Pudilová started training MMA when she was 16 years old.[2] She worked with her coach, Ladislav Erdélyi, to achieve her goal of fighting in the UFC.[4]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Pudilová fought most of her early MMA career in Europe.[3] Her win over Melinda Fábián, an The Ultimate Fighter 26 contestant, earned her the title of Bantamweight Champion for the Gladiator Championship Fighting promotion in Czech Republic.[7][8] Pudilová amassed a record of 6–1 prior to being signed by UFC, with the one loss to Lina Länsberg.[2] Pudilová is the third Czech to be signed by UFC.[9]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Pudilová made her promotion debut on March 18, 2017, replacing injured Veronica Macedo,[10] at UFC Fight Night: Manuwa vs. Anderson against Lina Länsberg in a rematch in London.[11] After three close rounds of fierce fighting, she lost the fight via unanimous decision.[12][13][14] At the post fight interview, Länsberg, with a badly battered right eye, argued that she might think Pudilová had done enough to be declared the winner.[15] However, a majority of the media score cards still agreed with the judges and saw Länsberg as the winner.[16]
Pudilová faced Antonina Shevchenko on August 3, 2019, at UFC on ESPN 5.[27] She lost the fight via technical submission due to a rear-naked choke in the second round.[28] Despite the loss, the bout earned Pudilová her second Fight of the Night bonus award.[29]
Pudilová was released by the UFC on February 11, 2020.[32]
Regional circuit
After her release from the UFC, Pudilová returned to the European regional circuit. She entered a tournament organized under the banner of a Czech promotion Oktagon MMA, "Underground". All fights in the tournament were officially recorded as exhibition bouts, with 3 minute rounds and a slightly modified ruleset. In the quarterfinals round she faced an 18 year old amateur fighter Tereza Bledá, in a main event at Oktagon Underground 3 held on May 25, 2020. She lost the fight by unanimous decision, getting eliminated from the tournament. With this loss, her losing streak was extended to 5.[33]
Pudilová was scheduled to face Maguy Berchel on August 19, 2020, at Noc Bojovníků in Dobříš. However, a few days before the event Berchel reacted with confusion to a social media post about the match, and subsequently claimed that the fight with Pudilová was never offered to her. The event's promoter maintained that the bout was set up and agreed upon with Berchel's management.[34] It was announced that a replacement is being sought for Pudilová, but the event was eventually cancelled altogether due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.[35]
Oktagon MMA
In October 2020, it was announced that Pudilová signed a contract with the Czech promotion Oktagon MMA.
[36]
She was scheduled to face Marta Waliczek at Oktagon 18 on November 21, 2020.[37] The bout was later cancelled, as Waliczek withdrew due to illness.[38]
She then faced Cornelia Holm at Oktagon 19 on December 5, 2020. She won the fight via unanimous decision.[39]
The cancelled bout with Waliczek was rescheduled and took place at Oktagon 21 on January 30, 2021. She won the fight via controversial split decision.[40][41]
Pudilová then faced Maiju Suotama at Oktagon 22 on March 27, 2021, as a short notice replacement for Marta Waliczek. She won the fight via unanimous decision.[42]
Pudilová faced fellow former UFC fighter, Talita Bernardo, on July 24, 2021, at OKTAGON 26.[43]
She lost the one-sided bout via unanimous decision.
[44][45]
A rematch with Waliczek took place on November 6, 2021, at Oktagon Prime 4. Pudilová won via split decision. In preparation for this fight, she trained at Straight Blast Gym Ireland with coach John Kavanagh.[5]
Pudilová was scheduled to face former Bellator title challenger Olga Rubin on February 26, 2022, at OKTAGON 31.[46] However, Rubin withdrew from the fight due to an injury and was replaced by Priscila de Souza, who was originally slated to fight Cornelia Holm at the same event. At the weigh-ins, De Souza came in 3.7 pounds over the non-title fight limit at bantamweight. After failing to make weight on her second attempt, Pudilová's team decided not to accept a catchweight and the fight was scrapped from the card.[47]
Pudilová faced Carol Yariwaki on April 9, 2022, at Oktagon 32. She won the bout via unanimous decision.[48]
Return to UFC
After going 5-1 after her UFC release, fighting for the Oktagon promotion in her native Czech Republic, Pudilová re-signed with the UFC.[49]
Pudilová faced Wu Yanan on August 20, 2022, at UFC 278.[50] She won the bout via TKO stoppage in the second round due to elbows on the ground.[51]
Pudilová faced Joselyne Edwards on April 15, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 44. She lost via controversial split decision in which 15 of 15 MMA journalists gave her the decision.[52][53]
