Iasmin Lucindo is set to return to the Octagon on October 24, when she faces Nicolle Caliari at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. It will be her first fight back after a suspension and nearly a year away from competition, a stretch she says left her eager to show a different version of herself.
That return is drawing attention because Lucindo has not competed for a whole year since she began fighting professionally at age 15. During the layoff, she said she had to do a lot of mental preparation and keep working while other fighters stayed active, a routine she described as unfamiliar after so many years in the sport.
Lucindo's suspension followed a positive test after a tainted supplement, and it was lifted last June. Since then, the return date has finally come into focus, giving her a chance to resume the career that was interrupted and test whether the time away really sharpened her game.
She believes it did. Lucindo has said she has never had a year to work on her game like this before, and she expects to arrive as a more complete fighter, one who is not afraid to grapple with anyone or strike with anyone. That confidence will be tested immediately against Caliari, who enters after her first win in the UFC, a third-round arm triangle over Shauna Bannon last May.
Lucindo has also praised Caliari as explosive, well-rounded and a very good athlete, which is part of why she expects the bout to deliver for fans. But the bigger story is the return itself: after a suspension, a long wait and a rare year without competition, Lucindo finally gets the next chance to prove that the time off was not wasted.
