Brazilian mixed martial artist
Poliana Botelho
(born December 15, 1988) is a Brazilian
mixed martial artist
who competes in the
strawweight
division of
Bellator MMA
. She previously has competed in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC) and held the Women's Flyweight Championship in the
Xtreme Fighting Championships
.
Mixed martial arts career
[
edit
]
Early career
[
edit
]
Botelho made her professional debut in 2013, getting knockout wins over Thais Raphaela and Ingrid Schwartz in
Favela Kombat
and
KTAF
respectively. In 2014, she fought for the vacant flyweight title in the promotion
Bitetti Combat
. She lost the bout via Unanimous Decision to fellow Brazilian Mixed Martial Artist
Viviane Pereira
. She later signed to the
Xtreme Fighting Championships
as a
Flyweight
.
Xtreme Fighting Championships
[
edit
]
In 2014, Botelho joined XFC's second women's flyweight tournament. She made her promotional debut in September 2014 at XFCi 6 against Karina Rodriguez, winning the fight by TKO. The win propelled her to the tournament's semifinal round.
[4]
Botelho was then slated to fight
Taila Santos
at XFCi 8 in December 2014. However, Santos failed to make weight, leading to the cancelation of the bout. Botelho, in turn, was advanced to the tournament's final round.
[5]
In March 2015, Botelho fought once more under the XFC banner, this time taking on Antonia Silvaneide in the Women's Flyweight Tournament Final at XFCi 9. She won the fight by TKO in the first round, becoming the second winner in the history of the tournament.
[6]
After the win, she was honored with a parade in her hometown.
[7]
Later that year, Botelho faced
Argentine
fighter
Silvana Gomez Juarez
, this time for the vacant XFC Women's Flyweight belt at XFCi 11. Despite being dropped and nearly submitted in the early rounds, Botelho went on to win the fight after a doctor stoppage between rounds. Botelho became the promotion's Women's Flyweight Champion.
[8]
After her success in XFC, Botelho vacated the title and was signed to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
in 2016.
[9]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
[
edit
]
Botelho joined the UFC's strawweight division. She was expected to make her UFC debut against
Valerie Letourneau
at
UFC 206
, but was forced to pull out due to injury. She was replaced by former opponent and fellow
XFC
champion
Viviane Pereira
.
[10]
Botelho fought
Pearl Gonzalez
at
UFC 216
on October 7, 2017.
[11]
She won the fight via unanimous decision.
[12]
Botelho faced
Syuri Kondo
on May 19, 2018 at
UFC Fight Night 129
.
[13]
She won the fight via TKO due to a body kick and punches just 33 seconds into the first round.
[14]
Botelho faced
Cynthia Calvillo
on November 17, 2018 at
UFC Fight Night 140
.
[15]
At the weigh-ins, Calvillo weighed in at 118 lbs, 2 pounds over the strawweight non-title fight limit of 116 lbs. She was fined 20 percent of her purse, which went to Botelho, and the bout proceeded at catchweight.
[16]
She lost the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in round one.
[17]
Botelho was briefly linked to a matchup with
Paige VanZant
at
UFC 236
on April 13,
[18]
However, just days after the pairing was leaked, VanZant announced that she would not be competing on the card due to a fractured right arm.
[19]
VanZant was replaced by
Lauren Mueller
.
[20]
She won the fight by unanimous decision.
[21]
Botelho was scheduled to face
Maryna Moroz
on August 17, 2019 at
UFC 241
.
[22]
However, it was reported on August 1, 2019 that Moroz was forced to pull out from the event citing injury.
[23]
Botelho faced
Gillian Robertson
on October 18, 2020 at
UFC Fight Night 180
.
[24]
She lost the fight via unanimous decision.
[25]
Botelho was scheduled to face
Ji Yeon Kim
on May 1, 2021 at
UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Prochazka
.
[26]
However, Kim pulled out of the fight on March 22 citing injury and was replaced by
Mayra Bueno Silva
.
[27]
Bueno suffered a back injury in late March and she was pulled from the bout.
[28]
Bueno was replaced by
Luana Carolina
.
[29]
She lost the close bout via split decision.
