5 reasons to watch UFC Fight Night 143: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw

#5 The debut of the Violence Queen

The debuting Ariane Lipski could become an instant Flyweight title contender

The Women’s Flyweight division is the UFC’s newest, but it’s also growing pretty quickly now. The division finally has a proper champion in the form of Valentina Shevchenko, and contenders are springing up left right and centre, with names like Jessica Eye, Ashlee Evans-Smith, Sijara Eubanks and Liz Carmouche all in the title hunt. On Saturday, another contender could well emerge from the prelim fight between Joanne Calderwood and Ariane Lipski.

If Calderwood wins, nobody will complain – ‘JoJo’ is a hugely popular fighter with a fun-to-watch Muay Thai style – but it’s Lipski who is perhaps the more intriguing prospect here. ‘The Violence Queen’ is a Brazilian fighter who’s been plying her trade in Poland, and she’s earned her nickname through a nasty brand of pressure striking that few fighters can stand up to.

Calderwood – a renowned slow starter – will need to come out of the blocks fast to match Lipski’s pace, and if she can’t do that then this one could be over quickly. If she can fight fire with fire, however – Lipski does take damage to give more back – then we could be in for a fantastic fight with the winner automatically leaping into title contention. On the ESPN prelim card, this is a fight not to be looked over.