Canadian bantamweight Melissa Croden, a rising star in women’s mixed martial arts, is set to return to the Octagon on April 18, 2026, when she competes at UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Malott in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Croden (7-3), who hails from Toronto and trains out of Alberta, will face Russia’s Darya Zhelezniakova in a bantamweight bout on the preliminary card at the Canada Life Centre.
Since joining the UFC from the Legacy Fighting Alliance, Croden has shown promise inside the world’s premier MMA promotion. She made a splash in her debut at UFC Vancouver with a TKO victory in October 2025 and most recently suffered a unanimous decision loss in December.
Competing on Canadian soil again adds to Croden’s momentum as one of Canada’s most compelling female fighters, and a strong performance in Winnipeg could boost her profile in the competitive bantamweight division.
To see the entire UFC Winnipeg card as it develops, go to the MM-EH Upcoming Fights page above, or click this link HERE.