Veronica Hardy has been forced out of her flyweight matchup at UFC Oklahoma City. Promotional newcomer Anna Melisano will step in to face Dione Barbosa at 125 pounds on July 18th.
A late replacement has shaken up the flyweight card at UFC Oklahoma City. Veronica Hardy has been forced off the July 18th event due to injury, with promotional newcomer Anna Melisano stepping in on short notice to face Dione Barbosa at 125 pounds.
Hardy, a 30-year-old southpaw from Venezuela training out of Renzo Gracie Academy, carried a record of 10-5-1 into the originally scheduled bout. She is an active striker who lands 3.06 significant strikes per minute at 45 percent accuracy, though her grappling output is relatively modest, averaging 0.82 takedowns per 15 minutes. Standing five-foot-four with a 64-inch reach, she now faces an uncertain timeline following her withdrawal.
Barbosa, nicknamed The Witch, is a 34-year-old Brazilian veteran fighting out of Kings MMA. She holds a 9-4 record and brings a well-rounded skill set to the octagon, combining a takedown rate of 2.4 per 15 minutes with 1.7 submission attempts in the same window. She lands 2.21 significant strikes per minute and operates with 45 percent striking accuracy, standing five-foot-six with a 66-inch reach.
Melisano enters the UFC for the first time with this bout, meaning no verified data is currently available to contextualize her standing ahead of the fight.
Why it matters
- Hardy's withdrawal removes an experienced, high-volume striker from Barbosa's path, potentially altering the stylistic challenge Barbosa had been preparing for
- Melisano makes her promotional debut on short notice, a significant test for any newcomer
- A win for Barbosa would strengthen her position in the UFC flyweight division and build momentum at 34 years old
