UFC Fight Night: Melissa Croden vs Luana Santos Preview & Prediction
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Bantamweight prospects collide as Canada’s Melissa Croden meets Brazil’s Luana Santos in an intriguing women’s matchup.
Melissa Croden vs Luana Santos facts
What time are Melissa Croden and Luana Santos expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape? UFC Apex, Enterprise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape main card
Brandon Royval vs Manel Kape (Flyweight)
Giga Chikadze vs Kevin Vallejos (Featherweight)
Cesar Almeida vs Cezary Oleksiejczuk (Middleweight)
Melquizael Costa vs Morgan Charriere (Featherweight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Marcus Buchecha (Heavyweight)
King Green vs Lance Gibson Jr. (Catchweight - 160 lb)
UFC Fight Night: Royval vs Kape prelims
Amanda Lemos vs Gillian Robertson (Women’s Strawweight)
Joanderson Brito vs Isaac Thomson (Featherweight)
Neil Magny vs Yaroslav Amosov (Welterweight)
Sean Sharaf vs Steven Asplund (Heavyweight)
Melissa Croden vs Luana Santos (Women’s Bantamweight)
Allen Frye vs Guilherme Pat (Heavyweight)
Jamey-Lyn Horth vs Tereza Bleda (Women’s Flyweight)
Melissa Croden: Canadian finisher aiming to build momentum after a statement-making UFC debut
Melissa “Scare” Croden (7-2-0) enters this bout riding the confidence of a strong promotional debut, where she secured a late stoppage victory over Tainara Lisboa. Standing 5 feet 9 inches tall with a long frame for the division, Croden brings a varied striking style and forward-pressure approach that forces opponents into uncomfortable exchanges. She has never won by decision in her professional career, with all 7 of her victories coming via knockout or submission, reflecting a consistently aggressive mentality and a commitment to pushing for finishes rather than managing rounds.
Although Croden carries clear offensive potential, her lack of experience in lengthy fights remains a notable question mark. Coming from a mixed background of regional competition, she has yet to prove her ability to win through sustained strategy over three rounds. At 34 old, she appears to be entering her physical prime, but this matchup represents a major step up as she faces an opponent with proven grappling quality and established UFC experience. Croden’s success may depend on whether she can maintain pressure while staying composed in scrambles and avoiding prolonged exchanges on the mat.
Luana Santos: Brazilian submission threat looking to climb the bantamweight ladder
Luana Santos (9-2-0) returns to action with her sights set firmly on breaking into the division’s top tier. Known for her grappling strength and sharp submission instincts, Santos has finished two of her last three opponents on the ground, showcasing control, patience and technical awareness in tight spaces. Her UFC résumé includes wins over Mariya Agapova and Stephanie Egger, both of which demonstrated her ability to secure takedowns, maintain top control and progress methodically toward dominant positions.
Santos combines athleticism with positional discipline, traits that make her particularly effective against aggressive strikers who overextend. Her recent career defeat came by decision against Casey O'Neill, a fight that highlighted how competitive she remains even in stylistically difficult matchups. At 25 years old, she is one of the youngest and most promising athletes in the division, and her blend of physical strength, improving striking and strong grappling foundation make her a well-rounded threat capable of shutting down opponents who rely too heavily on forward pressure.
Melissa Croden vs Luana Santos prediction
This matchup offers a compelling contrast between Croden’s finishing intensity and Santos’ composure and technical grappling. Croden will likely press forward early, looking to force exchanges and test Santos’ reactions on the feet. Her power and physical presence make her dangerous in open space. However, her tendency to chase finishes and her lack of decision victories raise concerns, particularly against a measured opponent who excels at slowing fights down and imposing structure.
Santos holds the clear advantage in controlled grappling, transitional awareness and round management. If she can weather Croden’s early surge, she should be able to draw the fight into her strengths, using takedowns and positional control to accumulate time on top and drain the Canadian’s explosiveness. Croden has yet to prove she can win a slow-paced, methodical contest, while Santos has repeatedly shown she can maintain discipline across three rounds.
Prediction: Luana Santos to win by decision
