Dana White Contender Series Winner Luana Pinheiro Aiming to Emulate Ronda Rousey

Luana Pinheiro may have only won her UFC contract this week, but she already has big plans. The Dana White Contender Series winner shocked the matchmakers when she knocked out Stephanie Frausto in the first round.

Going into her fight with Frausto, the Brazilian Pinheiro (8-1) arrived on a five fight win streak from Bahrain MMA promotion, Brave CF. However, Frausto was the more experienced fighter with a more notable stand up game. 

Although a Brazilian judoka, Luana Pinheiro showed she has heavy hands as well. Pinheiro would land a clean left hook with a right following behind, sending Frausto to the canvas. Following some ground and pound, the referee had no choice but to end the fight earning Luana her first UFC contract.

Pinheiro now wants to make her mark in the promotion and wants to be a positive influence on upcoming talent.

Luana Pinheiro wants to be the next Ronda Rousey

Pinheiro idolized Ronda Rousey growing up. The Brazilian shares similarities with the former bantamweight queen as both women come from a judo background. Now finally signed to the biggest MMA promotion in the world, Pinheiro would like to emulate her idol.

“I wanna show how my judo can be used in MMA, and I want to conquer what she (Rousey) conquered in MMA,” Luana told the media in her post-fight press conference.

Pinheiro hopes to be a positive influence on the young generation, inspiring them to pursuit MMA just like she was inspired. “I also want to be an example and a motivation for new girls like me who are starting in MMA because if I’m here today, it’s because I saw Ronda Rousey fight and give me motivation for being in this way.”

Getting to the top of the strawweight division

Now that she has managed to get herself to the UFC, Luana is trying to stay grounded and focused.

“I’m just getting into the UFC right now, I don’t want to jump the steps,” Pinheiro said. “I want to go step by step, and I can see that each day I’m a more complete fighter and that’s what I want. When I get the shot, I want to be a real complete fighter, well-rounded.”

Luana unlike her idol Rousey fights at strawweight and will be looking to make her way through an extremely tough division. With the first Chinese champion Weili Zhang at the top, the division also holds the likes of Rose Namajunas, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, as well as fellow Brazilians Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas.

The road ahead only gets tougher for Pinheiro now that she’s in the UFC. She will be looking to stay focused and make her mark in the division.

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