UFC signing Myllena Messias has become embroiled in a record integrity controversy after MMA database Tapology flagged a recent bout against someone announced as Taynara Almeida as a fake fight, noting that the woman in the cage was not the real Taynara Almeida and that neither competitor attempted to cause any damage. Tapology has removed the result from Messias's record, keeping her at 8-3 rather than 9-3. Her manager Alex Davis released a statement explaining that Messias's original opponent dropped out at the last moment and the bout was staged as an exhibition match without his knowledge, as it pre-dated his involvement with her.
A fake fight controversy has surfaced around UFC signee Myllena Messias, with MMA database Tapology removing a disputed bout from her record after determining it did not constitute a legitimate competitive contest.
The dispute centers on a recent bout listed against a fighter announced as Taynara Almeida. Tapology flagged the contest after determining that the woman who entered the cage was not the real Taynara Almeida and that neither fighter made any meaningful attempt to cause damage. On that basis, Tapology stripped the result from Messias's record, leaving her official mark at 8-3 rather than the 9-3 that had briefly appeared in databases.
Messias's manager, Alex Davis, moved quickly to address the situation publicly. In a statement, Davis explained that Messias's originally scheduled opponent withdrew at the last minute and the bout was subsequently staged as an exhibition without his knowledge. He noted that the incident pre-dated his involvement with Messias, distancing her current management team from any decision-making around the match.
Why it matters
- Messias is a newly signed UFC fighter, meaning record integrity is under closer scrutiny than it would be for an unsigned regional prospect.
- The removal of the result leaves her officially at 8-3, the number the UFC and future opponents will reference when evaluating her candidacy.
- The explanation from Davis places responsibility outside Messias's current camp, but the controversy still raises questions about the circumstances that allowed a staged bout to be submitted and recorded in the first place.
- Tapology's willingness to act sets a visible precedent for how databases may handle similar record integrity disputes going forward.
