BRAZILIAN PROSPECTS MMA FIGHTERS IN THE WOMEN'S FLYWEIGHT CATEGORY IN 2026

Unlike other women’s divisions, the women’s flyweight division is currently one where Brazil has struggled to produce new UFC-level prospects. Despite having highly ranked and already established fighters in the world’s biggest MMA organization — such as Natália Silva and Karine “Killer” Silva — the replenishment of Brazilian talent in the division has not occurred at the same pace seen in other weight classes. For that reason, this overview, conducted in January 2026, highlights four prospects, based on the national rankings while weighing factors such as age, professional record, and recent performances.

• Layze Cerqueira presents one of the most intriguing profiles in the division. Her 12–5 record may initially appear inconsistent, but most of those ups and downs occurred early in her career, when she alternated wins and losses. Currently, Layze is enjoying the best stretch of her professional trajectory, riding an eight-fight winning streak. Of her 12 victories, eight came by stoppage, including seven submissions and one TKO, highlighting her strong grappling efficiency. While she has competed across multiple weight classes, flyweight is the division where she has made the most appearances. In addition, Layze is the reigning bantamweight champion (one division above) in Jungle Fight, one of Brazil’s largest and most traditional MMA promotions, further reinforcing her competitive level and credibility on the national scene.
  
  
  
  
  
• Jady Menezes, who turns 34 years old at the beginning of 2026, does not fit the age profile typically targeted by the UFC, but she compensates for that with a unique combat sports background. Prior to transitioning to MMA, she built a solid kickboxing career, becoming a Glory champion, one of the premier organizations in the sport worldwide. Fighters such as Alex Pereira and César Almeida show that elite strikers can reach the UFC later in their careers. In MMA, Jady holds a 6–1 record, having lost only in her professional debut before putting together six consecutive victories. This momentum led her to capture the ARES FC flyweight title, one of Europe’s strongest MMA promotions, followed by a successful title defense in June 2025, reinforcing her status as a fighter competitive at the global flyweight level.
  
  
  
  
  
• Thay Xavier, known as “Avatar,” is one of the youngest and most promising names in this group. At 25 years old, she remains undefeated in professional MMA and competed in two major Brazilian promotions in 2025 — MAC and SFT — securing two victories. In addition, Thay logged six amateur bouts, recording four wins and two draws, experience that directly contributed to her competitive development. The year 2026 appears pivotal for her consolidation on the national scene and a potential move toward international opportunities.
  
  
  
  
  
• Nilza “Chun Li” Camargo, 24 years old, also emerges as a prospect with considerable upside. Competing in Jungle Fight, Nilza holds an undefeated 4–0 professional record, along with two amateur victories. Still in the developmental phase of her career, 2026 is expected to be a key year for her to face more challenging opposition, with the goal of establishing herself as a legitimate Brazilian flyweight prospect.

💬 Summary: Layze, Jady, Thay, and Nilza represent different stages of development within Brazilian women’s flyweight MMA — experience, elite striking pedigree, youthful momentum, and long-term growth potential. In a division that currently lacks depth for Brazil at the UFC level, these athletes could play an important role in shaping the next generation.

🗣️ Your turn: which of these fighters do you believe has the best chance to reach the UFC? Is there another Brazilian women’s flyweight who should be on this list?