Eduarda Moura Snaps Veronica Hardy’s Four-Fight Win Streak, Earns Unanimous Decision Victory – UFC 309 Highlights

Eduarda Moura Snaps Veronica Hardy's Four-Fight Win Streak, Earns Unanimous Decision Victory - UFC 309 HighlightsEduarda Moura snapped Veronica Hardy’s four-fight win streak and moved herself to 11-1 with an impressive three-round showing to…

Eduarda Moura Snaps Veronica Hardy's Four-Fight Win Streak, Earns Unanimous Decision Victory - UFC 309 Highlights

Eduarda Moura snapped Veronica Hardy’s four-fight win streak and moved herself to 11-1 with an impressive three-round showing to kick off UFC 309 in NYC.

Moura stuck Hardy with a big right hand early on, that immediately put the Venezuelan on her backfoot. Hardy struggled to close the distance but managed to land a nice body kick at the end of a combination. However, Moura quickly made her pay for it with another booming right hand that popped Hardy’s back.

In the final seconds of the first, Hardy attempted to close the distance and connect with another body kick, but Moura quickly responded with a takedown that put a pretty big stamp on the first five minutes.

Eduarda Moura

In the opening seconds of the second stanza, Hardy landed a nice left hand — her best of the fight up to that point — but Moura quickly shut things down with another successful takedown attempt.

Hardy attempted to fight her way back up for a majority of the round but ultimately acquiesced to the position and rode out the clock.

Eduarda Moura

Likely down 2-0 going into the third, Hardy came out aggressive, but Moura once again caught her with a right-hand coming in. That prompted Hardy to start throwing kicks from the outside — including a punishing lead leg attack with a minute to go.

Hardy wasn’t able to muster much offense beyond that, bringing an end to their three-round affair with little fanfare.

Eduarda Moura

Official Result: Eduarda Moura def. Veronica Hardy via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Eduarda Moura

Check out highlights from Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura at UFC 309:

UFC 309 Fighter Recalls ‘Traumatizing’ Weight Cut In Her Last Fight That Won’t Prevent Her From Trying Again

Brazil’s Eduarda Moura returns for her third outing inside the Octagon this weekend at UFC 309 where unlike in her previous UFC bouts, she isn’t expecting to battle with the scales before fight night comes around. Having signed to the promotion last year via the Contender Series, the 30-year old failed to hit the strawweight […]

Brazil’s Eduarda Moura returns for her third outing inside the Octagon this weekend at UFC 309 where unlike in her previous UFC bouts, she isn’t expecting to battle with the scales before fight night comes around. Having signed to the promotion last year via the Contender Series, the 30-year old failed to hit the strawweight limit in both of her previous fights.

Her return at Madison Square Garden on November 16 sees her move up a weight class to flyweight where she will open the card in a bout with Veronica Hardy. Though she has gone 1-1 thus far in the UFC, her attempt to make strawweight last June was a clear indicaton that something needed to change.

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, she spoke in detail about the brutal 17-pound weight cut that she went through in order to face Denise Gomes in Louisville, Kentucky. Despite everything that she went through only to lose a split decision, Moura says competing at 115-pounds isn’t out of the question if she can do it right but for the time being, her focus is on staying active and that makes flyweight a better fit.

“My body rejected it and I felt so many cramps I basically didn’t sleep during fight week. I’m traumatized, but I’ll go back to 115—but not right now [laughs]. I think we can change a few things and study more. Truth is, I just want to fight. I think I’ll have more fights at 125 and I need to work.”

Moura believes that along with it negatively impacting her performance against Gomes physically, she thinks her struggles gave her opponent a mental advantage after she handed Moura a bucket to throw up in before they stood face-to-face after the weigh-ins.

“I kept remembering that scene, her getting me a bucket. That was the first time I felt like crying before a fight. I was so frustrated I couldn’t make weight. I was so nervous, and I kept trying to disguise. I was singing as I walked out to play cool, and I never do that. I was completely lost. I felt in my heart something was wrong.”

Like many fighters, Moura believes that she has more advantages at strawweight because of the size difference between her and her opponents. She’s not ready to fully commit to flyweight but that could all change with a big win on Saturday.

“I want to be champion and I believe I have great advantage at strawweight. I’m tall and have good reach, and the power, too, but I’m still traumatized [laughs]. We will think about it. It depends on the opportunity.”