[30]
Botelho was scheduled to face
Ji Yeon Kim
on January 22, 2022 at
UFC 270
,
[31]
but Botelho pulled out instead and the pairing was scrapped.
[32]
[33]
Botelho faced
Karine Silva
on June 4, 2022 at
UFC Fight Night 207
.
[34]
She lost the fight via brabo choke in round one.
[35]
After her last loss, it was announced that Botelho was no longer under contract with the UFC.
[36]
Invicta FC
[
edit
]
Botelho faced
Helen Peralta
at
Invicta FC 49: Delboni vs. DeCoursey
on September 28, 2022.
[37]
She won the bout via unanimous decision.
[38]
Bellator MMA
[
edit
]
Soon after her victory in Invicta, Botelho was signed to a multi-fight contract with
Bellator MMA
.
[39]
Championships and accomplishments
[
edit
]
Mixed martial arts
[
edit
]
- Xtreme Fighting Championships
Personal life
[
edit
]
In February 2023, Botelho announced on her social media that she was getting treatment for breast cancer and had a lymph node removed.
[41]
Mixed martial arts record
[
edit
]
Professional record breakdown
14 matches
|
9 wins
|
5 losses
|
By knockout
|
6
|
0
|
By submission
|
0
|
2
|
By decision
|
3
|
3
|
Res.
|
Record
|
Opponent
|
Method
|
Event
|
Date
|
Round
|
Time
|
Location
|
Notes
|
Win
|
9?5
|
Helen Peralta
|
Decision (unanimous)
|
Invicta FC 49
|
September 28, 2022
|
3
|
5:00
|
Hinton, Oklahoma
, United States
|
|
Loss
|
8?5
|
Karine Silva
|
Submission (brabo choke)
|
UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Rozenstruik
|
June 4, 2022
|
1
|
4:55
|
Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|
Loss
|
8?4
|
Luana Carolina
|
Decision (split)
|
UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Prochazka
|
May 1, 2021
|
3
|
5:00
|
Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
Catchweight (128.5 lb) bout; Carolina missed weight.
|
Loss
|
8?3
|
Gillian Robertson
|
Decision (unanimous)
|
UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. The Korean Zombie
|
October 18, 2020
|
3
|
5:00
|
Abu Dhabi
, United Arab Emirates
|
|
Win
|
8?2
|
Lauren Mueller
|
Decision (unanimous)
|
UFC 236
|
April 13, 2019
|
3
|
5:00
|
Atlanta, Georgia
, United States
|
Return to Flyweight.
|
Loss
|
7?2
|
Cynthia Calvillo
|
Submission (rear-naked choke)
|
UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Ponzinibbio
|
November 17, 2018
|
1
|
4:48
|
Buenos Aires
, Argentina
|
Catchweight (118 lb) bout; Calvillo missed weight.
|
Win
|
7?1
|
Syuri Kondo
|
TKO (body kick and punches)
|
UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Usman
|
May 19, 2018
|
1
|
0:33
|
Santiago
, Chile
|
|
Win
|
6?1
|
Pearl Gonzalez
|
Decision (unanimous)
|
UFC 216
|
October 7, 2017
|
3
|
5:00
|
Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
Strawweight debut.
|
Win
|
5?1
|
Silvana Gomez Juarez
|
TKO (doctor stoppage)
|
XFC International 11
|
September 19, 2015
|
4
|
5:00
|
Sao Paulo
, Brazil
|
Won the vacant
XFC Flyweight Championship
.
|
Win
|
4?1
|
Antonia Silvaneide
|
TKO (punches)
|
XFC International 9
|
March 14, 2015
|
1
|
1:36
|
Sao Paulo
, Brazil
|
|
Win
|
3?1
|
Karina Rodriguez
|
TKO (body kick)
|
XFC International 6
|
September 27, 2014
|
3
|
2:15
|
Araraquara
, Brazil
|
|
Loss
|
2?1
|
Viviane Pereira
|
Decision (unanimous)
|
Bitetti Combat 20
|
June 7, 2014
|
3
|
5:00
|
Armacao dos Buzios
, Brazil
|
For the vacant Bitetti Combat Women's Flyweight Championship.
|
Win
|
2?0
|
Ingrid Schwartz
|
TKO (punches)
|
KTA Fight 1
|
December 14, 2013
|
1
|
N/A
|
Cataguases
, Brazil
|
|
Win
|
1?0
|
Thais Raphaela
|
TKO (punches)
|
Favela Kombat 8
|
September 28, 2013
|
1
|
N/A
|
Niteroi
, Brazil
|
|
[42]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Poliana Botelho UFC profile"
. UFC.com
. Retrieved
2017-09-02
.
- ^
Renato Senna (May 1, 2017).
"No aguardo do UFC, brasileira promete: "Vou chegar metendo o pe na porta"
"
(in Portuguese). Torcedores.com.
- ^
Staff (2014-09-27).
"XFCi6"
. xfcmma.com
. Retrieved
2017-09-02
.
- ^
Staff (2015-02-16).
"Botelho one win from tournament championship"
. xfcmma.com
. Retrieved
2017-09-02
.
- ^
Staff (2015-03-14).
"Botelho wins Flyweight Tournament"
. xfcmma.com
. Retrieved
2017-09-02
.
- ^
Staff (2015-03-28).
"Botelho parade"
. xfcmma.com
. Retrieved
2017-09-02
.
- ^
"Campea do XFC, Poliana Botelho comemora ano e projeta 2016 melhor"
.
globoesporte.com
(in Brazilian Portuguese)
. Retrieved
2018-11-16
.
- ^
Guilherme Cruz (2016-05-03).
"UFC signs Botelho"
. mmafighting.com
. Retrieved
2017-09-02
.
- ^
Staff (2016-10-26).
"Valerie Letourneau finally confronts Viviane Pereira at UFC 206"
(in French). rds.ca
. Retrieved
2017-09-02
.
- ^
MMAjunkie staff (2017-08-30).
"Pearl Gonzalez vs. debuting Poliana Botelho officially booked for UFC 216"
. mmajunkie.com
. Retrieved
2017-09-02
.
- ^
Ericson, Matt (7 October 2017).
"UFC 216 results: Poliana Botelho outworks takedown-hungry Pearl Gonzalez for decision sweep"
.
mmajunkie.usatoday.com
. Retrieved
19 February
2022
.
- ^
DNA, MMA (10 February 2018).
"Poliana Botelho stuit op Syuri Kondo tijdens UFC Fight Night Santiago (Chili)"
.
mmadna.nl
. Retrieved
2018-02-10
.
- ^
"UFC Fight Night 129 results: Poliana Botelho liver kick shuts down Syuri Kondo in 33 seconds"
.
MMAjunkie
. 2018-05-20
. Retrieved
2018-05-20
.
- ^
Marcelo Barone and Raphael Marinho (2018-08-17).
"Poliana Botelho faces American Cynthia Calvillo at UFC Buenos Aires"
(in Portuguese). sportv.globo.com
. Retrieved
2018-08-17
.
- ^
"UFC Buenos Aires: Magny vs. Santiago Set, but Cynthia Calivillo Misses Weight | MMAWeekly.copm"
. www.mmaweekly.com. 16 November 2018
. Retrieved
2018-11-16
.
- ^
"UFC Argentina results: Cynthia Calvillo choke taps Poliana Botelho in first"
.
MMAjunkie
. 2018-11-18
. Retrieved
2018-11-18
.
- ^
Raphael Marinho (2020-02-20).
"Poliana Botelho faces Paige VanZant at UFC 236, April 13"
(in Portuguese). sportv.globo.com
. Retrieved
2019-02-20
.
- ^
Mike Bohn (2018-02-28).
"UFC's Paige VanZant says she's suffered another arm fracture"
. mmajunkie.com
. Retrieved
2019-03-01
.
- ^
DNA, MMA (28 February 2019).
"Paige VanZant geblesseerd, Poliana Botelho treft nu Lauren Mueller tijdens UFC 236"
. Retrieved
2019-03-01
.
- ^
"UFC 236 results: Poliana Botelho survives late charge, takes decision over Lauren Mueller"
.
MMA Junkie
. 2019-04-13
. Retrieved
2019-04-14
.
- ^
"UFC acerta luta entre Poliana Botelho e Maryna Moroz para Anaheim, dia 17 de agosto"
.
