Lucia Szabova will arrive in the UFC bantamweight division on Saturday night.

The Octagon is back at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas after last weekend’s memorable UFC 333 numbered event in Abu Dhabi.

Following Alexander Volkanovski’s knockout of Movsar Evloev in the October 24 main event, the month will close out with a lightweight headliner between ex-title challenger Renato Moicano and Tom Nolan.

The upcoming card lacks the kind of star power that last Saturday’s had, but there are still some intriguing storylines at play, among them being the debut of a former multi-weight Oktagon MMA champion.

Do you think Tom Nolan has the potential to be a future title challenger?

UFC Vegas 123 debutant Lucia Szabova has changed her tune on MMA

Oktagon MMA has established itself as one of Europe’s top promotions, and among the names finding the most success under that banner has been Lucia Szabova.

The 12-0 Slovakian is the first and only woman to hold multiple titles in the organization, having first captured the women’s bantamweight title with a quick knockout of Cecile Bolander in August 2025.

Earlier this year, ‘Silent Killer’ made a successful flyweight debut, winning that division’s championship before successfully defending her 135-pound gold against ex-UFC fighter Lucie Pudilova in August.

Szabova is now set for her first foray into the Octagon, as she debuts against Tainara Lisboa on the prelims of UFC Vegas 123 on October 31.

The Slovakian prospect is 12 fights into her pro career, which did not look likely when she first deemed MMA to be “too brutal” after starting out.

“I started with judo when I was young. Then, when I was a teenager, I moved to Muay Thai, and from that, I tried MMA,” Szabova told Simon Head for UFC.com.

“Actually, I was thinking it’s not for me. But after one fight, I realized it’s exactly what I want to do. And that’s how it came to this point. I started with MMA, I think, eight years ago.

“Because it was too brutal for me,” she continued. “Like I never thought I could beat somebody on the ground and finish girls. But when I tried, I figured it out.

“It’s very creative, and it’s really an art for me because you have to control your mind, your body. You have to be present, so it’s really an art for me.”

Many are surprised to see Szabova debuting on the prelims, given her success overseas and the hype behind her arrival.

‘Silent Killer’ will hope to prove that she belongs on main cards moving forward by staying undefeated at Lisboa’s expense on Saturday night.