# Jennifer Maia
**Jennifer Maia** (born 1988) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the women's flyweight division, a former Invicta FC flyweight champion and a one-time UFC title challenger who fought in the UFC from 2018 to 2023.[1](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia) • [2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1988, Brazil; women's flyweight[1](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia) |
| Physical profile | 5 ft 4 in, 135 lbs, 64-inch reach, orthodox stance; trains with Chute Boxe[1](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia) |
| Professional record | 23-10-1, with 4 wins by (T)KO and 5 by submission[1](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia) |
| Invicta FC | Won the interim flyweight title in March 2016 by decision over Vanessa Porto; defended the title twice[3](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/9/23/12987528/invicta-fc-champ-jennifer-maia-never-thought-she-would-get-this-far) • [2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia) |
| UFC tenure | Joined in 2018; won half of 12 octagon appearances, including wins over Roxanne Modafferi and Jessica Eye[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia) |
| Title shot | Challenged Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC flyweight title in the UFC 255 co-main event (November 21, 2020), losing a five-round unanimous decision (49-46 on all cards)[4](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/30363191/valentina-shevchenko-tops-jennifer-maia-unanimous-decision-ufc-255) • [5](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-255-Figueiredo-vs-Perez-PlaybyPlay-Results-Round-Scoring-176337) |
| UFC departure | Completed her contract with a loss to Viviane Araujo at UFC Vegas 81 (October 2023) and became a free agent[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia) |
## Early career and Invicta FC
Maia made her professional MMA debut in December 2009.[3](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/9/23/12987528/invicta-fc-champ-jennifer-maia-never-thought-she-would-get-this-far) She rose through the flyweight ranks of Invicta FC, the all-women's promotion, and won the interim flyweight championship in March 2016 with a unanimous decision over Vanessa Porto.[3](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/9/23/12987528/invicta-fc-champ-jennifer-maia-never-thought-she-would-get-this-far) Six months later, at Invicta FC 19 in Kansas City, she defended the belt against the veteran [Roxanne Modafferi](https://www.edgepedia.org/roxanne-modafferi).[3](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/9/23/12987528/invicta-fc-champ-jennifer-maia-never-thought-she-would-get-this-far)
**Champion on her own terms.** In late 2017 Maia said she had turned down a place in [The Ultimate Fighter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-ultimate-fighter) 26 tournament, which would have put her in line for a UFC title, because of her standing as Invicta champion: "I'm the Invicta champion, it doesn't make sense to start from zero in the UFC."[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2017/12/8/16755272/invicta-fc-26-results-jennifer-maia-retains-title-mackenzie-dern-dominates) She retained her title at Invicta FC 26 in December 2017.[6](https://www.mmafighting.com/2017/12/8/16755272/invicta-fc-26-results-jennifer-maia-retains-title-mackenzie-dern-dominates) In total she defended the Invicta FC title twice before moving to the UFC.[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia)
Maia is from Curitiba, and she has credited fellow Invicta FC champion [Cris Cyborg](https://www.edgepedia.org/cris-cyborg) with much of the acceptance of women's MMA in that city. She bought a ticket to watch [UFC 198](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-198) at the 42,000-seat Arena da Baixada in May 2016, and seeing Cyborg stop Leslie Smith in the first round changed her own career ambitions toward the UFC.[3](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/9/23/12987528/invicta-fc-champ-jennifer-maia-never-thought-she-would-get-this-far)
## UFC career
Maia joined the UFC in 2018 and lost her debut to [Liz Carmouche](https://www.edgepedia.org/liz-carmouche) by unanimous decision on July 14, 2018.[1](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia) She then defeated [Alexis Davis](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexis-davis-fighter) and Roxanne Modafferi in her next two bouts.[7](https://www.ufc.com/news/maia-has-path-laid-out-her-future?language_content_entity=en) Across her UFC run she won half of her 12 octagon appearances, with her most notable wins coming against Roxanne Modafferi and [Jessica Eye](https://www.edgepedia.org/jessica-eye).[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia)
