Karolina Kowalkiewicz faced another defeat in the Octagon, marking her third consecutive loss.
The former UFC title challenger, known for her past rivalry with all-time great Joanna Jedrzejczyk, had aimed to recover from two previous losses at UFC Rio.
The 39-year-old Kowalkiewicz fought Julia Polastri, a strawweight competitor 12 years her junior.
Kowalkiewicz sought redemption in Brazil, where her prior two fights in Rio de Janeiro had also ended in losses. However, local favorite Polastri thwarted her plans on Saturday night.
Julia Polastri Secures TKO with Head Kick Against Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Polastri earned a third-round technical knockout (TKO) victory over Kowalkiewicz.
Kowalkiewicz, from Poland, faced significant damage from Polastri and was close to being stopped in the first two rounds.
Despite holding her ground initially, Kowalkiewicz was severely stunned by a clean head kick from Polastri in round three. Polastri then followed up with strikes, leading to a standing TKO finish.
This TKO win brings Polastri`s UFC record to 2-2.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz`s UFC Record Falls Below .500 After Latest Defeat
While Kowalkiewicz has previously overcome losing streaks, this fight was not her comeback.
She famously overcame a five-fight losing streak in the UFC, reigniting her career with four consecutive wins.
However, she has now suffered three straight losses, resulting in a 9-10 overall professional record.
The future for Kowalkiewicz following this latest defeat remains uncertain.
Neville Whittle