Viviane Araujo entered with her back against the wall.
After consecutive decision losses against Alexa Grasso and Amanda Ribas, the 36-year-old Cerrado MMA product desperately needed a victory to remain relevant in the UFC’s flyweight division. Araujo delivered in that regard, earning a unanimous verdict over former title challenger Jennifer Maia in the co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
“It feels amazing,” Araujo said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “The best part is the camp, the strategy, the game plan. The [key] word was patience.