Several years down the road, we’re going to look back on Godinez’s rookie campaign inside the Octagon and shake our heads, jaws agape over the temerity of a fighter competing four times in seven months, including on back-to-back weekends in different weight classes, and having volunteered to take another fight in there as well.
And let me be clear: when I speak of Godinez’s audacity, I say it with nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for what the Mexican-Canadian grinder did in 2021.
She pushed former title challenger Jessica Penne to the hilt in her debut, landed on the wrong side of a debated split decision verdict, then raised her hand to face Sarah Alpar on short notice roughly a month later, only to be denied the opportunity because she couldn’t secure a visa in time. At the start of October, she made quick work of Silvana Gomez Juarez, and a week later, she moved up to bantamweight and went three rounds with Luana Carolina in a losing effort where her stock only rose.
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In November, Godinez climbed into the Octagon for a fourth time in 2021, garnering a unanimous decision victory over Loma Lookboonmee to close out one of the most memorable 2-2 campaigns in recent memory.
Saturday evening, Godinez, who came in at No. 6 in the staff picks for best newcomers last year, begins her sophomore season in the UFC with a compelling matchup against Brazilian powerhouse Ariane Carnelossi.
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After dropping her UFC debut to Angela Hill in September 2019, the 29-year-old Carnelossi made the second and third starts of her career last year, registering a second-round TKO victory over Na Liang in April and a third-round submission win over Istela Nunes to push her record to 14-2 overall.
The strawweight division is enjoying a moment in the spotlight right now with the title being on the line in Saturday’s co-main event, so this is a tremendous opportunity for the talented 28-year-old to build on her breakout first year inside the Octagon and start building some real momentum in order to make a push towards the rankings in her second year in the UFC.
