British UFC fighter Melissa Mullins submits to Bia Mesquita in Las Vegas

British bantamweight Melissa Mullins suffered a first-round submission defeat to undefeated Brazilian Bia Mesquita at a UFC event in Las Vegas on Saturday night, adding to a difficult run that has included a cancelled hometown fight earlier this year.

Mullins, 34, was fighting for the first time since her scheduled UFC London bout was cancelled in March when her opponent failed to make weight, leaving her in tears on the scales. The setback in Las Vegas marks her second consecutive fight without a win.

How the fight unfolded

Mullins started aggressively, landing heavy strikes and wobbling Mesquita with a big left hand in the opening minutes. The British fighter appeared on the verge of a breakthrough against an opponent with a perfect record.

However, Mullins took the fight to the ground, where Mesquita — a world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu — recovered and secured an armbar, forcing Mullins to tap out. The loss drops Mullins to 7-3 in the UFC since her debut in 2023.

• Mullins landed a significant left hand that badly wobbled Mesquita in the first round.
• The British fighter chose to grapple with a specialist, leading to the submission.
• Mesquita extended her undefeated streak with her third straight stoppage win inside the octagon.
• Mullins had her previous UFC London fight cancelled due to an opponent's weight miss.
• The main event saw Manuel Kape knock out Kyoji Horiguchi in the third round.

What's next

Mullins, who expressed pride in her performance despite the result, will look to bounce back later this year. The bantamweight division remains competitive, and she will need to adjust her game plan to avoid being drawn into opponents' strengths. Meanwhile, Mesquita continues to rise as a submission threat in the division.