Two-belt champion Elisandra Ferreira targets PFL strawweight title on Nigeria debut

Elisandra Ferreira arrives at PFL Nigeria on Saturday carrying two championship belts and a singular ambition: a third. The 28-year-old Brazilian faces undefeated local talent Juliet Ukah in Lagos in her debut under the PFL banner, looking to stake an early claim on the promotion’s yet-to-be-crowned strawweight title.

“Every promotion I enter I’m looking to become champion,” Ferreira told MMA Fighting. “I want to walk away with a story. We’re athletes and our time is limited so we have to enter every promotion aiming to be the champion, to be the best.”

Ferreira’s credentials are hard to dismiss. She began her MMA career in Brazil in 2019 and won her first title — the Nação Cyborg atomweight belt — just two years later. After a disputed decision loss in Canada, she joined Invicta FC, reeled off three straight wins, and claimed the atomweight championship before defending it. She then moved up to 115 pounds and captured the Karate Combat title, completing a two-promotion double that she believes has raised her profile considerably.

“They say, ‘Wow, the girl is a champion,’” Ferreira said. “And it’s not just any promotion. Invicta may not be as active right now, but it has a huge name in the market. Karate Combat speaks for itself — it arrived not long ago but has made a lot of noise. Being a champion in both of those organizations makes me very happy.”

Now training alongside two-time PFL champion Larissa Pacheco, Ferreira says her striking game has sharpened significantly. Most of her professional wins, like those of her opponent, have come via decision — but she believes her work with Pacheco and coach Marcelo Bispo is changing that.

“That only helped evolve my game because it made me want to become even more of a striker,” she said. “Larissa used to be more of a grappler, but after she started knocking people out she really developed a taste for striking. So it has only helped my MMA game evolve.”

Ukah enters the bout at 9-0, with three of those wins already accumulated inside the PFL. PFL has not yet announced plans for the inaugural strawweight title, but Ferreira is clear on her intentions: a strong showing against an unbeaten home fighter in Lagos would put her name at the front of that conversation from day one.