Early career
Santos became a mixed martial artist by chance. She has explained that "I was watching a UFC event at a friend's house and her father was there with a friend ... I joked that I would do that one day, and her father's friend asked if it was for real. I said I'd do it, but never imagined it would go beyond that." [6] She was invited to train at the 011 MMA gym in São Paulo by the friend, who knew the team's owner. [6] "I did one MMA training and never stopped since", she said. [6]
Santos competed in her first MMA fight on the amateur level on 27 April 2019, under the SFT promotion, and won against Karine Cristine by unanimous decision. [1]
Santos won two more amateur bouts, one by technical knockout (TKO) and one by decision, before winning her first professional fight on 15 July 2021, by submission against Marjorie Barragan. [1]
Santos defeated Djulia Ariana by unanimous decision on 18 December 2021, and then Beatriz Ferreira by submission on 30 April 2022. [1]
Afterwards, Santos was signed by the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), competing as a flyweight. [4] [8] In her first fight under the LFA promotion, she lost by split decision to Jena Bishop on 8 July 2022, the first loss of her career. [1] [4] Santos later defeated Waleska Sousa on 4 November 2022, by unanimous decision, and Bartira Rodrigues on 10 March 2023, by technical submission. [1]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
In June 2023, it was reported that Santos signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. [9] [10]
Santos faced Juliana Miller on 12 August 2023, at UFC on ESPN 51. [11] She won the fight via a first-round knockout, the first knockout of her professional career. [12]
Santos faced Stephanie Egger in a bantamweight bout on 9 December 2023, at UFC Fight Night 233. [13] At the weigh-ins, Santos weighed in at 139 pounds, three pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. Her bout proceeded at catchweight with Santos being fined 20% of her purse which went to Egger. [14] Santos won the fight by unanimous decision. [15]
Santos faced Mariya Agapova on 13 July 2024, at UFC on ESPN 59. [16] She won the fight by a rear-naked choke in the first round. [17]
Replacing Tereza Bledá, Santos faced Casey O'Neill on 17 August 2024, at UFC 305. [18] She lost the fight by unanimous decision. [19]
Moving up to bantamweight, Santos faced Tainara Lisboa on 17 May 2025, at UFC Fight Night 256. [20] She won the fight via a keylock in the second round. [21]
Santos was scheduled to face Darya Zheleznyakova on 8 November 2025, at UFC Fight Night 264. [22] However, Zheleznyakova withdrew from the fight for unknown reasons and was replaced by Melissa Croden. [23] In turn, the bout was moved to UFC on ESPN 73 on 13 December 2025. [24] She won the fight by unanimous decision. [25]
Santos faced Karol Rosa on 20 June 2026, at UFC Fight Night 279. [26] She won the fight by unanimous decision. [27]
Santos is scheduled to face Yana Santos on 31 October 2026, at UFC Fight Night 292. [28]
