On Saturday’s UFC 305 card, the only women’s fight of the night featured a flyweight bout between Casey O’Neill and Luana Santos. O’Neill, who was once seen as a rising star with a perfect 9-0 record, had stumbled in her recent outings, dropping back-to-back fights to Jennifer Maia and Ariane Lipski. Many were curious to see if she could get back on track against Santos, who came into the fight riding a five-fight win streak.
From the start, it was clear that this fight was going to be a test for both athletes. Just over a minute into the first round, Santos caught a kick from O’Neill, seizing the opportunity to press her opponent against the fence. While she couldn’t secure the takedown immediately, she kept the pressure on, with the fighters exchanging knees in the clinch. The two eventually broke apart, moving back to the center of the octagon. O’Neill started finding her rhythm, landing some solid right hands, while Santos responded with kicks.
O’Neill’s lateral movement was on point, as she cut off the cage whenever Santos tried to create space. This allowed her to land her right hand consistently, setting it up with a crisp left jab. Despite Santos’ efforts to counter with her own strikes, she struggled to take the fight to the ground, where she might have had an advantage. The first round ended with O’Neill having established control, keeping the fight where she wanted it—on the feet.
Casey O’Neill Bounces Back with Unanimous Decision Victory Over Luana Santos at UFC 305
As the second round began, Santos attempted another takedown, coming close with a throw. However, O’Neill managed to break free and continued to dictate the pace. At range, she targeted Santos’ lead leg with low kicks, mixing up her strikes effectively. Santos fired back with a kick to the body, but she was clearly being outworked. O’Neill’s volume and precision were proving too much for Santos to handle, and when the Brazilian tried to engage in the clinch again, O’Neill easily shrugged her off.
By the end of the second round, it seemed likely that O’Neill was ahead on the scorecards. For Santos, the third round was crucial—she needed to find a way to turn the tide. Yet, it was O’Neill who continued to control the fight, adding more power to her strikes as the round progressed. Santos switched stances, perhaps looking to throw O’Neill off, but it didn’t have the desired effect. The left jab and right hand combo from O’Neill kept landing, with “King” Casey finding success repeatedly.
With about two minutes left in the fight, Santos managed to secure a headlock takedown, but O’Neill quickly reversed the position, taking Santos’ back and locking in a body triangle. This move effectively sealed the deal, as Santos appeared to run out of steam. Despite some warnings for grabbing the gloves, O’Neill maintained control, throwing in some heel kicks and applying a face crank as the final seconds ticked away.
The judges’ scorecards reflected what had been a dominant performance by O’Neill, with all three scoring the fight in her favor. The official result was a unanimous decision for Casey O’Neill, with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 30-26.
This victory is a significant one for O’Neill, who will now look to build on this momentum as she continues her journey in the UFC’s flyweight division. For Santos, it’s back to the drawing board, but she showed plenty of heart and determination in a tough fight. Both fighters can take lessons from this bout as they move forward in their careers.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
