UFC Fight Roundup: Jennifer Maia tries to snap skid, Jailton Almeida bulks down for UFC 279

Fights come together fast these days, and if you blink, you can easily miss them. In Fight Roundup, we bring you the latest reported matchups to keep you up to date with what’s on the horizon.

All bouts featured have been officially announced or confirmed with MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, Mike Heck, and Damon Martin via sources with knowledge of the matchups.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Tabatha Ricci vs. Jessica Penne

Strawweight Tabatha Ricci (7-1) has a new opponent for UFC Vegas 61.

After the withdrawal of Cheyanne Vlismas (7-2) due to personal issues, one-time strawweight title challenger Jessica Penne (14-6) has stepped in to face Ricci on the Oct. 1 card in Las Vegas.

Penne hopes to rebound after a meeting with Emily Ducote at UFC on ABC 3 went south with a decision loss. Previously, she returned from a four-year layoff due to a protracted battle with USADA to notch back-to-back wins, including one over one-time title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewcz.

Ricci, meanwhile, comes to the matchup on the opposite side of the win column, having won two straight since a debut setback against Manon Fiorot. In her most recent outing at UFC Vegas 55, she outpointed Polyana Viana.

The matchup was first reported by Dama de Ferro MMA.

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Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

Billy Quarantillo vs. Alexander Hernandez

A fight of veteran featherweights is on tap for UFC 282.

Iridium Sports Agency announced that Billy Quarantillo (16-4) and Alexander Hernandez (13-5) will clash at the Dec. 10 pay-per-view event expected to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Both fighters are coming off losses in their most recent bouts. Quarantillo got a big opportunity to jump the ranks with a meeting against Shane Burgos at UFC 268 and ended up on the wrong side of a unanimous decision. The Contender Series vet now stands at 4-2 inside the octagon.

Hernandez, meanwhile, suffered a setback in his debut at 145 pounds, getting submitted by vet Renato Moicano at UFC 271. The loss sent him back to the drawing board after a lightweight win over Mike Breeden and left his octagon record at 5-4.

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Photo by David Becker/Getty Images

Jennifer Maia vs. Maryna Moroz

Veteran flyweights Jennifer Maia (19-9-1) and Maryna Moroz are slated to face off at a fall UFC event.

The event takes place on Nov. 19 at a city and venue to be announced. The placement of Maia vs. Moroz on the card is not yet known.

One-time title flyweight challenger Maia is still looking to rebound after a rough stretch following a failed bid for Valentina Shevchenko’s title. The Brazilian is 1-2 in her past three outings and has lost her most recent two fights, losing decisions to Katlyn Chookagian and Manon Fiorot.

Moroz is on a three-fight winning streak, having most recently earned a triumphant win over Mariya Agapova in a grudge match at UFC 272. Afterward, Moroz delivered an emotional tribute to her native country of Urkraine.

Officials have not announced a headliner for the Nov. 19 event. The booking was originally reported by Combate.

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Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Jailton Almeida vs. Anton Turkalj

After moving up to heavyweight, Jailton Almeida (16-2) is moving back down to a catchweight fight due to the withdrawal of his UFC 279 opponent, Shamil Abdurakhimov.

Visa issues have ruled out Shamil Abdurakhimov from the Sept. 10 pay-per-view headlined by Nate Diaz and Khamzat Chimaev, and Anton “The Pleasure Man” Turkalj has stepped into the breach for a 220-pound catchweight fight.

Almeida, a Contender Series vet, got his UFC start as a light heavyweight with a win over Danilo Marques. Since then, he bested Parker Porter before booking a follow-up with Abdurakhimov.

Turkalj punched his ticket to the UFC with a win on the Contender Series, outpointing Acacio dos Santos in July. Undefeated at 7-0, he takes a big step up on a big stage for the short-notice fight, which was first reported by Globo.