Daria Zheleznyakova Seeks Redemption in Heated UFC Baku Rematch
Alright, let’s talk about a matchup that’s quietly brewing with tension and a compelling backstory—Daria Zheleznyakova vs. Melissa Mullins at UFC on ABC 8 in Baku. Now, if you’ve been following the women’s bantamweight scene, you’ll know this isn’t just another fight on the prelim card. It’s a rematch that comes with real stakes and real emotion.
The last time these two faced off was back in November 2022, before either woman stepped into the UFC spotlight. That night, Mullins walked away with a TKO win over Zheleznyakova. And that result has lingered ever since—not just in the record books, but probably in Daria’s mind too. Fast-forward to now, and both fighters have grown and evolved, taking very different paths but arriving once again at the same crossroads.
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Melissa Mullins comes into this fight off a strong rebound. After suffering her only loss to Nora Cornolle in April 2024, she bounced back with a TKO victory over Klaudia Sygula. That kind of turnaround says a lot about a fighter’s mindset—resilient, focused, and hungry. And considering she already holds a win over Zheleznyakova, you better believe she’s entering Baku with confidence.
But let’s not count Daria Zheleznyakova out. She’s got a 9-2 record and has only been stopped twice—once by Mullins, and most recently by Ailin Perez via submission. That last defeat had to sting, but fighters like Daria often learn more from setbacks than victories. She’s no longer the same athlete she was in 2022. There’s more grit in her game now, more urgency. And this rematch is her shot at redemption—not just to even the score with Mullins, but to prove to herself, and everyone else, that she belongs among the elite.
What makes this fight even more intriguing is how closely matched both women are at this stage in their careers. They’ve each had a taste of defeat, and they’ve each bounced back. But for Zheleznyakova, this isn’t just about bouncing back—it’s about rewriting a painful chapter of her story. She’s stepping into the octagon in Baku with a lot on the line: revenge, redemption, and possibly a surge up the division ranks.
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