Athletes
Casey O’Neill | Back To Business
Flyweight Contender Returns To Action For The First Time Since 2024 At UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer
It’s been a long road to recovery for Casey O’Neill, who’s sat on the sidelines due to a myriad of injuries since she last competed inside the Octagon in April of 2024.
After suffering back-to-back defeats the year prior, the Scotland-born flyweight secured her position as the twelfth best in the world with a dominant showing against Luana Santos, which saw her outland her Brazilian counterpart 113 to 46 over 15 minutes.
While there’s not much you can do to avoid injuries in a sport like mixed martial arts, limiting inactivity is paramount if you’re looking to climb your way to the top.
Extended absences can quickly shift the landscape, as seen with the rise of Natalia Silva, Erin Blanchfield, Jasmine Jasudavicius, and Miranda Maverick, who’ve all surged up the rankings over the last two years. That’s why it’s never been more important for the 28-year-old O’Neill to return to action and remind the division and fans what they’ve missed over the last 19 months.
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“I had to stop trying to force everything to be perfect,” O’Neill said. “It helped me mature in the sport. When things go wrong, you need to take a step back and look at it. Being more patient with my career and stuff like that. I know what I’m capable of. [I was] just trying to get myself in the best health that I can to be able to prove it.
Casey O'Neill Ground & Pounds To A Victory | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs Walker
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Casey O'Neill Ground & Pounds To A Victory | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs Walker
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“I hope to get back to doing what I do best, which is putting people away. I’m really looking for a finish and a big statement to remind everyone in the division who I am and what my place in the division is. I’m not a stepping stone. I’m ready to go to the top now that I’m back.”
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At the end of last year, O’Neill took to Instagram to let the world know she was injury-free and eager to make a comeback in March. Just three weeks later, a matchup was booked for UFC’s return to Seattle for UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer.
For training camp, O’Neill went back to Thailand, a familiar location where she spent time early in her UFC career.
“I have always had a great time in Thailand, and I started my UFC journey in Thailand, so it was nice to go back there and get back to my roots a little bit with my original team,” O’Neill said. “It’s always great vibes out there, obviously great weather, great training.”
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She now turns her attention to an up-and-coming talent in Gabriella Fernandes. The MMA Masters representative has won each of her last three fights, earning two performance bonuses in that stretch. For O’Neill, a dominant performance over a rising prospect like Fernandes would re-solidify her spot as a serious contender at 125 pounds.
“She’s on a three-fight win streak, so obviously she’s doing well,” O’Neill said of Fernandes. “I don’t know a whole lot about her, but she’s another girl in my way. That’s about it.
“MMA is a very fast-moving sport. People might look at the card and not even know who I am, so it’s exciting to be back in that spot where you can steal the spotlight, and everyone remembers that a little bit more.
“This is an opportunity that you get in life that not a lot of people get so [I’m] not taking it for granted and running at this full speed.”
UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer took place live from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington on March 28, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!