Jennifer Maia, a former Invicta FC champion and UFC title challenger, will no longer be fighting inside the octagon.
Just days after losing a decision against Viviane Araujo at UFC Vegas 81, the Brazilian standout has been removed from the promotion’s active roster. UFC Roster Tracker, an automated service monitoring changes to the company’s athlete database, noted the change on Wednesday.
Per a report by MMA Fighting, Maia had fought out her contract against Araujo, and was not re-signed.
Maia (21-10-1) had been on a two-fight win streak prior to the loss to Araujo, and was ranked #11 in the women’s flyweight division. The 35-year old from Curitiba, Brazil joined the company in 2018, falling to Liz Carmouche in her promotional debut. But the ex-Invicta champ would go on to win three of her next four fights, landing herself a title shot against then-champ Valentina Shevchenko.
While that title challenge was ultimately a losing effort, it did stand out for Maia being able to win a round against the dominant “Bullet” — something rarely seen at the time.
Since that title bid, Maia has posted a 3-3 record under the UFC banner. Should she continue to fight on, Bellator would have been an optimal fit, with Maia’s old foe Carmouche currently reigning as women’s flyweight champ. However, with the company up for sale and lacking a U.S. broadcast home after the end of this year, an alternative like the PFL (in talks to purchase Bellator) might be a more likely landing spot.
