Brazilian muay thai specialist Tainara Lisboa is the latest addition to the UFC bantamweight division, the fighter announced on social media. The company has yet to book her octagon debut, MMA Fighting has learned.
Lisboa became a two-time muay thai world champion before making the transition to MMA in 2016. Lisboa was defeated in her first fight by future UFC fighter Norma Dumont. However, she won five of six subsequent bouts. Lisboa enters the UFC after scoring three first-round stoppages in the Brazilian circuit since 2021.
” Every athlete wants to achieve the pinnacle, and the UFC represents that. The UFC is the World Cup,” Lisboa told MMA Fighting. It’s taken years of hard work, dedication and rejection to get this contract. I can’t explain how happy I am.”
Lisboa wants a solid career in the UFC. But, “it’s clear that I’ll be focusing the belt .”
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“I know I’ll get there when the time is right,” she said. “It’s a tough weight class with many experienced fighters. … With my muay thai history and how I won my MMA fights most of them on the ground, I believe my opponents will be puzzled when they prepare a strategy to beat me .”
Lisboa was asked if she knew of any fighters in UFC’s bantamweight division with striking power comparable to her. She praised former 145-pound champion Germaine de Randamie who is a former world champion for kickboxing and muay thai.
“Germaine is an excellent muay thai fighter,” Lisboa said. “We’re from the same era in muay thai. Although she was already an established star in muay Thai when I visited Thailand, we didn’t get to fight. However, I have always followed her career closely and respected her. She showed me that although muaythai is painful and beautiful .”
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