**Title shot at UFC 255.** A first-round submission of Joanne Wood in 2020 earned Maia a shot at the UFC women's flyweight belt.[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia) She faced champion [Valentina Shevchenko](https://www.edgepedia.org/valentina-shevchenko) in the co-main event of [UFC 255](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-255) on November 21, 2020, in Las Vegas, entering as a heavy underdog, with betting odds around 20-to-1 against her.[8](https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/11/22/21589450/ufc-255-results-valentina-shevchenko-retains-title-with-unanimous-decision-win-gritty-jennifer-maia) Shevchenko won by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring 49-46.[5](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-255-Figueiredo-vs-Perez-PlaybyPlay-Results-Round-Scoring-176337) Maia's second round, in which she took Shevchenko down and controlled her on the mat, made her only the second flyweight in UFC history to win a round against Shevchenko, after Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2018.[4](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/30363191/valentina-shevchenko-tops-jennifer-maia-unanimous-decision-ufc-255) Shevchenko outlanded her 231-101 in total strikes according to UFC Stats data.[4](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/30363191/valentina-shevchenko-tops-jennifer-maia-unanimous-decision-ufc-255)
**Departure.** Maia's final UFC fight came in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 81 on October 14, 2023, where she lost a unanimous decision to Viviane Araujo at the UFC APEX. The promotion opted not to re-sign her, and she left as a free agent.[2](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia)
## Return to Invicta FC
After leaving the UFC, Maia returned to Invicta FC. She won a unanimous decision over Mayra Cantuaria in the headliner of Invicta FC 56 on August 9, 2024, and followed it with a five-round unanimous decision over Talita Bernardo at Invicta FC 59 on December 13, 2024, in an event billed Bernardo vs. Maia.[1](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia)
## Fighting style and record
Maia's professional record stands at 23-10-1, with 4 wins by technical knockout or knockout and 5 by submission, the remainder coming by decision.[1](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia) Her grappling is a defining feature of her game: she trained [Brazilian jiu-jitsu](https://www.edgepedia.org/brazilian-jiu-jitsu) as a black belt, and her most competitive moments against Shevchenko at UFC 255 came in the clinch and on the mat, including a takedown of the champion in the second round.[4](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/30363191/valentina-shevchenko-tops-jennifer-maia-unanimous-decision-ufc-255) She has fought much of her career in five-round bouts, including title fights in both Invicta FC and the UFC.[5](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-255-Figueiredo-vs-Perez-PlaybyPlay-Results-Round-Scoring-176337) • [1](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia)
## References
1. [Jennifer Maia MMA Fight History - ESPN](https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/history/_/id/3022348/jennifer-maia)
2. [UFC parts ways with one-time flyweight contender Jennifer Maia - MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/10/18/23922908/ufc-parts-ways-former-flyweight-contender-jennifer-maia)
3. [Invicta FC champ Jennifer Maia never thought she would get this far - MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2016/9/23/12987528/invicta-fc-champ-jennifer-maia-never-thought-she-would-get-this-far)
4. [Valentina Shevchenko tops Jennifer Maia by unanimous decision at UFC 255 - ESPN](https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/30363191/valentina-shevchenko-tops-jennifer-maia-unanimous-decision-ufc-255)
5. [UFC 255 'Figueiredo vs. Perez' Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring - Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/UFC-255-Figueiredo-vs-Perez-PlaybyPlay-Results-Round-Scoring-176337)
6. [Invicta 26 results: Jennifer Maia retains title, Mackenzie Dern wins - MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2017/12/8/16755272/invicta-fc-26-results-jennifer-maia-retains-title-mackenzie-dern-dominates)
7. [Maia Has A Path Laid Out For Her Future - UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/maia-has-path-laid-out-her-future?language_content_entity=en)
8. [UFC 255 results: Valentina Shevchenko retains title with unanimous decision win over gritty Jennifer Maia - MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/11/22/21589450/ufc-255-results-valentina-shevchenko-retains-title-with-unanimous-decision-win-gritty-jennifer-maia)
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