Former Invicta FC champion Livia Renata Souza steps into the Octagon for the second time at UFC Fortaleza this weekend, and she’s looking to put the strawweight division on notice.
Back in September of last year, at UFC Sao Paulo, we saw the promotional debut of former Invicta FC champion, Livia Renata Souza. She dismantled Alex Chambers in less than 90 seconds. It was expected of Souza to win, but no one expected it to be so one-sided. This win sent a strong message across the strawweight division.
Souza currently stands with a record of 12-1, which includes wins over Japanese MMA stalwart Ayaka Hamasaki, former TUF contestant DeAnna Bennett, former Invicta FC champion Katja Kankaanpää, and many more. Not only does she have a decorated resume, but the fact that she has gone decision only three times in her 13-fight career makes her even scarier. She has explosive striking and a submission game even the most accomplished grappler would envy.
When she enters the cage, she only has one goal: win in the most destructive fashion possible. One might expect her game plan is too reckless but that is not the case, not anymore at least. Since losing a debatable split decision to Angela Hill way back in 2016, Souza has shown amazing maturity in the Octagon. She stays calm and ferocious at the same time. She fights like a tiger, not a bull. Her aggression makes her matches a “don’t blink” type of event.
This weekend, she takes on fellow Brazilian and undefeated Sarah Frota. A Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series find, Frota enters the fight with a 9-0 record. Though she hasn’t faced someone even relatively skilled as Souza, she is a great fighter. She, like Souza, has a strong finish percentage. Plus, she’ll be moving down from the flyweight division and is relatively tall so she’ll have both a height and reach advantage against Souza. Compared to Chambers, this is a step-up in competition.
This should be an easy win for Souza and should reaffirm her position in the strawweight division.
