Dana White has long faced criticism over fighter pay, but this story involving a former UFC athlete paints a particularly grim picture for everyone involved. Former UFC fighter Eduarda Neves Santana recently opened up about her struggles with addiction and the desperate lengths she went to to sustain it. Her downward spiral began after the UFC suspended her for doping. In 2020, ‘Duda Cowboyzinha’ was suspended and ultimately released from the promotion after testing positive for Ligandrol. While her teammates insisted the failed test was due to contaminated supplements, they were unable to prove her innocence.

Things took an even darker turn when Santana began using the substance recreationally, particularly while partying. What started with smoking cigarettes soon escalated, leading to a much harsher reality. Now, a resurfaced Brazilian press video featuring three-year-old quotes has shed new light on the depths of her struggles.

In the video, ‘Duda Cowboyzinha’ said, “The family also doesn’t understand that this is a disease, it’s not a dirty trick… This addiction is very sad. Sometimes I go days and days without smoking, and I start to get excited, “I’m going to fight again! Follow your dream, don’t listen to “buddies”, and avoid d—-s. “Oh, I only smoke a s—-k, I only smoke a j—t”, “Oh, a jo–t is natural”… Brother… It starts like this: jo–t, co—-e, cr–k… Then it becomes like pros—–ng yourself for dr–s. To get the stuff from the fight, which was expensive, I didn’t have any sponsorship, it was just me with myself, you know? Today I pro—-ute myself to buy a pack of 20, to buy a cigarette.”

Now, the quotes have found their way to Reddit and started creating chaos on the platform. Well, the fighting community had a lot to say, and people started pointing fingers at Dana White. But was Eduarda Neves Santana really a top UFC fighter as the post conveyed? Well, she was a fighter with a 3-1-0 record. But like many others, Santana had begun struggling financially ever since the COVID-19 pandemic struck her neighborhood. 

Eduarda Neves Santana’s struggles with money

‘Cowboyzinha’ during an interview with Combate in 2020, revealed her struggles with the finances. She said, “I’m not working, neither is my mother. There are days that we wake up with nothing and God provides. It’s one day at a time. The situation is complicated. It has been a long time since I fought, the money has run out.”

As per the records, the Brazilian shared a house with her mother, 6 siblings, and a daughter, in Rio De Janeiro. While her source of income solely relied on fighting, it was the fear of the pandemic that pushed her away. Hoping to find her way back to the UFC, she voiced her concerns, “I want to fight, but I think it will take a bit. [Coronavirus] worries me. I’ll tell you this, I’m scared of this virus. I just heard that a friend of a friend, someone we know, just died. He was 28 and very healthy. That scares you.”

Well, the 29-year-old began her journey at Watch Out Combat Show in 2017. She won 3 back-to-back fights in that year and found her way to the UFC. She debuted against Bea Malecki at UFC on ESPN+ 11. However, this bout, as discussed earlier, ended in a loss for the Brazilian, as Malecki submitted Santana with a rear naked choke in the second round. But her comeback bouts to the UFC, slated against Leah Letson, Tracy Cortez, and Sarah Simmons, were all canceled. And the reason pointed to her failed doping tests.

But hope is not lost yet. Terrance McKinney, Louis Smolka, and even Matt Brown are living stories of how life turned to the better path after the fighters overcame their problems with addiction. And Duda Santana has already taken the first step of acknowledgment. And all we as fans can do is hope for her quick recovery.

What are your thoughts on Santana’s journey and the way she’s going forward in life? Do you think the UFC should come out and offer her some help? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.