Carol Foro Beats Gigi Canuto by 29-28 Unanimous Decision for 1st UFC Win

Q: After years of canceled bouts, how did an undefeated heavyweight prospect finally use a devastating chokehold to shock the newly renovated Meta APEX?

It was José Montanha, an undefeated Brazilian heavyweight prospect, who finally capitalized after two earlier UFC bookings were canceled. Making his long-delayed promotional debut at the newly renovated Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Montanha overwhelmed Louie Sutherland with his grappling and finished him with a rear-naked choke just 1:50 into the opening round. The finish came quickly and decisively. Montanha secured an early takedown, stayed attached when Sutherland tried to stand, flattened him back out, then threaded the choke for the tap. The sequence matched the scouting on him coming in: a submission-oriented heavyweight with a strong ground game and the ability to turn one takedown into a fight-ending position. The result was a notable upset. Sutherland had entered with UFC experience and momentum from a decision win over Tai Tuivasa, while Montanha was stepping in for his first UFC appearance after a long wait caused by failed bookings. Instead of looking rusty, Montanha looked composed and dangerous, using the moment to announce himself as a real prospect in the division. In practical terms, the shock to the revamped venue was not just the speed of the finish, but the way Montanha did it. Heavyweight fights often hinge on power striking; Montanha changed that script by using control, back takes and a devastating rear-naked choke to deliver one of the standout stoppages of the preliminary card.

3 articles · Updated · UFC · Aug 8

Three 29-28 scorecards gave Carol Foro her first UFC victory after she outlasted short-notice newcomer Gigi Canuto in a competitive strawweight prelim at UFC Fight Night.
Foro built the edge with sharper striking in Round 1, then survived Canuto’s grappling-heavy second round and escaped a third-round armbar before closing with a stand-up exchange.
The win pushed the 29-year-old Brazilian to 10-1 and an eight-fight winning streak, strengthening her early case as a prospect to watch in the UFC strawweight division.
Canuto still impressed in defeat, taking the bout on very short notice and showing enough on the ground and in scrambles to suggest she can compete at UFC level.

Sources

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