Alice Ardelean Record: 12-7-0

UFC arrival

Ardelean made her Octagon debut in July 2024 at UFC 304 in Manchester, dropping a competitive split decision to Shauna Bannon in front of a home-continent crowd. She followed with another decision loss, this time unanimous, to Melissa Martinez in October 2024, leaving her 0–2 to start her UFC tenure and needing a result.

Turning the corner

The veteran answered the pressure. In May 2025 she earned her first UFC win, a unanimous decision over the experienced Rayanne dos Santos, then backed it up in November 2025 with another unanimous decision over Montserrat Conejo Ruiz. She capped the run in May 2026 with the signature finish of her UFC career: a second-round ankle-lock submission of former strawweight contender Polyana Viana, a rare leg-lock finish that showcased the grappling craft she had spent more than a decade refining.

Fighting style

Ardelean is a submission grappler at heart, with a finish rate around 75 percent and five of her 12 wins coming by submission – predominantly rear-naked chokes, supplemented by an armbar and the ankle lock against Viana. She pairs that with genuine knockout power, having stopped four opponents by strikes over her career. Her path to the UFC was paved by experience rather than hype, and that shows in the way she fights: comfortable in scrambles, persistent in pursuit of the finish, and durable enough to recover from a difficult start. Her demonstrated vulnerability has been on the scorecards, where five of her seven losses have come by decision, but she has answered that by stringing together a three-fight winning run.

Career highlights

• First UFC victory — decisioned the experienced Rayanne dos Santos in 2025 after an 0–2 start to her promotional run.
• Rare leg-lock finish — submitted Polyana Viana by second-round ankle lock in 2026, the standout win of her Octagon tenure.
• Submission specialist — five of her 12 wins have come by submission, anchoring a finish rate near 75 percent built over a 14-year pro career.