A Contender on the Cusp

Ketlen Vieira appears to have a strong grip on reality.

The Nova Uniao standout will seek her second straight victory over an ex-Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder when she tests her mettle against Holly Holm in the UFC Fight Night 206 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Vieira, 30, enters the cage ranked fifth in the promotion’s women’s bantamweight division.

“I don’t care much about rankings,” she told Sherdog.com. “Of course, it’s nice to be in a high position, but the main thing for me is to actually win fights. The more fights you win, the closer you get to a title shot. My focus is on taking it one step at a time, one fight at a time. I want to stay active and keep winning so I can get an opportunity to fight for the belt.”

Vieira currently stands in the line that has formed behind current champion Julianna Pena, who sent shockwaves through the sport when she upset Amanda Nunes at UFC 269 in December. The two women are expected to rematch one another sometime in the second half of 2022. As their situation plays out and ultimately determines the fate of the 135-pound crown, Vieira turns her attention to Holm. The 40-year-old Jackson-Wink MMA mainstay finds herself on a modest two-fight winning streak but has not set foot inside the Octagon since October 2020. Despite the inactivity, the Albuquerque, New Mexico, native’s reputation precedes her.

“My plans are only for the present. The future is in God’s hands,” Vieira said. “I’m only looking at this current challenge. It’s no use to think about what’s next if I don’t get past her.”

Having compiled a 6-2 record since she joined the UFC roster five-plus years ago, Vieira strengthened her case as a top-shelf bantamweight when she took a five-round unanimous decision from Miesha Tate in the UFC Fight Night 198 main event on Nov. 20. She worked to shore up any deficiencies and developed a gameplan for Holm during her training camp under Giovanni Diniz, Daniel Malvino and Andre Pederneiras. Vieira believes nothing was left to chance in terms of preparation.

“I’ve sparred with pretty much all southpaw men,” she said. “She’s very strong and fast. I feel like we’re approximating her abilities as much as possible. We’ve been very focused. We can’t afford any mistakes.”

Beating a seasoned and accomplished veteran like Holm will be no easy task. All five of the women who have beaten “The Preacher’s Daughter”—Nunes, Tate, Cristiane Justino, Germaine de Randamie and Valentina Shevchenko—are current or former UFC champions. Vieira carries no such distinction.

“I’ve always imagined myself facing the best in the world,” she said. “I’m motivated by challenges. They leave me more focused and determined. Holly was the first woman to shock the world by beating Ronda Rousey so soundly. We’re training for all the worst possible scenarios since Holly is so experienced. We can see that she has been further improving lately. If she needs to take someone down, she’ll do exactly that. I have to be fully attentive in all areas. I put a lot of trust in my team.”