Bia Mesquita Stays Unbeaten at UFC Vegas 119 with First-Round Armbar
The Lady GOAT Strikes Again: Bia Mesquita Survives a Scare to Submit Melissa Mullins
Eight fights. Eight finishes. Zero losses. Our client Bia “The Lady GOAT” Mesquita continues to be one of the most ruthlessly efficient finishers in the entire UFC roster, even when the fight does not go to plan.
At UFC Fight Night 279 inside the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on June 20, 2026, Mesquita improved to 8-0 as a professional and 3-0 in the UFC, submitting Melissa Mullins via armbar at 3:16 of round one. It was the kind of performance that showcased not just her finishing instincts, but her ability to problem-solve under real pressure for the first time in her UFC career.
A Real Scare, A Real Response
This was not a routine win. Mullins came forward early, clipping Mesquita with a clean combination and then scoring a takedown on the jiu-jitsu specialist. It marked the first time as a professional that Mesquita had been visibly rocked inside the cage. For a moment, the script looked unfamiliar.
It did not stay that way for long. Mullins attacked with an elbow on the ground, and Mesquita seized the opening, grabbing the opposite arm and working her legs across Mullins’s face as her opponent tried desperately to stand back up. Mesquita nearly put Mullins down on her stomach before wrenching on the armbar, forcing the tap. Official result: Bia Mesquita defeated Melissa Mullins by submission via armbar at 3:16 of round one.
It was a finish built on composure rather than control. Mesquita herself was candid about the moment afterward: “I knew she would only have success if I made a mistake, and unfortunately, I made a small mistake at the beginning of the match. But that’s why I’m constantly improving and showing a new version of myself.”
Calling Out the Top Five
Mesquita made it clear in her post-fight interview that she has bigger goals in mind. Currently ranked No. 13 in the UFC women’s bantamweight rankings, she used the moment to call out No. 5 ranked contender Ailin Perez. “I want to be top 10, top five, so, Ailin Perez, hey, you are disgusting for this weight division. This not a place to shake your ass. I’m going to kick your ass, girl,” Mesquita told Daniel Cormier.
She elaborated further at the press conference: “I’m looking forward to competing against Ailin Perez. I think she’s number five right now. And I’m ready to chase that matchup. I think to be a true champion, you got to be somebody that is respectful and is a role model to others.”
At 8-0 with three consecutive finishes inside the UFC, Bia Mesquita is no longer a name on the rise. She is a problem the entire bantamweight division will have to solve.
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