Ashley Yoder to return from two-year UFC layoff vs. Emily Ducote

After two years away from the UFC cage, Ashley Yoder has her next assignment.

At a UFC Fight Night event Oct. 14, Yoder (8-8 MMA, 3-7 UFC) will compete for the first time in 27 months when she takes on Emily Ducote (12-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in a strawweight bout.

Two people with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official.

Yoder, 35, most recently competed in July 2021 when she lost a unanimous decision to Jinh Yu Frey. She was booked to return in January 2022 vs. Vanessa Demopoulos but withdrew due to injury. Yoder spent the next 18 months rehabbing and partaking in a yet-to-be-released reality series, she recently revealed to MMA Junkie.

Ducote, 29, looks to bounce back from consecutive losses to Angela Hill and Loopy Godinez. The two-fight skid followed a successful UFC debut against Jessica Penne at UFC on ABC 3 in July 2022. Prior to her UFC signing, Ducote held the Invicta strawweight title.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Oct. 14 includes:

• Irina Alekseeva vs. Melissa Dixon
• Emily Ducote vs. Ashley Yoder

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for the UFC Fight Night event Oct. 14.