main card at UFC on ESPN 47 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Lipski, who has back-to-back decision wins in 2023.
Melissa Gatto vs. Ariane Lipski
Result: Ariane Lipski def. Melissa Gatto via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
Updated records: Lipski (16-8 MMA, 5-5 UFC), Gatto (8-2-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC)
Key stats: “The Queen of Violence” still is chasing her first UFC knockout. Lipski hasn’t finished an opponent with her hands since October 2016.
Lipski on the fight's key moment
“I’m really happy with my performance for sure. I’m still looking for my first win by KO, but my focus now is to get a (winning streak). I want to get a lot of wins in a row and momentum, keep building on it, and go to the top of my division. I think that the finish is going to happen at the right moment. I think my biggest improvement for now is to show I can grapple and I can defend the takedowns. But I’ll be back to the gym to work to get my finish.”
Lipski on the split decision
“(I was thinking), ‘Am I going to get my hand raised or is there something about to happen that I’m not going to like?’ Before they announced, I was really confident that I won the second and third round. But when they announced that the first judge gave (the fight) to her, like really? And then the second judge gave three rounds for me, I was like, ‘Oh, everyone saw a different fight.’ I know I hurt her. She touched me, but I hurt her.”
Lipski on what she wants next
“We started this year with the goal to make three fights this year, three wins. We’ve got two already, So hopefully we can fight in December. I’m going to rest a little bit and then we’ll be back to Florida (to) keep training, improving. But December, it’s a good time. I don’t have a name, but for sure I want someone from the top 15. Let’s see who the UFC is going to give me and I’ll be ready for a new challenge.”
To hear more from Lipski, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 47.
