Ivana Petrović Record: 7-3-0

Octagon debut and first test

Petrović made her UFC debut in July 2023 against the rangy veteran Luana Carolina, and the step up in competition showed: she dropped a unanimous decision, her first professional loss. Rather than derail her, the setback sharpened her, and she returned in April 2024 with one of the best performances of her career.

Statement win and the grind that followed

At a Fight Night in April 2024, Petrović faced the seasoned Na Liang, a fighter with nearly 20 career wins, and submitted her with a third-round arm-triangle choke – a marquee result that validated her grappling at the UFC level. The division then pushed back. In November 2024 she lost a razor-thin split decision to Jamey-Lyn Horth, a fight that could have gone either way, and in May 2025 she dropped a unanimous decision to Juliana Miller. Those defeats left her at 7-3 and highlighted the central challenge of her UFC tenure: converting her finishing ability into rounds won when the fight goes the distance.

Fighting style

Petrović is a finisher by nature, with an 86 percent finish rate that ranks among the highest in her division – six of her seven wins have come inside the distance, split evenly between three knockouts and three submissions. Her kickboxing roots give her sharp, rangy striking, while her grappling, anchored by the rear-naked and arm-triangle chokes, is genuinely dangerous, as the Na Liang win proved. The honest weakness is on the scorecards: all three of her losses have come by decision, including two close ones, suggesting that against durable opponents who avoid her finishing sequences she has to be sharper at banking rounds. When she imposes her length and pace, though, few flyweights are harder to survive.

Career highlights

• First Croatian woman in the UFC — broke through as a historic signing after a perfect 6-0 run on the European regional scene.
• Statement submission — choked out the veteran Na Liang with a third-round arm-triangle for her signature UFC win.
• Elite finish rate — carries an 86 percent finish rate, with three knockouts and three submissions among her seven career wins.