There were heavy stakes on the line when Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz stepped in at the co-main event at UFC 212 on Saturday night.
 
Both women had failed in their respective attempts to claim UFC strawweight gold, but a win in Rio de Janeiro could very well earn the victor another shot at titleholder Joanna Jedrzejczyk before 2017 comes to a close.
 
The Polish fighter entered the cage in Rio for her first fight since suffering the lone loss of her career against “Joanna Violence” while Gadelha picked up a win since her loss to the American Top Team product.
 
It was figured to be a stylistic clash the Brazilian would put her aggressive striking and ground game against the cool and collected stand up attack of Kowalkiewicz. And that’s precisely how things would play out at UFC 212.
 
Gadelha came out the gates throwing hard but it was Kowalkiewicz who put the pressure on early, but the Brazilian was able to get in and secure a takedown. After a quick scramble Gadelha took the Polish fighter’s back and locked in a lightning quick rear-naked choke that brought an abrupt end to the bout.
 
If a potential title fight was lingering coming into the bout, a lights out impressive showing by Gadelha where she earned a first round finish over a ultra-tough opponent could have very well earned her another crack at Joanna and her gold.