Macy Chiasson replaces Julia Avila, set to face Raquel Pennington at UFC Vegas 45

Macy Chiasson will be stepping up on short notice to face Raquel Pennington on the final card of 2022.

Pennington was supposed to face Julia Avila but it was reported by MyMMANews that Avila was forced out of the fight due to an injury. Now, MMAFighting reported Chiasson has stepped up on short notice to face Pennington at UFC Vegas 45 on December 18 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Both fighters have confirmed the news on social media as well.

Macy Chiasson (7-1) hasn’t fought since March where she beat Marion Reneau by decision. Since then, she was booked to fight Aspen Ladd twice but a broken foot from Chiasson and Ladd missing weight pulled the fight twice. Prior to the win over Reneau, she beat Shanna Young by decision to get back into the win column after losing to Lina Lansberg in an upset. The 10th-ranked bantamweight earned her way into the UFC by winning TUF 28 and also holds stoppage wins over Sarah Moras, Gina Mazany, and Pannie Kianzad in the UFC.

Raquel Pennington (12-8), is on a two-fight winning streak and beat Kianzad by decision back in September, in the fight before, she beat Marion Reneau by decision. In the fight before, she dropped a decision to Holly Holm after beating Irene Aldana by decision. The win over Aldana snapped a two-fight losing skid where she lost to Germaine de Randamie by decision and a TKO loss to Amanda Nunes for the belt. She’s currently ranked eighth at bantamweight and holds a notable wins over Miesha Tate.

With the addition of Chiasson vs. Pennington, UFC Vegas 45 is as follows: