
A former Invicta FC strawweight champion and UFC athlete who last competed in MMA in 2021, Livia Renata Souza, or simply Livinha Souza, is in some hot water in her native Brazil.
The 33-year old from Sao Paulo, Brazil was arrested at her residence in Araraquara on Thursday following an anonymous tip that led to a search warrant being executed by local police. There, authorities found marijuana, steroids, ammunition, and a .380 pistol. News of Souza’s arrest was first reported by MMA Fighting.
Coincidentally, Souza was listed as eligible for Friday’s Global Fight League draft, but was not one of the 120 fighters selected.
A statement provided by the fighter’s lawyer, Glaucio Dalponte Mattiole, to MMA Fighting denied that the fighter had any involvement in drug trafficking. Instead, it suggested that the marijuana was for Souza’s own personal use. “During the operation, a quantity of marijuana was seized, a substance that she uses, as publicly declared previously. It’s worth noting that Livia was the first UFC fighter in Brazil to be sponsored by a CBD company and is a public defender of the legalization of marijuana.”
Brazil, like Canada and parts of the U.S., has slowly moved towards legalization of marijuana, dropping penalties for personal cultivation and private use in 2006. In 2024, it became legal to possess (and transport) up to 40 grams of marijuana for personal use in Brazil.
Livinha Souza’s lawyer did not address allegations of steroids being found at her residence. However, he added that the firearm seized “was acquired in the past. However, due to a series of setbacks, it has not yet been possible to regularize its possession. The fighter will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities, trusting that the investigation of the facts will allow us to conclude, unequivocally, that there are no irregularities or crimes attributed to her by the Civil Police.”
Souza (14-4) last saw action at UFC Vegas 41 in October 2021, losing her final bout in the octagon against Randa Markos. She finished her UFC run 3-3, after starting her career 9-0. She claimed the Invicta FC strawweight championship in 2015, and defended her belt once the following year before losing it to Angela Hill.