Jennifer Maia

Jennifer Apreciada Gonçalves de Maia[3] (born October 6, 1988) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Women's Flyweight division.

A professional since 2009, Maia is most notable for her 12 bout stint in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and for being the former Invicta FC Flyweight World Champion.

[1][2] She won several national titles in the discipline before turning to boxing and then mixed martial arts.

On October 28, 2011, Maia suffered her first loss to fellow Brazilian Vanessa Porto at Kumite MMA Combate.

[6] Maia rebounded with a second-round submission victory over Tatiane Porfirio Aguiar at Pink Fight 1 on January 29, 2012.

[9] At Cage Warriors Fight Night 4 on March 16, 2012, Maia suffered a somewhat controversial knockout loss to future UFC fighter Sheila Gaff.

At the start of the fight, when both fighters met in the center of the cage to touch gloves, Gaff unloaded a flurry of punches that knocked Maia out in just 10 seconds.

[10] Maia next faced future UFC Women's Strawweight Championship Jéssica Andrade on December 15, 2012, at Samurai FC 9: Water vs. Fire.

[13] Maia then faced off against Leslie Smith in a #1 contender's fight for a shot at the Flyweight Championship held by Barb Honchak at Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg on July 13, 2013.

[15] After returning from the regional scene in Brazil, in which she went 2–0, Maia next faced DeAnna Bennett on December 5, 2014, at Invicta FC 10: Waterson vs.

[19] Due to long-time Invicta FC Flyweight Champion Barb Honchak still unable to compete in a title unification bout, Maia was scheduled to face Roxanne Modafferi in a defense of her interim title on September 23, 2016, at Invicta FC 19: Maia vs.

[20] However, during the official weigh-in, it was announced that Barb Honchak was stripped of her title and that Maia would now be defending her undisputed championship at the event.

[37] Maia was scheduled to meet Viviane Araújo on June 27, 2020, at UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs.

[38] However, the bout was rescheduled in mid-June to take place on August 1, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan, after both participants faced travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[39] Subsequently, Araújo was removed from the card in mid-July, after testing positive for COVID-19, and she was replaced by Joanne Calderwood.

[48] As the first bout of her new four-fight contract, Maia faced Manon Fiorot on March 26, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 33.