Melissa Gatto Eyes Return to Flyweight After TKO Win Over Tamires Vidal

Melissa Gatto wants to move back down to flyweight after a successful bantamweight debut at UFC Fight Night 241.

Gatto earned a third-round TKO win over fellow Brazilian Tamires Vidal on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Gatto now wants to return to action in August — preferably at 125 pounds.

“I want to fight in August in flyweight division,” Gatto said in a post-fight scrum. “But if the UFC want me in bantamweight division, I’m here to fight. I want to fight. I was born to fight.”

While she feels like a natural flyweight, Gatto also emphasizes that she has no problem competing at 135 pounds if the promotion wants her to. Gatto explained why flyweight is her preferred division.

“Because I think I am a flyweight, my body [likes the] flyweight division,” she said. “And I think I am flyweight, my team said it to me too. Of course but bantamweight no problem.”

Gatto’s win over Vidal came via a punch to the chest that drew a delayed reaction from “Tratora.” Vidal inexplicably stopped fighting as if expecting a timeout for an illegal blow. Gatto followed up with a volley of strikes to secure the victory. Gatto revealed that she never considered stopping due to her opponent’s reaction, as the referee hadn’t intervened.

Gatto also claims to have seen Vidal try to stop the action in her previous fighs after being hurt by similar strikes.

“No of course not [never considered stopping]. Because I watch the last fights of her and always she feel that [punch to the chest] and she always try to stop the fight,” Gatto said. “But the judges [referee] said to me, ‘Don’t stop, you go.’ And I go and I will finish and get my victory.”

Gatto’s latest win saw her rebound from a two-fight slump and improve her promotional record to 3-2 with all of her wins coming via stoppage. Meanwhile, Vidal has now dropped two in a row after a stoppage win over Ramona Pascual in her UFC debut in 2022.