EXCLUSIVE: Dione Barbosa experiences changes inside and outside the octagon and details her preparation for UFC Vegas 115.

Counting down to her appearance at UFC Vegas 115, Dione Barbosa will face Melissa Gatto in a strawweight bout (up to 52,1 kg) this Saturday night (4). Coming off a loss to Karine Killer in a close fight last August, the Pernambuco native has the opportunity to get back on track and leave the bad phase behind, to crown a series of changes that have been happening in her life inside and outside the octagon.

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Brazil against Brazil

“The Witch” 🇧🇷 Dione Barbosa and the returning 🇧🇷 Melissa Gatto goes face-to-face at the #UFCVegas115 weigh-ins.

All-Brazil flyweight (125lbs) clash hits the prelims this Saturday, live on Paramount+ from 5pm ET. Who you got? 👊 #WMMA #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/Hp1KWNN8Ig

— Women's MMA Rankings (@WMMARankings) April 3, 2026

Just like Virna Jandiroba and Tabatha Ricci in the co-main event, Dione will also have the experience of sharing the octagon with a compatriot. While many Brazilian athletes avoid participating in matchups with their national rivals, "Bruxa" (Dione's nickname) is taking a different approach. According to her, such duels are an example of the high level achieved by Brazilian MMA.

“This factor makes me very proud. We are in the biggest event in the world and the number of Brazilian women we have is sensational. For me, it is a source of pride to be able to share the octagon with another Brazilian and see that we are at the top. We have many Brazilian athletes in this category and I am very happy. Inside (the octagon) we are two professionals and there is no flag. But I am very happy,” she stated.

The importance of preparation

Dione warming up before entering the octagon. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.

Despite the close match against Karine, another factor that may have influenced Dione's performance was the absence of a training camp. At the time, she agreed to replace JJ Aldrich on a short-term basis in the hopes of gaining a place in the rankings. Now, she has been able to dedicate weeks to facing Gatto. Therefore, she believes she can deliver an even more impressive performance in the match.

“I don’t regret taking fights on short notice. My job is to fight and I’ll always be available. I don’t think I lost the last fight, but at the end of the day it’s on my record and I have to accept it. I’ll also take many good things from this fight. I got a new contract and improved my value, I had benefits. But obviously we always want the perfect scenario, evolving week by week in preparation,” he said.

Dione Murphy

Dione Barbosa and her husband, Austin Murphy. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.

Even after almost eight months without fighting, perhaps the biggest change in the life of the Pernambuco native, now living in Las Vegas, happened far from the octagon. Just days before her loss to Killer, she married her longtime partner, Austin Murphy. Now publicly married and with a new last name, she intends to begin an undefeated streak in the UFC.

“I believe I got married a week before Karine. The wedding was already scheduled, but since we were only going to receive our families later, we decided to keep the original date. It has been very good to live this experience, he helps me a lot in my daily life, he's part of my camps and my corner. This has only strengthened our bond even more,” she stated.

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