Luana Pinheiro

Luana Pinheiro is a 32-year-old Brazilian strawweight who grew up immersed in judo, earning her black belt and a national championship before pivoting to MMA in 2015. Born in João Pessoa to a family of judokas, she climbed the regional ranks quickly, posting a 7-1 record before earning a UFC contract via Dana White's Contender Series in November 2020. Her early UFC run showed promise, including a split-decision upset over Michelle Waterson-Gomez in April 2023 that suggested she could compete at a high level in the promotion.

Pinheiro fights as a grappler first, leveraging her judo foundation and purple belt in jiu-jitsu to hunt submissions and clinch dominance. Her record reflects a 45% submission rate and seven first-round finishes, and her striking, though less polished, keeps opponents honest as she closes distance. She lands the bulk of her significant strikes from standing (86%) but absorbs relatively heavy incoming fire, indicating a style built around forward pressure and ground control rather than striking defense.

The last 18 months have been unkind: Pinheiro has lost three of her last four outings, including a TKO loss to Amanda Ribas in November 2023, a guillotine choke submission to Angela Hill in May 2024, and back-to-back unanimous decisions against Gillian Robertson and Tecia Pennington. At 11-5-0, she remains active and fighting in the UFC, but the current losing streak has stalled any upward trajectory. Fans of technical grappling and submission finishes may still find value in her bouts, but her road back to relevance will depend on finding an opponent outside the current tier of contenders.