Outside Source
Souza (15-6) will be facing fellow countrywoman Bruna Brasil (11-5-1) on Saturday at UFC Vegas 113, also known as UFC Fight Night 266. The two Brazilians will collide at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas as part of the preliminaries. Souza, 31, spoke to Sherdog recently, where she discussed her new training regimen away from her traditional team of the Carioca Academy.
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Seeking her third victory inside the organization, Souza enters the matchup at a pivotal moment in her UFC career following two consecutive losses. In preparation for the Feb. 7 fight, the Amazonian athlete joined the Ribas Family team in Varginha, Minas Gerais. The striker by trade completed her entire training camp alongside established UFC fighters like top-ranked strawweight Amanda Ribas and Alexia Thainara.
Looking for Evolution
According to Souza, the move was motivated by the pursuit of technical and competitive development.
“I was looking for evolution, and that’s when I met Diego Davila and Marcelo Ribas. At Ribas Family, I found a training environment that pushed me to grow. The team has a strong group of athletes, with different body types, which raises the technical level of the sessions,” Souza said.
After spending an extended period training in Manaus, Souza relocated to Varginha with her partner to fully integrate into the team’s daily routine. She highlighted the importance of sharing training sessions with top contender Ribas, who has bounced back and forth between strawweight and flyweight for much of her time in the UFC.
“Training with Amanda has been extremely valuable,” Souza remarked. “She’s a strong and durable athlete, and the exchange we have every day helps both of us improve.”
Souza’s nickname, “Esquentadinha,” which translates to “hot-headed,” dates back to her early days on the Brazilian regional circuit. The name was given by an event announcer following a backstage incident after a weigh-in, and has remained part of her professional identity ever since. For Saturday’s matchup, Souza celebrates a structured and comprehensive camp, with an emphasis on strategic preparation for multiple fight scenarios.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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