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Casey O'Neill made history on Saturday night by landing the third-most significant shots out of anyone in the history of a three-round UFC fight.
Heading into UFC 271, the expectation from many was that Casey O'Neill would be able to get the job done and defeat Roxanne Modafferi in the latter's retirement bout. In the end, that's exactly what she did with a split decision win.
The 24-year-old had a breakout year in 2021 by going 3-0 in the promotion. With a scalp like Modafferi now on her record, the sky truly is the limit for what she can do in the division.
As it turns out, the only fighters who have been statistically more impressive than her in a three-round UFC contest are both fan favorites.
Nate Diaz landed 239 significant strikes on Donald Cerrone, Sean O'Malley hit Kris Moutinho with 230, and O'Neill has just about edged her way onto the podium with 229.
What's next for Casey O'Neill?
The first mission objective for the Scottish-Australian fighter needs to be to take some time off. While she may have been the clear winner over Modafferi, she definitely took a few shots that will require some time away from the gym.
In her post-fight interview, the booing from the Houston crowd prompted her to say that she's more than happy to play the role of the villain. This was the position many had for her even before the fight began.
In terms of the rankings, she's been able to vault herself into 12th place with very few other fighters in the division having the kind of momentum she possesses. It's unlikely her next appearance inside the octagon will be against Valentina Shevchenko. However, the fact that she's already beaten her sister Antonina definitely adds some fuel to the fire.
If she plays her cards right and continues to improve with every fight, we could be talking about her as a legitimate contender before the end of the year.