Sportv
(in Brazilian Portuguese)
. Retrieved
2019-06-13
.
- ^
Cruz, Guilherme (2019-07-31).
"Maryna Moroz out of UFC 241 fight with Poliana Botelho"
.
MMA Fighting
. Retrieved
2019-08-01
.
- ^
DNA, MMA (2020-07-29).
"Gillian Robertson treft Poliana Botelho tijdens UFC evenement op 17 oktober"
.
MMA DNA
. Retrieved
2020-07-30
.
- ^
Anderson, Jay (2020-10-17).
"UFC Fight Island 6 Results: Gillian Robertson Dominates Poliana Botelho"
.
Cageside Press
. Retrieved
2020-10-17
.
- ^
DNA, MMA (2021-02-10).
"Poliana Botelho treft Ji Yeon Kim tijdens UFC evenement op 1 mei"
.
MMA DNA
. Retrieved
2021-02-11
.
- ^
DNA, MMA (2021-03-22).
"Poliana Botelho meets Mayra Bueno Silva on May 1"
.
MMA DNA
. Retrieved
2021-03-22
.
- ^
Farah Hannoun (2021-03-31).
"UFC on ESPN 23: Mayra Bueno Silva out of Poliana Botelho fight due to back injury"
. mmajunkie.usatoday.com
. Retrieved
2021-03-31
.
- ^
Marinho, Raphael.
"UFC encaminha Luana Dread contra Poliana Botelho para 1º de maio"
.
globoesporte
(in Brazilian Portuguese)
. Retrieved
1 April
2021
.
- ^
"UFC on ESPN 23 play-by-play and live results"
.
MMA Junkie
. 2021-05-02
. Retrieved
2021-05-02
.
- ^
DNA, MMA (2021-10-02).
"Ji Yeon Kim vs. Poliana Botelho toegevoegd aan UFC 270 op 22 januari"
.
MMA DNA
. Retrieved
2021-10-03
.
- ^
Staff (2021-11-26).
"Ji Yeon Kim faces Poliana Botelho at UFC 270"
. asianmma.com
. Retrieved
2022-01-12
.
- ^
Farah Hannoun and Nolan King (2022-01-12).
"Ji Yeon Kim faces Poliana Botelho at UFC 270"
. mmajunkie.usatoday.com
. Retrieved
2022-01-12
.
- ^
Marcel Dorff.
"UFC BRAZILIAN WOMEN BOTELHO & SILVA MEET ON JUNE 4"
.
www.eurosport.com
. Retrieved
2022-02-09
.
(in Dutch)
- ^
Bitter, Shawn (2022-06-04).
"UFC Vegas 56: Karine Silva Makes UFC Debut, Finishes Botelho With D'Arce"
.
Cageside Press
. Retrieved
2022-06-04
.
- ^
Anderson, Jay (2022-06-16).
"Infamous Askar Mozharov, Poliana Botelho Latest to Exit UFC"
.
Cageside Press
. Retrieved
2022-06-18
.
- ^
Anderson, Jay (24 August 2022).
"Multiple Fights Announced for Invicta FC 49 in Oklahoma"
.
cagesidepress.com
. Retrieved
24 August
2022
.
- ^
King, Kristen (2022-09-29).
"Invicta FC 49 results, highlights: Jillian DeCoursey dethrones Jessica Delboni in the first round"
.
Bloody Elbow
. Retrieved
2022-10-15
.
- ^
Ribas, Diego; Vegas, em Las.
"Ex-UFC, Poliana Botelho assina contrato com o rival Bellator - Ag. Fight - Agencia de noticias"
(in Brazilian Portuguese)
. Retrieved
2022-10-21
.
- ^
"Campea do XFC, Poliana Botelho comemora ano e projeta 2016 melhor"
.
globoesporte.com
(in Brazilian Portuguese)
. Retrieved
2018-11-16
.
- ^
Cruz, Guilherme (2023-02-12).
"Bellator's Poliana Botelho reveals she's battling breast cancer, undergoes surgery"
.
MMA Fighting
. Retrieved
2023-02-13
.
- ^
Sherdog.com.
"Poliana Botelho MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography - Sherdog.com"
.
Sherdog
. Retrieved
2018-11-16
.
External links
[
edit
]