Luana Munize Barbosa Pinheiro (born November 18, 1993) is a Brazilian professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

who competes in the women's

Strawweight Mini flyweight, also known as paperweight, minimumweight, strawweight, or super atomweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing In professional boxing, boxers in the minimumweight division may weigh no more than . This is a relatively new ...

division of the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...

(UFC).

Background

Pinheiro was born into a family of judokas and started the sport at the age of two in her hometown of João Pessoa. After an accomplished junior career in judo she moved to

Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte is the List of largest cities in Brazil, sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population of around 2.3 million, and the third largest metropolitan area, containing a population of 6 million. It is the List of cities in Sout ...

in 2011 in pursuit of a spot in the Brazilian Olympic judo team. However, her Olympic dreams didn't materialize and she opted to start training mixed martial arts in late 2015.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Pinheiro racked a 7–1 record, competing in Brazilian regional circuit and

Brave Combat Federation BRAVE Combat Federation is a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion based in Bahrain. The organization was established on 23 September 2016 by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa. BRAVE Combat Federation features mixed martial artists from more than ...

before being invited to

Dana White's Contender Series Dana White's Contender Series, formerly named Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series, is an American mixed martial arts promotion. In May 2017, the UFC announced White would hold the competition weekly on UFC Fight Pass (It has since been mov ...

Dana White's Contender Series

Pinheiro faced Stephanie Frausto at Dana White's Contender Series 35 on November 10, 2020. She won the fight via first-round technical knockout and was awarded a UFC contract.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Pinheiro was scheduled to make her promotional debut against

Randa Markos Randa Cemil Markos-Thomas (born August 10, 1985) is an Chaldean Iraqi-born Canadian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the strawweight division. She most notably fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Personal life ...

on March 27, 2021, at

UFC 260 ''UFC 260: Miocic vs. Ngannou 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 27, 2021, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United Sta ...

. However, Markos was removed from the card on March 18 after testing positive for COVID-19. The bout was rescheduled for May 1, 2021, at UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Procházka. Pinheiro won the bout via disqualification in the first round after Markos accidentally upkicked her in the head, rendering her unable to continue. Pinheiro was scheduled to make her sophomore appearance in the organization against

Jessica Penne Jessica Penne (born January 30, 1983) is an American professional mixed martial artist. Penne competed in the Women's Strawweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She was the first Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. She also c ...

UFC Fight Night 198 ''UFC Fight Night: Vieira vs. Tate'' (also known as ''UFC on ESPN+ 56'', ''UFC Vegas 43'' and ''UFC Fight Night 198'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on November 20, 2021 at the UFC A ...

on November 20, 2021. However Penne withdrew from the bout for undisclosed reason and she was replaced by

Sam Hughes Sir Samuel Hughes, (January 8, 1853 – August 23, 1921) was the Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence during World War I. After a stormy tenure in the position, he was dismissed by Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden in 1916. Early life H ...

. She won the bout via unanimous decision. Pinheiro was again scheduled to face

on April 30, 2022, at

UFC Fight Night 208 ''UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 208'' and ''UFC on ESPN+ 66'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on July 23, 2022, at The O2 Arena in Lon ...

. Their bout is once again cancelled due to Pinheiro pulling out due to an undisclosed injury. Pinhero faced

Michelle Waterson Michelle Eileen Waterson-Gomez (born January 6, 1986) is an American former mixed martial artist, actress, stuntwoman, and model who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She is the former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. Betwe ...

on April 8, 2023, at

UFC 287 ''UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on April 8, 2023, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, United States. Background The event marked the promotion' ...

. She won the close bout via split decision. Pinhero faced

Amanda Ribas Amanda Limborco Alcântara Ribas (born August 26, 1993) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the women's Strawweight and Flyweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of March 11, 2025, ...

on November 18, 2023, at

UFC Fight Night 232 ''UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 232, UFC on ESPN+ 90'' and ''UFC Vegas 82'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on November 18, 2023, at the UFC Apex ...

. She lost the fight by TKO in the third round. Pinhero faced

Angela Hill Angela Patrice Hill (born January 12, 1985) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She was formerly signed with the Invicta Fighting Championships, where ...

on May 18, 2024, at

UFC Fight Night 241 ''UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 241'', ''UFC on ESPN+ 99'' and ''UFC Vegas 92'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 18, 2024, at the UFC A ...

. She lost the bout by a guillotine choke submission in the second round. Pinhero faced

Gillian Robertson Gillian Elizabeth Robertson (born May 17, 1995) is a Canadian professional mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of May 6, 2025, she is #9 in the UFC wome ...

on November 9, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 247. She lost the fight by unanimous decision. Pinhero faced Tecia Pennington on May 17, 2025 at

UFC Fight Night 256 ''UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Morales'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 256'' and ''UFC Vegas 106'' and ''UFC on ESPN+ 114'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 17, 2025, at the UF ...

. She lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Professional grappling career

Pinheiro competed against

Ffion Davies Ffion Davies (born 18 January 1995) is a Welsh submission grappler and mixed martial artist. She is a multiple winner of the IBJJF World Championship, including the no-gi championship in 2023 in both the 61 kg and absolute divisions. Da ...

in the co-main event of ADXC 2 on January 19, 2024. She lost the match by submission in the first round.

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 11–5 , Tecia Pennington , Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Morales , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 11–4 ,

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Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

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, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

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, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–1 , Helen Harper , KO (punches) , Brave CF 29 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:00 ,

Isa Town Isa Town (, ''Madīnat ʿĪsā'') is a middle class town located in Bahrain, in the north central part of the country. Etymology The name ''Isa'' refers to Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifah, a former ruler of Bahrain, from 1961 to 1999. History Isa To ...

, Bahrain , , - , Win , align=center, 6–1 , Yasmeli Araque , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Brave CF 26 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:34 ,

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

, Colombia , , - , Win , align=center, 5–1 , Elaine Leal , Submission (guillotine choke) , Brave CF 11 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:46 ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 4–1 , Jessica Kelly Soares Rodrigues , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Federação Fight 7 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:37 ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 3–1 , Charlene Batista de Souza , Submission (armbar) , Federação Fight 4 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:40 ,

, Brazil , , - , Loss , align=center, 2–1 , Cris Macfer Ferreira Macedo , Decision (split) , All Fights 1 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Thatiane Araújo , Decision (unanimous) , BH Sparta 9 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pinheiro, Luana Living people 1993 births Sportspeople from João Pessoa, Paraíba Martial artists from Paraíba Brazilian female judoka Brazilian female mixed martial artists Strawweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing judo Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Brazilian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Ultimate Fighting Championship female fighters 21st-century Brazilian sportswomen