Former ring girl surprised with scorecards in UFC debut

Jeisla Chaves marked her UFC debut with an unexpected split decision victory over Yuneisy Duben at UFC Fight Night 278 on Saturday at the Apex in Las Vegas. The undefeated Brazilian flyweight was surprised by the split scorecard, as judge Tony Weeks awarded Duben the first round despite Chaves believing she had won that frame convincingly. All three judges credited Duben with the third round.

Chaves' path to the Octagon was unconventional. She was introduced to combat sports when a friend suggested she work as a ring girl at a muay thai event. Impressed by the sport, she began training with the event promoter—who remains her head coach—and competed in muay thai a year later. She later added jiu-jitsu and MMA to her skillset. The undefeated competitor (8-0) earned her UFC contract by winning a gritty split decision on Dana White's Contender Series last year.

Duben (6-2), a Venezuelan fighter who arrived in the UFC in 2024 with an undefeated record and six finishes, has now lost both her promotional outings. Despite the judges' verdict, Chaves expressed satisfaction with her performance and the hard-fought nature of the bout. "I hope I showed I'm always bringing a tough fight," she said, looking forward to building momentum from her Octagon debut.