The Weight Cutting Chronicles: UFC 255

Jennifer Maia UFC San Antonio
Jennifer Maia Credit: Rodney James Edgar/Cageside Press

Jennifer Maia (18-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC)

Flyweight (125lbs): 3-2 (UFC), Missed weight 2 times

Jennifer Maia has fought in the flyweight division dating back to her first few fights in the early 2010s. Maia has also had a couple of bantamweight fights, including a Muay Thai bout against Paula Vieira in 2016 which was the last time she competed in professional combat sports in the division. Within the same calendar year, Maia became the  Invicta Fighting Championships Women’s Flyweight champion and was able to successfully defend her title the next year.

Jennifer Maia was signed to the UFC in mid-2018 and though she dropped her first fight via unanimous decision to Liz Carmouche, she was able to get back into the win column immediately with a win in her sophomore bout over Alexis Davis.

Jennifer Maia missed weight for her fight against Roxanne Modafferi in July of 2019. Maia weighed in at 129lbs for the bout.

Maia also missed weight for her next fight too, less than four months later against Katlyn Ckookagian which had to be changed to a catchweight bout when she weighed in at 127.2lbs.

Thanks to Joanne Calderwood, Jennifer Maia got a short notice bout earlier this year in April that was essentially a fight for the title shot against Valentia Shevchenko who was recovering from an injury at the time. Maia made weight for the fight and then upset Calderwood with an armbar in the first round. Despite questions about her weight cut, Maia has been granted a title shot at flyweight against Schevchenko at UFC 255.