TLDR
- Cassia Moura faces Adele Fornarino for the inaugural UFC BJJ women’s flyweight championship on Thursday at Meta APEX in Las Vegas
- Moura, the undefeated bantamweight champion, could become UFC BJJ’s first double champion at age 20
- Fornarino holds the WNO record for fastest submission at 23 seconds and won double gold at 2024 ADCC World Championships
- Renato Canuto battles Ethan Crelinsten for the vacant lightweight title in the co-main event
- Former UFC fighter Gilbert Burns returns for his second UFC BJJ match against Gabriel Almeida at middleweight
Sources: ufc.com | mmasucka.com | ufc.com
UFC BJJ 12 takes place Thursday night at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas with two championship belts on the line. The event marks the first time a women’s match will headline a UFC BJJ card.
Reigning bantamweight champion Cassia Moura will face Australia’s Adele Fornarino to crown the first UFC BJJ women’s flyweight champion. Both fighters earned their spots by winning semifinal matches at UFC BJJ 10 in August.
Moura Seeks Second Championship Belt
Moura, a 20-year-old Brazilian, has remained undefeated through five UFC BJJ matches. She captured the bantamweight title with a split decision victory over Ffion Davies at UFC BJJ 6.
The young champion defended her belt at UFC BJJ 8 with a second-round rear-naked choke against Sabrina Gondim. She advanced to the flyweight final by defeating Bre Stikk with a first-round armbar in the grand prix semifinals.
A victory Thursday would make Moura the first double champion in UFC BJJ history. She would hold titles in two different weight classes at just 20 years old.
Fornarino Brings World Championship Experience
Fornarino arrives in Las Vegas with an impressive resume from other grappling organizations. She won double gold at the 2024 ADCC World Championships, capturing titles in two weight divisions.
The 27-year-old Australian holds a joint record with Nicky Ryan for the fastest submission in WNO history at 23 seconds. She defeated Amanda Alequin with an Aoki lock in that match.
Fornarino also set a speed record at the 2025 IBJJF Black Belt Featherweight final, tapping Ana Mayordomo with a straight-ankle lock in just 16 seconds. Her UFC BJJ debut came in 2026 at UFC BJJ 7, where she finished Alexandria Enriquez with a first-round kneebar.
She secured her spot in the flyweight final with a first-round straight ankle lock submission of Carol Brunacio at UFC BJJ 10. Fornarino has built a reputation for hunting submissions from the opening seconds of her matches.
In a recent interview, Fornarino called her fight camp one of the best she has ever had. She mentioned training with partners and mentors from across America to prepare for Thursday’s title fight.
“I’m as prepared as I could ever be,” Fornarino said. “You’re going to see a different version of me, and I can’t wait to showcase that.”
The co-main event features Renato Canuto taking on Ethan Crelinsten for the vacant UFC BJJ lightweight championship. Canuto previously challenged for the welterweight title but lost in his first UFC BJJ appearance.
He has since won decision victories over Alan Sanchez and Yonathan Cardenas. Canuto will drop down to 155 pounds for Thursday’s lightweight title match.
Crelinsten, representing Canada, made his UFC BJJ debut at UFC BJJ 8 by submitting Danilo Moreira with a first-round rear-naked choke. This will be his first title fight in the organization.
Former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns returns for his second UFC BJJ match on the card. The retired mixed martial arts fighter defeated Horlando Monteiro at UFC BJJ 9 in June.
Burns will face Gabriel Almeida at middleweight. Almeida last competed at the Meta APEX in 2024 under the UFC Fight Pass Invitational banner.
The event also features Danielle Kelly facing Thaynara Victoria in a women’s strawweight match. Kelly won her UFC BJJ debut against Ana Lima in August after previously competing for ONE Championship in Asia.
UFC BJJ 12 begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 8, and will stream exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.
