Dione Barbosa left UFC Vegas 115 with a majority decision win over Melissa Gatto, but the flyweight’s victory came under the shadow of an illegal strike controversy.
The bout, held at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., April 4, 2026, saw Barbosa land an illegal soccer kick to a grounded Gatto in the second round. Gatto was given five minutes to recover, and the referee deducted one point from Barbosa for the foul before the fight continued to the scorecards.
Afterward, Barbosa maintained that she had no intention of landing an illegal blow. “I didn’t feel contact with her face at all,” she said. “I feel when I’m in there. I tried to hold her head so I don’t kick her head. It was no intention at all. In the moment, the referee stopped, and I just needed to wait. I’m just there to do my job. I don’t try to be unfair, dirty. I’m a martial artist. I don’t think about doing dirty things to win the fight.”
Barbosa also described her overall approach to competing. “Well, it is a risk, but every single time I step into the octagon is a risk,” she said. “Three seconds, something can change, one punch can land, and completely change the fight. So, my life, my style is a risk. I’m a grappler, and today I’m like, I will throw punches here. I want to finish this fight. I want $100,000. I take risks all the time. It’s part of my life. This is what I love to do. So, I will take a risk again. For sure, I will recalculate and try to do better.”
With the majority decision, Barbosa’s UFC record improved to 3-2.
