Athletes
Melissa Croden | Patience Pays Off
After Waiting Nearly A Year Before Making Her UFC Debut, Canadian Bantamweight Grateful For Quick Turnaround
Melissa Croden is trying to make sure that she appreciates every moment of her UFC adventure to the fullest and takes advantage of every opportunity that comes her way, which is why the 34-year-old Alberta resident volunteered to step in against Luana Santos when the Brazilian was in need of an opponent on November 8.
Though she had just fought three weeks earlier, collecting a third-round stoppage win over Thainara Lisboa in her promotional debut in Vancouver, Croden raised her hand and accepted the matchup, which was later shuffled to this weekend’s year-end finale at the UFC APEX.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
“It was very validating in a lot of ways,” she said of the win over Lisboa, which elevated her record to 7-2, pushed her overall winning streak to three, and maintained her 100-percent finishing rate. “There is always that fear that I had in the last one or two years where I would wake up in the morning…”
She paused, the details of the early morning uncertainty not needing explanation.
“It was rough. As you get older, too, things start to pass by, your friends and family start to get older, those moments hit you hard. (Earning that victory) made it feel worth being patient for and being diligent, and believing I will be able to live out this dream.
“When Brian Butler and I had discussed how we want to approach my career in the UFC, it was ‘let’s get this win, let’s make it exciting, let’s make it entertaining, and get ready to get to work,’” continued Croden, recalling a conversation she had with her manager ahead of her bout with Lisboa in October. “It feels like it’s all meant to be.
“I had prayed to be able to have another fight before the end of the year, and sometimes you get what you ask for, so here I am,” she added with a smile. “I was excited — I didn’t even hesitate to say, ‘Yes!’ for a second. I know if the Big Man upstairs is doing His work upon me, then it’s meant to be, and I trust that and have faith in it.”
Rock-steady in her belief that she’s being steered in the right direction, Croden returned to Calgary and dove straight back into training, eschewing a celebratory solo whiskey or two in favor of preparing to face Santos.
“Unfortunately, I went right back to the gym!” laughed the Canadian when reminded of earlier laughs over our shared enjoyment of solitary imbibing and living in the Rocky Mountains. “There was not enough time to party, unfortunately, but with the holidays coming up, my spirit is feeling very joyful. I’m trying to stay very in the moment and stay focused, stay present, but it’s very hard not to think about how nice it will be to enjoy the holidays, and I’m sure there will be whiskey involved.”
Melissa Croden Secures TKO Victory During UFC Debut | UFC Vancouver
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Melissa Croden Secures TKO Victory During UFC Debut | UFC Vancouver
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First up, however, is this weekend’s date with Santos.
Nine years Croden’s junior and stationed at No. 15 in the bantamweight rankings, the Brazilian is a highly regarded talent that has seemingly found a home in the 135-pound weight class after making a couple of appearances in the 125-pound weight class as well. She too enters Saturday’s intriguing preliminary card pairing off a stoppage victory over Lisboa, having tapped out her compatriot in May, and looking to turn that win into the start of a winning streak.
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After spending 51 weeks on the sidelines between her final LFA appearance and her first foray into the Octagon at Rogers Arena, the possibility of closing out her first year on the UFC roster with consecutive victories and carrying a number next to her name is another one of those things Croden does not take lightly, even if it’s just a possibility for now.
“Again, it’s just reassuring that I’m doing the things I need to do to be successful,” she said when presented with the potential year-end scenario. “I always worry — and I think a lot of fighters can attest to this feeling — ‘Am I doing enough?’ — so having another win, against someone that is successful themselves, is that reassurance that I am holding myself accountable, I am doing all the things, I am growing as a martial artist.
“That’s a fear of mine — remaining stagnant and not improving, especially at the age I’m at. I’m 34 years old, but I don’t believe the learning stops
“My professor, Ken MacKenzie, he is,” she continued, pausing to playfully ask her nearby grappling coach his age. “You’re what, in your 80s?”
MacKenzie played along, tacking an additional century onto his age.
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“He’s in his 180s, and his mentality is insane to me,” resumed Croden, heaping praise on the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. “I feel like he does a lot of the grunt work and the thinking for me on the grappling side because he loves to learn and he is also a very good coach, so that inspires me to have the same attitude when you approach new things.
Melissa Croden Post-Fight Interview | UFC Vancouver
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Melissa Croden Post-Fight Interview | UFC Vancouver
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“When you’re looking at your opponent or your training partner on sparring day, you’re just looking at a problem, and problems are solvable,” she added. “So if you just chunk it out and take it day-by-day, it becomes fun.
“Human beings are meant to do this kind of thing.”
And if she’s able to solve the problem that is Luana Santos on Saturday, the Albertan will once again be ready to hustle back into the gym and get right back into the Octagon in order to maximize the time she has to compete at this level and test herself against the best in the sport.
“Just stay healthy, stay active; I want to see how far I can take this, one fight at a time,” Croden said of her outlook for 2026 and beyond. “I’ll accept them as they come, take the challenges as they come and just enjoy the ride because it’s not long.”
UFC fight Night: Royval vs Kape took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 13, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!